The native American., 1840-01-18
"A MONUMENT TO A MOTHERS GRAVE.
NY JOSEPH L. CuANnIER. ESQ.

ing ground in the suburbs Of the city, small train
of persons, not more than dozen, who had come
Ito bury one of their acquain.ances. The clergy
man in attendance was leading little boy by the
hand, who seemed to be the only relative of the
deceased in the slender group. gathered with
them round the grave, and when the plain coffin
was lowered down, the child burst forth in un-
comfortable grief. The little fellow had no one
left TO whom he could look for affection, or who
could address him in tones Of parental kindness.
The last Of his kinsfoks was in the grave--and
he was alone.
When the clamsrous grief of the child had
little subsided, the clergyman ADDRESSED with
the customary exhortatioa to accept the monition,
and be prepared: and turning to the child, he
added She is not to remain in this grave for
ever; as true as the grass which is now chilled
with the frost Of the season. shall spring to green
ness and life in few months, 50 true shall your
mother come up from that grave to another life,
to a life Of happiness, hope" The attendants
shovelled in the earth upon the coffin, and some
one took little William, the child, by the hand,
and led him forth from the lowly tenement OF his
mother
| late in the ensuing spring, was in the neigh
borhood Of the same buryng ground, and seeing
the gate open, | walked among the graves for
some time reading the names of the dead, and
wondering what strange disease could snatch off
SO many younger than myself, lf,-when recollect-
ing | was near the grave of the poor widow,
buried the previous autumn, turned to see what
had been done to preserve the memory of one so
utterly destitute of earthly friends. To my sur
prise, fonnd the most desirable of all memen-
toes for mothers sepulchre. Little William
was sitting near the head of the now sunken
grave, looking intently upon some green shoots
that had come forth with the warmth of spring,
from the soil that covered his mothers coffin.
William started at my approch, and would have
left the place. it was long before [ could induce
him to tarry and indeed | did not win his con-
fdence until told him that was present when
they buried his mother, and had marked his
tears at the time.
"Then you heard the minister say that my
mother would come up out Of this grave" said
little William
"I did,"
81 It is true, is it not" asked he in "a tone of
confidence.
:" most frmly believe it," said 7.
;" Believe it," said the child" Believe it
I thought you knew it---I know it,
How do you know it. my deag?'
'sThe minister said, that as true as the grass
would grow up, and The flowers bloom in spring,
so true would my mother rise | came few days
afterward, and planted flower seeds on the
grave. The grass came green in this buTylng
ground long ago; and | watched every day
| for the flowers and today they have come up
too--sec them breaking through the ground
by and hy mother will come again"
A smile Of exultng hope played upon the
features of the boy and felt panied at disturb
ing the faith and confidence with which he was
animated.
But my little chd'' said l, cit is not here
that your poor mother will rise"
es, here" said he with emphasis" here
since the first blade Of grass was green this year"
looked around, and saw the tiny feet of the
child had trod out the herbage at the grave side,
so constant had been his attendance. What a
faithful neutrality-suspicious. mother would de-
sire richer monument than the form Of her
only son bending fearful, but hoping, over the
grave
"But, William" said l. 9 tits in another world
. that she will rise, and attempted to explain
to him the nature Of that promise which he had
mistaken The child was confused, and he ap-
peared neither pleased nor satisfied.
!" If mother is not coming back to me--if she
is not to come up here, what shall do can
not stay without her."
You shall go to her" said l. adopting the
: language Of the Scriptuc--you shall go to her,
Let me go them" said William. g let me go
now, that may rise with my mother"
William" said l. pointing down to the
Iplants just breaking through the ground, "the
seed which is sown there, would not have come
up, if it had not been ripe; so you must wait
till your appointed time, till your end comeh."
Then shall see her."
Il surely hope So"
Il will wait then said The child, but
thought | should her soon-L thought |
J, should meet her here"
And he did. In a month, William ceased to
watt and they opened his mothers grave, and
placed his little coffin on hers--it was the only
wish the child expressed in dying Better
teachers than |, had instructed him in the way
70 met his mother and young as the little suf
ferer was he had learned that all labors and
hopes of happiness short OF heaven, are profit
I less and vain.
| TuE TIFE BEYOND THE GRAyE-A mOnu-t all