THE BLUE RIBBON THE DARK CLOUD WITH A SILVER LINING. H." And so you have been in trouble, John? It is a long time now since I was in this part of the country. When I was here last, your wife was alive, but even then she seemed to me to be ready for glory." J. "I humbly believe she was, sir, and since then, as a shock of corn fully ripe, she has been gathered into God's garner. It was not a slight affliction to lose her, after living with her five-and-forty years; but there is a time to die as well as a time to live, and, as she said, God's time is the best time.' 999 H."True, John, and when we think otherwise we think wrong. Was she patient under her illness ?" J." Patient as a lamb, sir. It's not for the like of us,' said she, to be murmurers in the midst of our mercies. There is a cloud round me, John, but, blessed be God, dark as it is, it has a silver lining.' 999 H. "What did she mean by that, John ?" J. "I will tell you, sir. The last time we walked out together, poor soul, she hung heavy enough on my arm, and made but a sad walk of it; we went to the end of the orchard, just as the sun was setting. There was a cloud over the sun black enough, but its edges looked as bright as silver. As we came through the orchard we talked of the sun being in a cloud, and my poor wife, as she turned round to look at it once more, said, When God is in it, John, the darkest cloud is sure to have a silver lining.' H. “I understand now. She meant to say, then, that God was in the cloud around her ?" |