Spirit parents and friends of this unfortunate being gathered around, who would fain have assisted her out of her miserable condition; but she knew them not, and waved them away from her side.
FIRST STEPS TOWARD ENLIGHTENMENT.
But this state of things could not continue long; as the constant dropping of water will wear away a stone, so the continued influence of earnest spirits descending upon another will produce its result, and so the influence of these good, beneficent ones began slowly yet surely to produce a softening effect upon this woman’s heart. She grew unhappy, restless; the gold and jewels of her former days haunted her; she longed to see them once again. In one of these moods she found herself in the bodily presence of a kinsman,—one poor, but worthy,—whom she had despised as shiftless, because while burdened with an invalid wife, and a family of little ones, he could do nothing more than keep himself and family above want and debt.
Thinking deeply of the hiding-place of her treasure, and longing to behold it once again, she did not know that the intensity of her desire, and the impression on her soul concerning the place of concealment, communicated itself to the mind, or spirit, of her relative. He was in a partial slumber, it was early morning; just the time and condition favorable for producing spirit impression. Starting from his sleep, he exclaimed to his suffering wife: “I believe I have dreamed out the hiding-place of aunt Sarah’s money; I believe I can find it; at least, I shall search for it.”
His companion tried to soothe him into quiet, but all in vain; he could not rest, and shortly left the house, followed by the now anxious and thoroughly alarmed spirit.
I need not enter into details; before nightfall the treasure was found,—bank-notes, gold and jewels,—together with a note in the handwriting of the deceased woman, stating that the money should be owned by whoever found it, but the jewels must be returned to the heirs of the family. The only heir to the property was a young lady, a governess in a distant city. Gladly did the fortunate finder communicate with her, and as the jewels were worth fully as much as the money, she was glad to take them, and leave the residue with her relative.
Thus were honest hearts made happy, and needy ones provided for. He who found the treasure had been sorely tried; his wife’s health had become more precarious than ever, and his family were in need of even the necessities of life; for he had been thrown out of employment, and there was no prospect or hope of better days before him.
You may judge of the rejoicing in the poor man’s cottage that night; the children were elated, but the invalid’s tears flowed freely, as in broken accents she thanked the Father of us all for his tender mercy.
ENFRANCHISEMENT OF A SPIRIT.
It was this scene that softened the heart of that unhappy spirit, and actually brought tears to her eyes. She had rejoiced at the sight of her treasures again, then grown alarmed as she realized they had forever passed away from her; but when she witnessed the tears, and listened to the thanksgiving of the invalid woman, her own heart melted, and she wept in sympathy.