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��THE SYMBOLIZED WEDDING-DAY.
��bright rays through a western window, where they danced for a moment in thread-like flashes, then dividing them- selves, rested, as if in blessing, upon the happy bride and groom.
A more lovely scene could not have been pictured — the church, filled with its halo of joy — the nodding blossoms, sparkling like crystalized beauties in the bright sunlight — the white-robed rector, looking almost ethereal — the altar, with its burning tapers in the background; while that youthful couple standing be- neath the resting sunbeams, formed a most pleasing foreground.
As the bridal party emerged from the church, it seemed as if the crowning glory of the occasion had risen up to offer her warm congratulations — a most brilliant rainbow hanging like a ribbon of promise from the blue heavens before them. The quick perception of the over- joyed mother caught up the threads of happy circumstances, and her thoughts went on weaving a bright border around her web of mental illusion.
"'Dear mother," said Harry, on taking her hand at parting, "I am so glad to see your happy smiles again ! This mor- ning my own joy was stayed by your sadness, and I almost feared the step I was about to take — but now I feel strong and can walk forth into this new life with renewed hope and courage, for your smiles, precious mother, will illume my path like a lamp of love at my feet ! But tell me what magic power has changed your tears into these happy smiles? Your face seems radiant with the joy your heart is feeling ! Was it the beautiful service of our beloved church, dear mother, that quickened them into birth, or this beautiful afternoon sun- shine?"
"Aye, my own Harry, both. The ser- vice of our church is never rendered without its beautiful meaning thrilling the deepest recesses of my heart ; but to- day this clearing up shower, with its veil of bright sunshine and ribbon of rainbow tints, has proved the reviving elixir, sending forth these happy smiles and hanging a bow of promise in my heart. Listen, my son, and mark you well. This day have I symbolized with
��your life. Your present joy, in connec- tion with your business prospects, is the lovely morning with its happy sunshine; but by and by the sky that now looks so clear and promising will have become murky and foreboding — heavy clouds of adversity gather, sending forth their pelting rains upon you. Whether heart, fortune or both shall be engulfed remaiu- eth only to the Father. Be the call ever so great, give answer, never for a mo- ment losing your trust that He will, in His own good time, bring you forth into the sunshine again, purified and made better by His refining process. Promise me, dear Harry, that when these clouds shall gather, as they surely will, you will be brave and meet them manfully, re- membering that the brightest sunshine and most brilliant rainbow are more often an answering smile to storms most threatening and fearful !"
"Yes, my own beautiful mother, I will promise ; for with Kittie's loving influ- ence and your precious love and coun- sel, I can be brave and manfully meet whate'er betide !"
"Then go, and a mother's blessing shall follow you !"
��Five years of matrimonial sunshine — five years of business prosperity, had been gathered up by the hand of Time and tossed "among the things that were." The financial sky, which but yesterday looked so bright and promising, had sud- denly, very suddenly, become dark and threatening — clouds, heavy and forebod- ing, were driving with maddening fury those light and floating— lightning flash- es, sharp and repeating, seemed rending the darkness, and already the rain drops of fear were beating against the hearts of auxious men I But one peal from the leading houses of business, and those subordinate and weaker must needs fall beneath the rushing torrents which fol- low ! — and it came with such sudden fury that poor Harry Lettredge had not time to raise even a slight protection above him!
For the moment he seemed unmanned by the great calamity which had befal- len him, — not so much for himself as for the dear ones who must suffer with him ,
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