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About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1877)
CON'VKHSATIOK. 23 wholhcr sislcr Eleanor has her eyes closed or riot, if she only remembers I hut she is talking to God mid asking Him to make her a good little girl. God doesn't notice Eleanor,s eyes while she prays, lie is looking down into her heart." There is no need to tell you that our Grandma loved us. You know that, 1 do not rcmcinher hearing her pray in English, hut often afier she thought v were asleep, she would conic and kneel down heside our hed and pray aloud. T could not understand the words, hut I knew then, and know now, that she was praying for us. Ever since 1 can rememher, she was trouhled with a slight cough, and grew very much worse after a severe cold which she took early in the spring of '00. She grew weaker daily; at Urst she was con lined to her room, then to her hed. After she had heeu in this condition for some time, I came home from school one day, and mamma told me to go to her room thai she had asked for me several times during the day. I wen', carrying a gln of fresh water. She kissed me and look a drink, and in reluming the glass, said "Thank you, darling, that is very n'co." I sat ('own and hegan lo fan her. Shu lay there looking ut nte with those soft, dark eyes, murmuring tenderly, " God hless my dear little Hessie." I noticed (lien that sin was very feehle and thin. As the dav wove, on, her breath came more slowly, and all night her mind wandered. In the morning the physician came and told us, Our Grandma must die. I was in the kitchen, stirring a drink for her, when my oldest sister came in, and in hearl-hroken tones told us the hitter truth, and that Grandma wanted to see us. Sister took Eleanor's hand and led the way. I fol lowed, my heart almost hursting with the grief I resolved lo hide. I" shall never forgot the group around thai dying hed. There stood daughter and granddaughters. The minister sat hy the hedside, reading the twenty-third Psitlin. Grandma was half reclining on her pillows, her dark eyes turned upward, Hie tli In hands clasped, and the pale lips moving unconsciously as if in prayer' Sister took my hand and led me. forward; thu minister stopped reading, and made room for us at the hedside. Mamma laid her hand grnily on Grandma';? forehead and said, "Mother, here are the children " She turned and looked at mamma for a moment, with such a surprised look, as if called hack to earth, after her spirit had started on its upward llight, then said, " Yes, yes," and motioned for us lo kiss her, saying " God hless my little darlings, God hless them." She tried to say some thing cle to us, hut could not goon. She pointed upward and smiled. Then they took us away. Halfway down thestairs my feelings overcame me. I sat down on the step, buried my face in my apron, and gave vent to mv grief. Time enables me lo spunk calmly of that dear one, but it can never efface those tender recollec tions which come at the sweel word, Grandma. Often, when the grass is long in the graveyard, and the rosus in bloom, we go and stand by the grave of OUlt CKANDMA. HaSStIC J.YNK. CONVERSATION. Conversation is fainiliurdiscoursc; gen eral interchange of sentiment. It is more continuous and generally turns upon subjects of higher interest than Hint of talk. Dr. Johnson once re marked of an evening spent in soeioty that there had been a great deal of talk, but no conversation. Lord Hucon says: "Talkers are commonly vain, and credu lous withal; for, he thai talkcth what he knowet)i, will also talk what he knoweth not." Conversation is an nrt, and, like everything cl&e, is made perfect by prac tice. The subject of conversation is one that demands the special thought of the teaclier. lie must understand the nature of the child and adapt his conversation
