The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-03-16
From The Kmckerboeker.
MY MOTHERS GRAVE

| remember wildly the circumstances Of
her departure. Consumption had already
done its powerful work. Unlike many who
are snitten with this disease, she preferred
to die in the bosom of her family. Why
should the stag, pierced TO the heart in its own
thickets seek refuge in the deeper glades, TO
bleed to death! II is a wrong idea, this, of
searching in land Of strangers for health
which is "clean gone for everl" How many
are thus yearly cut down in the midst Of their
wanderings! In some desoate chamber, they
lie in the agonies Of DEATH No soft hand press
es their brow no familiar voice whispers in
the ear no cherished friend performs their
funeral obseques. Death is indeed bitter,
under such circumstances, being without its
usual alterations. It is sweet consolation
to die at home:
"On some fond breast the parting soul relies,
some pious drops the closing eye requires;
Even from the tomb the voice Of nature cries,
Even IN our ashes live their won,ed fires"
There is something dreadful, yet beautiful,
in consumption. 1t comes stealing on so
softly and so silently. 1t comes, too, in the
garb OF mockery and deception, and clothes
its victims in beautiful garments for the grave.
The hectic flush. the snowy brow, the brilliant
eye who could believe that these were deaths
precursors, the signet Of the conqueror! 1t
invests the patient with preternatural pa
tience and sweetness under suffering, keeping
alive. at the same time, in her breast the illu-
sion Of hope. Even in her moments of keen
est suffering, she looks forward 10 days of
returning happiness; and while the worm is
for ever preying at the core, and her slender
form becomes each dag more feeble and at
tenuate, she halls before her gilded prospect,
and the mind and spirits are buoyant with the
thought But when the final struggle has
commenced. how sublime is the spectacle!
To behold the mortal mind so calm, so tran
quill, and so triumphant waxing brighter and
brighter, while the tenement which contains il
is but poor feshess skeleton to behold the
eye beaming with undiminished lustre toward
the objects Of its ELECTION, until the soul at
last bursting the charnel vault which has too
long confined il, takes one triumphant bound
Then is the body still and silent. The fea.
Their unruffled by the breath, and the glass re-
tains its polish for dust has returned to dust
again, and the spirit unto God who gave il.
II was tempestuous night. The rain
poured down in torrents. The lightnings
cleaned luridly. At midnight, entered the
apartment A solitary taper cleaned dismal.
ly on the hearth. The forms of those in the
room appeared like gloomy shadows. fitting
to and fro. A sitjed sob, and the ticking OF
watch ON the table, were the only sounds
and they struck like a barbed arrow TO nv
heart. observed her hand beckoning. Her
head was raised with pillows. A smile shot
from her glazing eye. She essayed to speak.
bent down my head with eagerness to cats
the last whisperings Of her voice. There was
pause. She made signal TO those about her
to repress their emotions, as they valued her
last legacy. The sobs ceased, The eroans
were scarcely audible, and the tear stood still
upon the cheek OF the mourner. !" All that
Is kind" she began in voice as soft as mu-
sic. Nature must have her course. The
fountains OF grief were too full. They burst
the barriers which prudence would have lain
erected, and poured forth in torrent, sweep
ing all before them A cry, long, loud and
piercing, filled the apartment She cast back
look Of sorowfu rerroach
She arose in the couch. A paroxysm Of
coughing seized her. She writhed for mo-
men, in convnsive agonies, and then fell back
upon the pillow. A CLEAN of lightning, bright,
dazzling, appalling, shot through the case
ment. She was DEAD! LET us pray !"
exclaimed the reverend pastor and with one
accord the assembly knelt, while, at the noon
of night, he offered up tervent prayer 1t
was short, but clothed in the poetic language
ofthe Scriptures. 1t spoke of the silver cord
being loosed, and the golden bowl being brok-
en-. 1t was finished. We arose from our
knees, cast one look at the emaciated form of
the departed, and left the apartment.
MATHER BYLEs.-He had the greatest
readiness at a pun or repartee and many