American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1822-05-31
FROM Lakewood EDINBURGH MAGAZINE
THE PENITENT SON.

rclitt TUIl lOdu OIL SOTTOW w n1le we yet near
the faint murmurs of the unexpred breath and see
the dim light of the Enclosed eyes we watch in
agony all the slightest movements of the sufferer,
and to save the life Of friend or of parent we our
selves would most gladly die. All the love OF which
our hearts are capable, belongs then but to dear
est object and things which perhaps few days
before were priced as the most delightful Of earhs
lenjoyments, seem at that awful crisis, unworthy
even OF the affections of child The blow is struck
ana the sick bed is bier. But God suffers not the
souls of those who believe, to fall into abyss of
despair. The being whom for so many long years
we have loved and reverencsd,
" Has past through nature to eternity;n
and the survivors left behind in mournful resig
nation to the mysterious decree. Life and death
walk through this world hand in hand. Young, old,
Kind, cruel, wise, FOOLISH good and wicked-all at
last patiently submit to one memorable law. At ALL
times and in all places there are the watchings and
weepings and wailings Of hearts severed or about
to sever. Yet look over landscape city--and
though sorrow and sickness and death be in the
groves and woods and solitary places among the
hils-among the streets and the squares and the
magnificent dwellings Of princes, yet the great glad
spirit of life is triumphant and there seems abid
ing place for the dreams Of decay.
/ Sweet lonesome cottage of the Hazel Glen =
Even now Is the merry month of May PASSING
brightly thy broomy braes and while the lin
net sings on earth, the lark replies to him from
heaven. The lambs are playing in the sunshine
over all thy verdant knobs and infant shepherd and
shepherdess are joining in their gee. Scarcely is
there cloud in the soft cerulean sky-saye where
a gentle mist ascends above the dark green syca
more, in whose shade that solitary dwelling sleeps
This little world is filled to the brink with happiness
: for grief would be ashamed TO sigh within the
: still enclosure of these pastoral hills.
4 Three little months ago and in that cottage we
RI stood togetherson, daughter, grandchild, pastor
and friend by the deathbed ofthe Elder In thought,
are still standing there and that night of death
returns upon me. not dark and gloomy, but soft,
calm and mournlu like the face Of heaven just ting
ed with moonlight and here and there solitary star.
The head OF the old man lay on its pillow stlller
than in any breathing sleep; and there was a pale
ness his face that told the heart would beat no
more We stood motionless as in picture and
= looked speechlessy on each others countenance.-
My Grandfather has fallen asleep" said the low
<, ing boy, in low voice; unconscously using in his
J, simplicity, that sublime scriptural expression ol
u death The mother, unable TO withhold her sobs
took her child by his little hand and was leading
him away. when at once the dreadful truth fell up
on him and he knew that he never again to say
his prayers by the old mans knees. "Oh let mt
kiss him, once only-beore they bury him in the
cold earth - and in moment the golden curls o.
the child were mixed with the gray hairs OF the life
$, less shadow. No terror had the cold lips for him
IS and closely did he lay his cheeks smooth, tt
u those deep wrinkles, on which yet seemed to dwell
" last loving smile. The father of the boy gazec
c. piteousy upon him and said to himself, "alas hi
hath no love to spare for me who have so long tor.
lgotten him. Jame-my little Jamie " cried h
now aloud, " thou woudst not weep so were +
ry die-thnu wouldst not kiss thy fathers lip
SO if they these are, colder and winter than tn
y, clay!" The child heard WE'LL even where he la
on the bosom OF that corpse the tremuous voice c
70 thArs nati1 scfIpr CTR
in heart towards him of whose blood he was framed
he lifted up his su.ed face from the indicating DO
som and gently stealing himself away from the bed
rushed into his parents and lay there, deliver
ed up all the perfect love Of childhoods forgivn
heart All his fathers irowns were forgotten; hi
sullen looks, his stern worris his menaces that ha
so often struck terror 10 his wandering SOUL his in
difference, his scorn and his cruelty.-He remem
bered only his smiles and the gentest sounds of hi
voice; and happy now in heaven, to feel hmse
no more neglected or spurned, but folded as in fol
mer sweetest days, unto the yearning bosom OF hi
own kind father, the child could bear TO turn hi
eyes from that blessed embrace towards the dea
old man, whom an hour ago he had looked upon 9
fh his only guardian earth besides God and who's
o- gray hairs he had, even orphan, twned roun
his very heart. 81 do not ask thee, Jamie, TO forgt
ne thy grandfather no. we two will often speak OF hiT
sitting together by the ingle or on the hill side
but beseech thee not 10 let all thy love be burie
with him in the grave-but TO keep all thou cam
for thy wretched father" Signs, sobs, tears, kiss
hat es and embraces all the loving child's repl
Of deep and divine Joy had been restored TO hin
Seu over whose loss often had his childhood wepr. Th
un beauty Oh MS iatneiS iaee retNeu' IL sHieu Sri
the cousy upon him 1t did OF old, when he was VOL
Of to totter after him to the shecpfold-and to MI
!, primroses beneath his loving eye, from the moss
banks of the little sparkling burn Scarcely cou
= the child believe in such blessed change. But ii
kisses fell fast on his brow,-and when he thougl
n- that the accompanying tears were shed by his oW