The Light in the Window

“Yes, my dear! that’s what I do every night. As soon as it begins to get dark, I say to myself, Where’s the lamp to light my clear boy home? ‘And I look around, for there it is on the shelf already! I don’t leave it to get ready till it grows dark; not I, my dear. There’s a time for everything, and trimming lamps should be done in the daylight. It’s like some other things. I know of, that must be done early if they’re to be of any use! For instance, if I were to leave my Bible to read till everything else was done, it wouldn’t get done at all; that’s my opinion!
“My dear boy works six miles away over the Downs, and when it comes to evening he puts away his tools, and he says to himself, ‘Now for home! Mother will be beginning to expect me.’ And so I shall, my dear, and no Mistake!
He knows the lamp will be there to guide him home, and he does not fear to tread the bleak downs, with the treacherous chalk pits, or stony steeps, because he always keeps to one path and keep’s the light in my window straight in his eye.
“That light has taught me many a lesson, my dear — many a lesson! I’ve said to myself over and over, ‘For one thing, lamps must be trimmed, or they won’t give light. They must have the fresh oil put in them every day, or there’ll be no light. For another thing we must keep the light of God’s truth straight before us, or we shall wander out of the way.’
“Then there’s another way to think of it. That light in our window is a sign of love — of my love to him; and it’s a sign of home at last, where we all would like to go!
“There’s an old mother’s story for you! Ah, well! he’ll be home soon, and then he’ll teach you it’s all true; and he’ll tell you all about what he has done on the road, and what dangers he has passed, and then together we’ll all sit down in the light and rest.”