She bowed her head in token of assent. then suddenly it appeared as if all the stars wereshining with the radiance of the full moon on the many-colored flowers that decked the grave.The earth that covered it was drawn back like a floating drapery. She sunk down， and thespectre covered her with a black cloak; night closed around her， the night of death. She sankdeeper than the spade of the sexton could penetrate， till the churchyard became a roof aboveher. Then the cloak was removed， and she found herself in a large hall， of wide-spreadingdimensions， in which there was a subdued light， like twilight， reigning， and in a momenther child appeared before her， smiling， and more beautiful than ever; with a silent cry shepressed him to her heart. A glorious strain of music sounded—now distant， now near. Neverhad she listened to such tones as these; they came from beyond a large dark curtain whichseparated the regions of death from the land of eternity.
“My sweet， darling mother，” she heard the child say. It was the well-known， belovedvoice; and kiss followed kiss， in boundless delight. Then the child pointed to the darkcurtain. “There is nothing so beautiful on earth as it is here. Mother， do you not see themall? Oh， it is happiness indeed.”
But the mother saw nothing of what the child pointed out， only the dark curtain. Shelooked with earthly eyes， and could not see as the child saw，—he whom God has called to bewith Himself. She could hear the sounds of music， but she heard not the words， the Word inwhich she was to trust.
“I can fly now， mother，” said the child; “I can fly with other happy children into thepresence of the Almighty. I would fain fly away now; but if you weep for me as you areweeping now， you may never see me again. And yet I would go so gladly. May I not fly away?And you will come to me soon， will you not， dear mother?”
“Oh， stay， stay!” implored the mother; “only one moment more; only once more，that I may look upon thee， and kiss thee， and press thee to my heart.”
then she kissed and fondled her child. Suddenly her name was called from above; whatcould it mean? her name uttered in a plaintive voice.
“Hearest thou?” said the child. “It is my father who calls thee.” And in a few moments deepsighs were heard， as of children weeping. “They are my sisters，” said the child. “Mother，surely you have not forgotten them.”
And then she remembered those she left behind， and a GREat terror came over her. Shelooked around her at the dark night. Dim forms flitted by. She seemed to recognize some ofthem， as they floated through the regions of death towards the dark curtain， where theyvanished. Would her husband and her daughters flit past? No; their sighs and lamentationsstill sounded from above; and she had nearly forgotten them， for the sake of him who wasdead.
“Mother， now the bells of heaven are ringing，” said the child; “mother， the sun is goingto rise.”
An overpowering light streamed in upon her， the child had vanished， and she was beingborne upwards. All around her became cold; she lifted her head， and saw that she was lyingin the churchyard， on the grave of her child. The Lord， in a dream， had been a guide to herfeet and a light to her spirit. She bowed her knees， and prayed for forgiveness. She hadwished to keep back a soul from its immortal flight; she had forgotten her duties towards theliving who were left her. And when she had offered this prayer， her heart felt lighter. The sunburst forth， over her head a little bird carolled his song， and the church-bells sounded forthe early service. Everything around her seemed holy， and her heart was chastened. Sheacknowledged the goodness of God， she acknowledged the duties she had to perform， andeagerly she returned home. She bent over her husband， who still slept; her warm， devotedkiss awakened him， and words of heartfelt love fell from the lips of both. Now she was gentleand strong as a wife can be; and from her lips came the words of faith： “Whatever He doethis right and best.”
then her husband asked， “From whence hast thou all at once derived such strength andcomforting faith?”
And as she kissed him and her children， she said， “It came from God， through my childin the grave.”