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SKETCHES. 321
the face of the woman, who has never experienced the
blessing of life’s joy, of a pure, happy love; it resembles
the soil upon which no ray of the sun has fallen, and which,
therefore, brings forth only sickly colorless flowers. But
in contemplating these two sisters, I said to myself, Oh,
how beautiful are not the features of those, who have pre-
served their soul’s peace by patience.
Earthly love, enjoyment, and happiness cannot thus make
the human face a bright mirror of heaven. This alone—
Oh! do not turn away thy glance, young woman, whose
eye is still beaming with youth and hope — this alone can
the cross of self-denial, humbly and patiently borne, do;
this alone be reflected by a firm mind, sanctified by a
whole life, when it says: “ Thy will be done, O Father!”
And the sisters had said this, and they had borne the cross.
When one day they become glorified angels, they will per-
haps appear with more beautiful features; but this look, so
bright, so serene, this smile, so gentle, so kind—can
heaven’s children have one more beautiful? I do not
believe it; for the angel was already there in the sisters’
souls, and smiled and looked out of them, blessing earth.
There were lines on their foreheads; their eyes were
sunken ; there were traces of suffering on their cheeks ; but
the spirit of humble submission had passed over all and had
chased away all gloom. But not only the soul’s beauty
and peace lay spread over the faces of the sisters; for
especially when they spoke, there sparkled a ray of lively
humor, of that quiet, good-natured’temper, which I believe
we begin to feel when the stormy season of passion is past,
and we subinit to let alone what cannot be altered; when
we take man as he ¢s, and put the best face upon things,
and, above all, when we do not allow the minor business
of life to irritate us, or become annoyed at petty vexations.
We have much to combat with before we arrive at this de-
lightful peace of mind, but the sisters have communicated
to me the prescription, which they have themselves made
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