The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-06-11

sadly changed l noticed the expression of he
mothers iace,as she looked upon her lovely child
81 as heard the gentle, soothing words, Mother
you arc too anxious for me, Il am much better,
my heart sunk withinme with dread lorebodngs
feared that permanent disease had fastened
upon her. .
The New Years day had come. 1t was {
day of gladstone Joy-triends were greeting
Ifriends-parenls and children were gathering
round the Preside hearth to mingle their congrat
ulations--and the village of n was rejoicing
in the festivities Of the season. But there was
an upper chamber in that village, which pre-
sented II solemn scene. There was lovely
beautiful girl, whom scarcely twenty summers
had ripened into womanhood, who had grown
up amid the fluctuations of the world, tho objec
Of admiration and of love- the only child Of
her mother, and she widow'-she had now
come up and laid herself upon the bed of death
There was an agonized heart stricken parent,
looking upon the wasting away of all she loved
Oh earth 1Ler were kind and loving friends
and there was one TO whom this dear young girl
had given her early love--to whom she was af-
fianced Oh how they all strive to keep str ong
her hold on life! And there were Christian
friends, who gathered round her bed, and ben,
their knees in fervent suppcation to the throne
of mercy that the dear loved Zone might live.
But she for whom they wept and prayed was
calm-composed. She did not long for life.
She could leave The mother whom she loved as
her own soul-him to whom hear heart was
pledged,--and all those doating friends. She
looked on all unmoved, and only desired of them
and prayed they might he reconciled to Gods
holy will.
A few more days, and the last morning of her
brief existence dawned 'My dear mother said
she, after season of great suffering, you must
give me up, cannot live. Do, dear mother,
give me up to Cod The sgonized mother re-
piled, Il do try, my dear, will oh, how hap
py,' said she, Il now feel for had rather de-
part and be with Christi wan, to be with my
Saviour!
The shadow of the evening had scarce be-
gan to gather, when she said to a friend who
sat beside her, "A cold wind blows over me, and
| l feel straDgely-the room is dark, bring more
light" A light was brought, and her friend OBJ
served tic her great surprise, for it not sup
death was on her! She said, "My dear A., / be-
lieve you are dying shall call your mother?
eyes" said she, "and call A., and call the chill
dren.' To her they came. She could not speak,
! but kissed them all Then placing her attenu'
ated arm around her mothers neck-her hand
in his to whom it had been pledged.
The angel of the Covenant
Was come--and faithful TO his promise stood
Prepared to walk with her through deaths dark
vale,
And now her eyes grew bright, and brighter still
| Then closed without cloud.
They set, as SETS the morning star
| That goes not down behind the darkened west,
Nor hides obscured among the tempests of the sky
But melts away into the light of heaven
Dear youth, who may read this sketch, believe
me it is no picture ofthe fancy, no tale Of the
imagination. You have read highly colored
descriptions on the page cf romance, and your
sensibilites have been wasted in ideal sorrows
But here is scene, the realities Of which have
been recently enacted-there are hearts now
bleeding under this bereavement, and the wounds
thus made, the consultations of the gospel are u.
lone inadequate to heal And what, think you
can reconcile one in the spring time of life
surrounded by the fluctuations of the world, en-
dowed with every gift and grace to charm and
captvate-the object of admiration and esteem
full of new born hopes of life and happ
ness with chosen one,-what is there to recon
Gle such an one to death? How could she
leave such home such friends, such prospects
TO go alone through the dark valley of the eter
nal world? 1t is the cRoss--the cross that givetl
power. Oh, how strong proof is such a scene
to The reality of the Christian hope! that can re
Ijolce the heart in early final eparaton-enable
it to break every tie and wing it way triumph
antly to tae untried scenes of another world
Reader hast thou such IL hope7 youth, beauty
talent, learning, the best of friends, the fondes
love, are all vain to keep thee when God calls
He may soon summon thee lfnot this month
perhaps the next-perhaps before another year
Whittier then will thy spirit fly? M. S. S.