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GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Sept. 15.d 



Our Homes. 



Therefore shall a man leave his father and his 

 mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they 

 shall be one flesh.— Gen. 2:24.;; 



There are many things in this world so beau- 

 tifully arranged, when we eotne to understand 

 the matter fully, that our hearts are involun- 

 tarily raised to God in thanksgiving for his 

 great and precious gifts. Somehow or other 

 of late I have been thinking of the marriage 

 relation in connection with the institution that 

 we call home — the relation of husband and 

 wife. Adam and Eve started the first home. 

 No doubt it was a model home, and they were 

 a model couple until they transgressed and fell. 

 I love to see married people together. I enjoy 

 seeing them side by side when they are first 

 married, and stand before the great wide world, 

 each one saying by act if not by word, " We 

 two are husband and wife." No good man ever 

 feels ashamed to acknowledge he is a married 

 man; and I do not think I ever heard of a 

 woman who tried to make out that she was not 

 a wife when she really was. You see, as a rule 

 women are a little readier than we men to bear 

 their part of the matrimonial yoke. Well, I not 

 only love to see the young bride and groom, but 

 I love to see the young couple working together 

 to build up a home. I love to see them when 

 they proudly show to friends and neighbors the 

 first-baby; and when I am visiting homes I love 

 to hear the parents say, " Mr. Root, these are 

 our children;" and I enjoy hearing them say 

 something to the effect that this is the little 

 group that God has given them to train and 

 fashion in wisdom's ways. I love to shake 

 hands with the grown-up boys too, when they 

 are so big that the mother and perhaps the 

 father too is obliged to look up a little. If they 

 look up because the stalwart son is taller than 

 either, it is well; if because the grown-up son 

 and daughter are better educated, more talent- 

 ed, and more skillful than either the father or 

 mother, better still. The parent is rarely jeal- 

 ous because the child excels. Then, again, I 

 like to see the gray-haired couple show me 

 their grandchildren; and it rejoices my heart 

 exceedingly to see the old couple show a loving 

 regard for each other. Yes, it rejoices my 

 heart to see them lovers still after a family 

 has teen reared; for, inconsistent and unrea- 

 sonable as it may seem. Satan often gels into 

 the home, even after the children are grown up 

 and gone. Dear aged brother and sister, if you 

 in your old age have ever felt like being cross 

 and harsh toward each other, please believe me 

 when I tell you that Satan rarely leaves any 

 couple entirely alone after the honeymoon days 

 have passed by and gray hairs have come. 

 Look out for him. It is now less than 48 hours 

 since I was tempted to speak harshly toward 

 the dear partner of my sorrows and joys. I did 

 notspeak a word, mind you; but even a glimose 

 of the thought made me feel guilty. I said to 

 myself, " God have mercy on me a sinner," for I 

 was a sinner to let Satan come so near that I 

 even heard his suggestions. After my little 

 prayer had banished him entirely, I looked at 

 the dear face across the table, and imagined 

 how it must have pained her gentle spirit had I 

 spoken it out loud; and then I would not have 

 done it for worlds. dear friend, let me beg 

 of you to be careful. Little do you know how 

 you may look back in memory and remember 

 every harsh and cruel word if you have allowed 

 yourself to go so far as the latter. Remember, 

 the relation between you two was framed by 

 the great God above in the beginning of the 



world; and it stands at the beginning of every 

 thing that is good and pure and holy. 



A few days ago a letter was put into my 

 hands that has stirred me more than any thing 

 else that has come for a long while. The dear 

 brother who wrote it never dreamed that it 

 would be usea for publication; but yet I know 

 he will not object when I tell him that his let- 

 ter may prove to be a message to many a home 

 where Gleanings goes. Here it is: 



Bro. Roof .'—With a sad heart and streaming eyes I 

 write you this letter. You told me in your last let- 

 ter to read a certain chapter. I can't read it now, 

 for the joy of my life is gone. Tlie greatest com- 

 fort on this green earth was my wife. When 

 you wrote about Mrs. Root's sickness, I tried to 

 read it in a stammering way; but the tears flowed 

 down Belle's cheeks (I always called her "Belle"). 

 We have lived together fifteen years, as happy as 

 ever two people lived. I think. God blessed us with 

 five children (three girls, two boys), here in a little 

 cabin in the West Virginia hills. She always read 

 your paper with interest, especially the religious 

 part. She was converted in 1878, when only 17 years 

 of age. When we were man led she joined the M. P. 

 church. She was the pastor's daughter (of tlie same 

 church). I was a hard-hearted sinner, and had been 

 thiough many a revival meeting; but soon after we 

 were married she said to me one day with a sad 

 heart while we were at the tat le that there were 

 two things she ml&sed. I asked what, as I always 

 wanted to please her. She said it was family prayer 

 and thanks at the table. Of course, this put me to 

 thinking. I had become hardened in sin; but she 

 did not stop there. Five long years she prayed for 

 me (ofttimes when I was asleep), and shed many a 

 tear for me. She was a full believer in prayer. At 

 last I gave up and told her I would try. 1 will not 

 tell you what strange things took place when I was 

 converted, and how God worked on me. for you may 

 get tired of this kind of letter. But I want to tell 

 you that my dear wife took sick Aug. 12th, while I 

 was away a day and a half; and when I came home 

 I found her very poorly. I tried to get her to take 

 something, but she did not want to doctor any I 

 sent for the doctor, however, and he thought it 

 would be no serious trouble. Three days and nights 

 he doctored, but no relief. Now, Bro. Root, the 

 darkest hour began to come. Dark clouds began to 

 rise thick and fast. I became restless— was here 

 and there, finding no relief. We have an Indian 

 doctor 11 miles away, so Sunday, at dark, I started 

 for him, as he had doctored my wife and had always 

 helped her. Oh ! you don't know what a night, 

 with tears falling fast, thinking of a loved one at 

 home, racked with pain, awaiting my return. Then 

 I thought of you and your prayer for Mrs. Root, so 

 I prayed in anguish of heart that long 32 miles. 

 The doctor came, and seemed to help for awhile; 

 but she had other troubles that seemed to all work 

 against her. The dear little baby, only two years 

 old, was usually her first thought in the morning 

 and last at night. She se'med to be her greatest 

 anxiety I am not boasting at all when I say every- 

 body who sees ln-r speaks of the beauty and bright- 

 ness of poor little "Clista." What will become of 

 her now? 



When you speak of things to eat I think of my 

 oldest daughter, who can bake as good light bread 

 (or better) as I find in traveling this country over; 

 and she is now doing the housework too, at only 13 

 years of age. I must say this: She had a good 

 mother's training, which was a Godsend to me. I 

 verily believe if it liad not been for lur tears and 

 prayer I should have been lost for ever. Oh ! I thank 

 God for good women. The thought lias come to me, 

 shall I prove faithful without her'? May God help 

 me ! Oh ! pray for me that I may never give up till 

 the last battle is fought, so I can lay down the cross 

 and take up the crown. 



In my dreams I saw A, I. Root last night, and was 

 telling him of my sorrow. What a blessed thing it 

 is to have Christian friends to tell our sorrows to ! 

 I never in all my life saw any person suffer as dear 

 Belle did all through the long two weeks. She pray- 

 ed that God might come and relieve her from her 

 pain; so on Wednesday niglit, after all this long' 

 suffering. Jesus came to her. Her brother stooped 

 low and listened, and heard her speak of "white." 

 Then she said, "Lord take me; is this not enough?" 

 Just a night or two before she was taken sick I 

 called on her to pray, as we did it by turns when 



