American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1822-05-31

ways to do long ago, | will strive to think of my
grandfather without weeping; aye without sheddingi
one single tear :'-and here the child unaware OIL
the full tenderness Of his own sinless heart, burst
out into an uncomfortable flood of grief
The mother, happy in her sore affection, to seeI
her darling boy again taken so lovingly to her hus-
bands heart, looked towards them with faint smilel
land then, with beaming counteEance, towardsl
the expired saint for she felt that his dying words
had restored the sancttes of nature to her earthy
dwelling. With gentle hand she beckoned the pas 4
tor and myself to follow her and conducted us away
from the deathbed into little parlor, in which burn
ed cheerful fire ; and small table was spreadl
with cloth whittier than the snow" You shall stay
in cottage all night and we shall all meet togel
Their again before the hour of rest = and saying,l
she calmly withdrew.
There was no disorder or dsarray in the room inI
which we now sat. Though sickness had been inj
the house, no domestic duties had been neglected.
In this room the patriarch had, every evening forI
forty years said family prayers ;-and the dust had
not been allowed to gather there, though sickness
had kept him from the quiet nook in which he had
so long delighted The servant, with sorrowful but
composed features, brought to our simple meal );
which the pastor blessed, not without pathetic al
fusion TO him who had been removed and another
more touching STILL TO them who survived him -
That simple but most feryent aspiration, scanned to
breathe an air of comfort through the house that
was desolate But deep melancholy yet reigned
over the hush and the inside of the cottage, now
that its ancient honor gone, felt forlorn Its
:, outside would have done, had the sycamore thai
gave it shade and shelter, been elled to the earth
Il We had sat by ourselves for about two hours
. when the matron again appeared; not as when we
had first her, wearied out and careless oi
herself but calm in her demeanor and with her raj
ment changed--serene and beautiful in the compo.
sure OF her faith With soft voice she asked us
to come with her again to the room where her faith
Ter lay and thither we followed her in silence
The body of the old man had been laid out by the
same loving hands that had tenderly mnistered Il
lall his wants and wishes, when alive. The shrout
{ lin which he now wrapt had been in the cottagt
for many long year; and white as it was, even al
1.-The undriven snow, scarcely it whittier than tht
cheeks and locks now bound in its peaceful folds
: To the eyes of my childhood the Elders face hac
sometimes seemed even in its benignity, too austert
for my careless thoughts, impressed it ever was
with an habitua holiness But all such austerity,
indeed it had ever been there, death had now remov
ed from that silent countenance. His last moment
/; had been blessed by his sons contriton-his daugh
n ters love-his grandchilds pity-hs pastors pray
ers. And the profound peace which his parting spi
had enjoyed left expression on his placid fea
;. lures, consolatory and sublime.
y The pentent son was sitting at the bed slde.-
y We all took our places near him and for while re
= manned silent, with eyes fixed on that countenanc
r. from which beamed the best memories of earth ant
the oftest hopes OF Heaven.
i "Hear," said the humbled man, " how the thay
Ills bringing down the loosened torrents from tn
N hills !--even SO is my soul flowing within me-
"A "Aye, and it will flow until its waters are ono
= more pure and bright as summer stream,'' sal
the pastor with benign voice. " But art thou sur
70 that my fathers forgiveness was pertectM "Ye
- William, it was perfect. Not on his deathbed onl,
&c when love reents towards all OBJECTS gmmerin
3 away from our mortal eyes, did the old man tax
~ thee into his heart; but, William, not day, not a
hour has passed these silver hairs, in which tn
is father did not forgive thee, love thee, pray for the
i unto thy God and thy Saviour 1t was but last sab
- bath that stood together by thy mothers gray
i in the kirk yard, after divine worship, when all tn
- congregation had dispersed--He held his eyes o
10 that tomb stone and said o, heavenly father, whe
20 through the merits of the Rcdeemer, we will met
al again, family in Heaven, remember thou, . Lor
n. my poor lost William; let these drops plead ft
:, him. wrung out from his old fathers broken heart
nc The big tears, William, FLASHED like the drops
In a thunder shower on the tomb stone and at Ii
~ time, thy fathers face whittier than ashes. 81
,;s divine assurance upon his tribulation; an
nc as we walked together fromshe burial place, hei
ID was happy smile about his faded eye; and i
&C whispered unto me, my boy has been led astray
but God will not forget that he was once the pre-
nd and pillar Of his fathers house. One hours SINGER
A. repentance will yet wipe away all his transgressons
I'M When we parted, he was, know it, perfectly hap
a py and happy no doubt, he continued until he die
ed William many pang hast thou sent to thy fail
,st er's heart but believe thou this-that thou made
amends for them all at the hour Of his dissolution
Look the smile of joy at thy deiiyerance is yet up
!, on his face"
he The son took his hands from before his eyes gas
RAJ ed the celestial expression of his fathers
mt tenance--and his soul was satisfied.
ull "Alas alasw he said in an humble voice "wh
syiis reason, such poor imperfect miserable