Adams Wife 309 



formations as rarely come so suddenly into life — 

 father, mother, and the old home gone, and the 

 new home established. "I have almost lost my 

 identity," said the so lately light-hearted and care- 

 free young girl. Her path led abruptly down into 

 a very dark and cloudy valley, and its clouds drifted 

 after her as she ascended the mountain beyond, but 

 they were illuminated by the sunrise of both this 

 world and of that to which we are now hastening. 

 It verily seems that that mother and daughter are 

 not yet parted. 



Last summer, one night, the lady dreamed that 

 she saw her mother walk slowly down to the margin 

 of the lake and stand beckoning to her to come 

 over. Now, call it superstition if you will, still I 

 believe in the verity of such visions with as much 

 simplicity of faith as Paul or John did — and nearly 

 every one does, whether he confess it or not — 

 marking, however, the great difference between 

 them and the forms and shadows cast upon earthly 

 clouds of sleep by the dim light of half-conscious- 

 ness. This, she thought, might be a real revela- 

 tion of the narrowness and nearness of the voyage, 

 but I said it was probably nothing more than a sig- 

 nal of longing and impatience to have her come. I 

 think they do get tired waiting, over there. Why 

 shouldn't they? I reckon the cottage over there 

 will be better than the one we three moved into 

 forty-five years ago, but I don't believe we will be 

 much happier people than we were that day. 



