Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-09-03
Miscellany
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MY FIRST ACQUAINTANCE WITH

was young. very young, when first look
ed on death. A darling brother, the Young
est, and consequently the pet and plaything Of
large family, was the victim selected COR the
foul work of the grim destroyer
Ii seemed dastardly in the old tyrant 10 strike
tina; gentle child He had always been re-
markable IN the family for his cheerful obedi-
ence; and he struggled not, nor offered any
resistance now, but yielded himself just as
sweety TO the stern grasp that was upon him,
as he used to do when his "dear WmLIEn
took his little hand in his, to lead him to the
scenes of childish pleasure he loved so we'll
For day or two before his departure, he
knew that he must die, and sweelly did he
talk Of going to see his Saviour With the
cornposure and forecast of a mature Christian,
he made all necessary arrangements, and pa
tiently waited for his release
His choicest treasure, his hat, the first and
only one he had ever possessed, he gave 10 his
''dear WILLIE" A silver dollar, which, du-
ring his sickness, had been hung around his
neck, with the hope of beguiling now and
then tie wearsome hours appointed unto him,
he gave TO Gods poor children, as he was &C
customed to call the heather. He had long
been in the habit of depoSit;ng his pennies in
box which was kept for their benefit in his
schoolroom.
The dying hour came at last. and should
my HE be prolonged a thousand years, | shall
never forget that scene. The disease which
bore away our pet lamb was one of those dis
eases which PROSTATE whole families Five
ofour number were suffering from it, and as
we were borne from our beds to see the one,
in whom we had garnered up our best aitec-
tons, Slam by the same hand which was pres
sing so heavily upon US, we seemed almost
like dying family.
The gathering Of that stricken flock, the ag
ony OF our mother, as she saw the darling
child who had never grieved her in his life,
torn from her arms-the strugghngs Of manly
grief in our father. as he felt his utter inability
10 shield his idol from the unerring shatt--the
unrestrainsd sorrow Of the doting aunt, the
anguish of the "dear WnIfE,n whose heart
strings were so entwined with those of the dy-
ing babe, that ii seemed as if the spoiler had
but 10 strike one blow and secure them both
the last farewell of the dear child, unspoken
indeed, save in the glance of those brilliant
eyes, which rested so sweetly and distinctly on
each and all--the final gasp, the shrek of the
afflicted. Oh the pic:ure How vivid are
its colorings The changes of twenty four
years have not affected a single point; but in
memory's eye they still stand out in all their
freshness, as if the lines were drawn but yes
terday.
But we buried our darling, and that too in
dull November, when there was not bird TO
carol over his resting place, no green grass to
wave, and no flowers TO bloom upon his bed.
But we dismissed him not from our hearts
We always thought him cherub and death
only lent him wings, on which he seemed TO
hover over us, as we Tried to comfort the hearts
Of our parents, and the ''dear WILLIE" He,
poor child, seemed 10 feel himself almost a
murderer, because he had playfully yielded
when the dear babe besought him to breathe
in his face, that he too might be sick because
WILLIS was.
We felt that his resting place was cold and
dreary and when we saw the falling snow,
our hearts were grieved, that he who had so
much longed to see it was not there 10 gaze
upon ii with US; yet it did afford us some CON
ISOLATION, that
THE first. pure fake Of snow
Would fall upon his breast"
The Spring time came, we reared pure
white stone TO his memory, and our hearts
have ever rested in the comforting and sweet
inscription we made upon K:
''God took thee in mercy,
A lamb untasked nhtried
He fought the fight for thee,
lie won the victory,
And thou art sanctifed.
eNow like a dew drop shrined
Within a chrysial stone.
Thou art safe in heaven my dove,
Safe with the source Of love,
The everlasting One" NJ A.