Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1844-12-26
the FUsERAL.

There is something very mystefious ID
the power We have 10 look npon- deash q
II II did no, concern us--as IL the epidem.
SIC line OF the poet. that all men think al
men mortal butthemselves, we're sober
serious ruth. We know. certainly. lha
our time 10 die must cone and yet, be
cause The time Itself is uncertain. we car
see those who go before Us carried to the
churchyard as if We were never TO lie
there ourselves.
Il few yards ofpain,ed wzshscot, divid
ed me from my neighbor. whom | hat
seen alive and apparenlly we'll but fort,
night beforehand now be was cotined
and was pursuing customary vocaiionl
with scarcely passing thought upon the
subject. Ii rs thus the mind can shu
out painful realities when they we bid
den IRON sight.
The undertaken has no sooner perform,
e9 his last offiee-ihat of conveying the
bodyStoih he grave. than a revolution be-
.gios.s Windows are thrown open, furni.
ture is put % rights; tongues are loud
steps are quick and busting, and every
thing denotes that the house Of death and
the house Of mourning have no affinity
with each other.
The night before1he funeral stage
coach stepped al the door, and two per-
sons alighted from it in deep black
Thew had come from London 10 follow
the remains Of the deceased 10 the tomb.
A few moments after sthey entered the
house. could hear the accents Of grief
The widow was bewailing her loss. and
the sight Of her dead husbands friends OF
relations Il know not whieh) had ava
keHed afresh the scenes Of her bereave-
ment. Then there was the sound Of steps
slowly ireading the stairs and passage that
led 10 the room where the body lay
They were going to take last look Of
features once familiar and still remember
ed. llAs they draw near the door, their
j cps grow lighter and lighter, and they
enter.the apartment: with football as soft
as il they feared to disturb bis rest
They speak not or il they do, il is in a
whisper. And now the coffin lid is
drawn aside, and they gaze with strange
emotions upon that altered countenance.
How grim, perhaps. il looks or, per-
chance. how placid But in either case,
whata change death has wrought! Life,
what ART thou. that when thou departest,
the shrine thy presence made SO lovely
should become such an unsightly ruin
that when the poor heart. which. as the
great Halter beautifully expressesi;, "is
the first TO live and the last 10 die cea.
eAA4a Ih.Ahs al 49, --.--.AAs>... -----L:--s'
ry which its pdlsations kept in motion
should stand still, and forthwith dissolve
in puire iaciion.3
The next morning the funeral took
place. An idle crowd Of curious spec;a.
tors were assembled opposite the house
to see il come liorth-and thought, as
looked upon them. if prophetic voice
now could whisper TO such Of you as
will return 10 earth before an other yeai
comes round. the startling news, how il
would blanch those rosy cheeks. and
dim the lustre Of those sparkling eyes;
One greyheaded old man. bent nearly
double wiki age, dressed in the garb Of a
peasant. attracted my attention. He
stood with folded arms and lettering legs
surveying wistfOlly the door through
which The body was 10 be brought. esi
denlly medi;ating upon the very shor
space of time, be il ever SO long when I
like scene would take place. wherein o.
himself would be the principal actor. Tht
same thought passed through my owr
mind. Twas at my window, waiting. Il
see enc borne 10 the grave who. as regatd
ed age, might have been my son, and
wondered. with a serious. but not a sa,
spirit. how long il might be before other
would be so employed for me.
And now came The last scene. The
bell began 10 toll, and then | heard the
heavy SCOUTING Of feet, and knew thatth,
bearers were lifting The ccffin, and getting
it along the narrow passage, and dow
the winding stairs, and shuddered lest
should hear a sudden crash, caused b,
the burden slipping from their han ds, ant
pictured 10 myself such an accident. an,
The coffin lid bursting open. and th
shrouded corpse rolling on the ground
But presently saw il beneath the win
dow. The pail flung over it, and the trail
moving slowly onwards TO the church
yatd.
En- the evening OF that same day
heard the mourners cheerily conversing
sometimes laughing. aye, add in the Verl
room whittier they had gone SO nolseless
ly The evening before to look upon th
dead.
eWell. said, "ihete il no naockery Q
woe here Il any rate,-and that is some
thing in this world Of outside show"
Portland Tribuns.
EDUCATION The following beautlfu
paragraph is from an article in Frazer
NJ sgazine "Edncation does not com
mence with the alphabet. il begins wit
mothers look-Filh a fathers nod Q
appreciation or sign Of reproof-- with a sis
ter's gentle pressure Of the hand, OF