Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-10-04

asleep. All the blessings that Providence
had bestowed so many, so pure, sc
high, and SO undeserved, were now al
| forgotten, or remembered in bitterness:
Of spirit, almost with an upbraidlng in
gratitude. "What means the goodnes:
of God, since he has gathered all III:
gifts into one, and then destroyed then
all BY one dread decreei Better, OH bet.
ter far, that she had never been born,-
that smiles such as hers had never been
since they have all passed away-ha,
mine eyes had never seen her knecling
in prayer,- Ihat-- Oh, thou great,
and thou dreadful God! is her voice mute
for eyer!-Can il be that our Emmeline
Is dead and soon, soon to be buried
among these hdcous tombstones!' lie
dashed himself down on cold stone
slab, green with the mosscs of many
years, and wri,hing like Il wounded worm,
multered curses on his existence, suppli-
cations for pardon, waIIDgs for the dead,
and prayers in behalf Of her over whom,
although he knew it not, God had thrown
Ihe mantle of profound sleep, out OF
which she was to awake liz perfect resig-
nation, even with her only child lying a
corpse in her bosom!
A shadow moved over the church-yard, &,
there was sound as Of steps, anC the
miserable man felt himself III the pres
ence ni some one whom he could not
yet discern. The feeling Of that pres
cnce disarmcd hisgriel, - something like
shame for his weakness blended with the
recollection of its ruelul cause, and
starting to his feet, by sudden effort OF
self-command he prepared himself! to be
seen and spoken to by one Of his fellow
christians. The figure cf an old man
stood close beside him, and he at once
recognized the solemn countcnance Of
him who had been praying to his daugh-
ter on her death bed. 1t seemed as n
tears were in those aged eyes, pity over
spread all his features, pity was in his
locks white as the snow, pity trembled
IN his folded hands, and pity bent down
that body more even than the weight Of
three score and ten years. "My son,
tn s IS sacred place, and God will to
the prayers of contrite heart send down
peace from heavcn-cven the Holy
Ghost, the Comforter. bid thee to be
Of good chccr,-for where can mortal
creatures like US so feel The vanity Of
sorrow as in the field gravcsp
There was IA long silence during which
the heavens became more serene, each
large lustrous star seeming nearer to the
earth, aud the solitary church-yard to be
received into the very bosom of the sky.
The soul of the bcreavsd father felt It's
immortality; and the dreadful darkness
rolled off from the DEGREES of Provi
dence. The mystery Of the dream of
life grew more supportab'e; and he
thought he heard the voice of an angel
singing hymn. Well known and dear
ly beloved was that voice! For many
blessed years il had been heard amidst
the shadow and sunshine of this earth;
but now it wavered away far off into the
blue celestial depths, mnrmur!ng a holy,
almost Il joyful, farewell.
The olt man bent over his son and
wept. go father, for by that name from
youth upwards have loved to Gail thee,
join with me in humblest surpllcation to
heaven for pardon of my mad impiety"
They kne.t down together,-hc, that
greyheaded man, who had long been
familiar with sorrow, and well acqualn-
ted with grief, and he that had never
before bowed down at the bidding of
broken heart The signing ard the
sobbing were now all from the breast OF
him. who had seemed unassalabe to
earthly troubles. Drenched were his
wrinked checks with tears, and he bow
ed his white hairs down even. to the
flowers that smiled in the moonlight Un
a grassy grave.
% my son pray thou also for thy
poor old father! for know that only Il
lew hours before left my home to
pray by liltle Emmcllne's bed, my own
daughter,-the sole daughter Of my
age, was called away from me,-lny
Lucy lies like thy Emmelinc-no moro
no more than dustn
o the great goodness, and the ex-
ceeding love of the human heart, that
all lifelong has been under the inspira-
ton Of heayen-born faith! Utterly des-
0late was now the house of this aged
minister of reiiyion;-no one now TO
accompany him on his evening walk;-
to read the chapter at morning and ove-
nlng prayer;-to watch the daily change
that ST, ais over the face and The frame
OF him VINO had nearly reached the hill
foot OF his pilgrimage; and to close his
eyes at last when willingly they shall
have become blind TO this weary world!
The son now laid himself down at his
fathers feet, and IN tendeiest and most
reverential enhancement, bathed them
in contritc tears. Ii was now his turn
to be the comforter; and IN that awful