American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-09-25
From the Saturday Emporium. J
THE LAST LOOK,

There are few in this world who have not
lost some dear friend, either linked TO them by
the ties of blood, or by pleasant companion
ship enshrined in their hearts, and hallowed
and held sacred by true and disinterested az
lection. The nsatiate tomb has robbed almost
every one whom it has spared, OF some being
on whom bis eye rested with pleasure, who
softened for him the aspcTtios Of lifes rough
pathway, and into whose bosom he poured his
own hearts rich MISUNDERSTANDING, confidence
and love. They have seen them droop and
die gradually, perhaps. They have seen the
rose fade-the flesh waste-the muscles relax
and the eye grow lustreless, or beam with
that unnatural light which is sometimes born
of disease, and only tells of its progress. They
have watched in grief and tears the shiftings
of fever-the slow sinking away Of llte-the
hours of agouy--the days Of quiet and appa-
rent convalescenco--th hopeless reapse-and
the final triumph of DEATH They have paced
the room where the poor body lay shrouded
for the grave, and where Death almost seemed
yisibly present, casting shadow upon every
wall and object, and gazed on the rigid form,
the marble aspect, the souless, unspeaking
features. They have felt, too, that deep OPP
preston and healt-scknGsS which comes over
every one upon such an occasion, where tine
grim tyrant seems to be watching and goaung
over his victim, aud the riot of decay is alrea-
DIV beginning to be seen. All this has acerat-
ed and crushed their hearts; but, perhaps, the
bittcrest pang of all came with the last look
into the grave, when the coffin had been lower
ed, the loved object consigned to its long,
dreamlass rest, and the busy spade of the SEX
ton was throwing back the senselCss earth up
on it, and hiding it forever.
During sickness, we have the object before
us, wasted and sadly changed it may be, but
still capable of communing with us, of appre-
eating our kindness, of returning our love, and
of throwing few rays of sunlight over the
cloud of our sorrow-flint, indeed, yet still
enough to gid its gathering gloom. There Is
still the old smile running now and then oyer
the features, and lighting them up with some
thing of their former expression. The voice,
too, though it is not what it once was, falls up
on our ears, and we follow our friend with a
sort of lingering hope convinced OF his doom.
vet half looking for deliverance, down to the
very banks Of Deaths river. And even when
that voice is hushed, and the last smile has
faded, when the bolt OF doom has been 'luAch-
ed, and the wreck Of mortality lies before u.s.
we somehow take a melancholy pleasure IN
gazing at the cxpressioncss features, and !Ingci
in blind devotion at the shrine though tho
deity which halIowed it has departed,
But when we gaze into the closing grave, we
feel that our iricui has indeed gone add hidden
from us forever. lie has made his final exit
from the stage Of lie, the curtain has fallen
and we shall see him no more, till we ourselves
pass behind the scenes.
We know that we can listen TO his voice n
more, breathing oioquence in public, or cheer
fitness in the dptIy Intercourse OF life, We car
never gaze into his eyes again, flashing will
genius, beanng with kindness, OF shedding
faars for human suffering. We shall meet hin
no moro in the busy crowd, or at the quiet fire
side The crave has received him TO its re-
morsoloss embrace, aud his sensible presence |:
lost to Us flrevcr.
All these thoughts rush upon the mind
that moment and sweep over the heart IN
TEMPEST Of wild and bitter agony. The bright
mes, of the past but tenders the present mon
darE-the future more gloomy. The Wmon
Of hone, though unbrokcn, are wet and beav,
with tears, and scarcely bear the heart allow
the crave mo wAjah it looks and where il
idol lies. Oh tie last look into the graves q
l;odred. on the cherished companions of life
won]d, indeed, scarcely be cndnrable, did no
trnvplniion assure as OF resurrection, and wins
pgr 10 our heIt~ the sweet promise OF immor
tality. God help the man who, at such a
hour, has 10 faith in that promise, and believe