Litchfield enquirer., 1836-10-20
M ExTRAcF. J

4
 Ilwhs fhe hour of fwiIight--gIOom wss easlsesing her misty folds around sahe face 0f RatAre. and cl8fhing with q Filsset grey the green and cheerful fields; above, a- rodpd, a sober solenp stiffness feigned, and sill, the aged Stanley vas found sitting by the couch of ihe fading Eatima. With eyes uMdimnsed, he matched, aud with anxiety unexpressed he felt painGnlly, ihe change which, sand by sand as tt dropped, Waa working on her feeble frame. MOrnings noon and night had found him there, tor he feared io cemmit the care of avesset sO Iraii, a treasure so valued, to alother hand. Bi,ter, indeed, was the lesson he was about l0i learp. ii He was not YET alone. The wide world was not YET to him dreaFy, 0nbroAcn waste but his darling child was dying. Fhe last stay and comfort ol' his declining years was about to put on, imm0r. taiiiy, and he, in the seyerest of natHrc' q trials, was about 10 know all that is meang hy that term of peculiar angpish-nfte,;; tOMctsness. ut aaFsGit9g tl f3 E2f{ is fIt
 Fatima was tho child ofsmany tears. the darling of nuc:. promise, llse tender bloss son, upon a fragile stem that had been kindly nursed through many q storm. She
 had been reared from helpless infancy tss
 interesting age, still clustering tue sweets of
 atiectsnn around her. She had been waicl-
 edatrom early dawn 10 evening shade, that
 the winds of heaven might not blow. tho
 radely on her, and had been guarded in de-
 6ance Of that sweet promise. that God
 would temper the winds to it, as though llat promise would fail in its acconplisl- ineRt. ID her doating l5iher ste was one whose very fragiGty, and the nncertainly of whose hold upon life, seemed le add ta her value, and make it still mDre and more desirable to retain. She, top, was tlla im- age Of her sainted mother, who had gone before tn the path to immortality; while to friends she was peculiar favoriie, be. caisse of tho amiablity of dcmeanor which is sO aptto charactcrize the sweet child who is brought up in school where afflictiol had more than once laid iis hand heavily, and who had been taught in that school, even if, the ilnnaturity of childhood, that life is but succession 0i:suhshinc. clouds, and darkness, and who, having otten s,if-I tered by athal changes of sickness, had been ted tOi belieyeeihat the hopes of n long life were very uncertain, and had therefore been induced sasioasly io relaectupo1 that home whicl, is not subject to the vicissisodes of earth. a " ss ss s3fii z ef ta'f fF.S
 sFail,er, dear father said a sweetiy plaintiye voice. ! am very weak and feel q, a,straRgeness coming oyer me-
 t .Mpde child. and Stanley approacll- cd nearer the canch, and kissed the cheeks of his dying child. cs Sit by nse, lihthcr ;; A am alone happy when you are ',iear ne, and therefore droop us does yOR flowerihe absence of the sum- and trembling she raised her delicate hand and pointed her aitenUated fingers 10 some flowers which had bean her peculiar care, now dropping and closing under elle influence of fswilight. Faimal as lias been said, was gradually, sinking into the valley 0fthe shadow of death. Oh how beautifaliy appropr;aio, is the language which conveys this idea--.the valley of inc shadow of deatiI The bloom of health had long since been succeeded by that indescribabla spaleness which speaks 90 truly tl,at change must come {; and nov confined to her couch. her only earthly stay, and comfort was in that arm which had protected her sill nov. SiaHley sat bythe couch of his child, and leaning her headoii
 bis arm, was watching the progress .oft dis ease, and re6ecting Ipoi, that awful chatge which 50 soon would blight even ihe pos, sibiIiiy of lIope within hi,n. and lsave lhim tho torn tree shrnnks rent, riyen. hlasisd, branchless,e leaHsss--t0 live aud tot die n the wide world atone. sssssad to sffats
 sFaiima, my child and his thoughts turned fron, himself lo bis dying child. Gsd is good, <; he. would have said IHoire, but sorrow .draAk up sl.e words cf comfort his heart would have uttered. ~ a ager
 2 sIikn0w is, fsthet. God indeed good and just, even in those dispensati0ns which try 0Dr mortal sense, and much do trust
 in that goodness for your comfort, to that
 justice for yonr Proteciion, when ear!hly
 help is gone. I have long been bruised reed, but siill. however weak, you have not
 been alona. N0i aso- lnne s :! E-'''.''' '''''s. soon yield Co ~hat she neIiner eans nor
 wpsld wish i0 resist, and then alone tfat
 God who 50 long has been ny stay. and
 yonr comfort and guide, most be yenr heip, < Tie gentle spirii Of the youthful saint vas full of trust agd hope, but siiIl sorrow for her aged latI,erss sheiplessness caused the words Df comfort to aremble on hes tongue; dim and Aonely isar bsdswed the! painfal brightness of her sye. ali99 sas EYE 7 gs.. <.
 , S,anIey's heart was indeed bruised. and in silence lse committed himself and his to the care of God in whom llo had hith- er,o not his srlssi. and who had uot in aDy ono thjae fsssaken hiln, f will never lesss tlsos, Uor fesssks ihse as ! have been the
 God 0f thy fathers. % will be thy Gods
 ~. f..h. A A 4t~xN