Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1820-04-04
From tie Sketch Book.
THE WIDOW AND HER SON.

THE WIDOW AND HER SON.
P;tt;e oide age, within whose silver ilsires
Honor and reverence ever more have reigned
MARLowE's TAMBURLAxF.
During my residence 10 the country,
used frequently TO attend at the old village
church. lis shadowy aisies, its moulder-
ing monuments, its dark oak pannelling,
all reverend With the gloom Of departed
years, seemed 10 fit it for the haunt of So
Tenn meditation. A Sunday, too, in the
country is so holy in IFS repose; such
pensive quiet reigns over the face of ma
ture, that every restless passion is charm
ed down, and we feel all the natural reli
gion Of the soul gently springing up with
in us.
Sweet day. so pure, so calm, so bright,
The bridal of the earth and sky -
do not pretend to be what is called a
devout man, but there are. feelings that
visit me in country church, amidst The
beautiful serenity OF nature, which ex-
perienoe no where else; aud il not more
religious, am certainly better man Oh
Sunday, than on any other day Of the Sc
ven.
But 10 this church felt myself contin-
ualiy thrown back upon the world by The
frigidity and pomp Of the poor worms
around me The ea!y being Hat seemed
thoroughly TO feel the humble and pres
trate piety OF a true christian, was poor
decrep;t old woman, bending under the
weight OF years and inirmities- She bore
the traces of something better than abjeci
poverty. The lingerings of decen, pride
we're visible 10 her appearance. Her dress
though humble 10 the extreme, was scfn
puiousIy clean. Some trivial respect,
loo, had been awarded her, for she did COZ
lake her seat among the village poor, bul
sat alone on The steps of the altar. She
seemed to have survived all love, all
| Friendship, all society, aud 10 have 90
thing Jeff her but the hopes of heaven
When saw her feebiy rising aud bending
her aged form 10 prayer, habitually con-
ming her prayer book, which her palsied
hand and failing eyes could not permit
her to read, but which she evidently knew
by heart-I felt that the faIteriiig voice OF
that poor woman arose to heaven far above
The responses of the clerk, the swell OF
The organ, or the chanting OF the choir.
am fond of lettering about country
churches, and this was so Delightfully."- sit
uated, that it frequently attracted me. Il
stood on knoll round which small
stream made a beautiful beud, and then
wound its way through long reach Of
soft and meadowy scenery. The church
was surrounded with yew trees, which
seemed almost coeyal with itself. It's tall
gothic spire shot up lightly among them
with rocks and crows generally wheeling
about it. | was seated here one still sun
| ny morning, watching two labourers who
were digging grave. They had chosen
one of the most remote aud neglected
corners of The church yard, where by the
number of nsmeless graves around, il
would appear that the indoleut and friend
less we're huddled into the earth. l wal
told that the new made grave was for the
only son of poor widow. While / was
meditating on the distinctions of world,
rank, which extend thus down into tn,
very dust, the toll Of the bell announced
the approach of the funeral. They were
the obssquies of poverty, with which prid,
had nothing to do. A coffin of the plain
est materials, without pail or other cover
ing, was borne by some Of the villagers
The sexton walked before with an air o
cold indifference. There were no mocl
mourners in the trappings Of affected wo
but there was one real mourner who fee
bly tottered over the corpse. Ii was tn
aged mother of the deceased-ihe poo
old woman whom had seen seated on th,
steps of the altar. She was supported b,
humble friend, who was endeavourins
to comfort her. A few Of The neighbourin.
poor had joined the train, and some chill
dren Of the village were running hand il
hand, now shouting with unthinking mirth
and sometimes pansing 10 gaze, with child
ish curiosity, on the grief Of the mourner
As the funeral train approached tn,
grave, the parson issued out Of the churcl
porch arrayed in the surplice, with th'
prayer book 10 his hand, and attended By
the clerk. The service however, was
mere act of charity. The deceased ha,
been destitute, and the survivor was pen
nyless. It was shuffled through, there
fore, 10 form, but coldly and unfeelingIy
THE well fed priest scarcely moved tel