The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-02-13
Moral Readings,
Acquaintance with Death.

was Young, very young, when first look
CrI on death. A darling brother, the young
est, consequently the pct aud playlhng Of u
large family was the victim selected for the
inl work of the destroyer.
II seemed dastardly in the old tyrant Ia
strike that gentle child. lie had always been
remarkable in the family for his cheerful o.
bcdience; and he struggled not nor offered
any resistance now, but yielded himself Just
ms sweetly TO the stern grasp that was on him
as Inc used to do when his dear "WIlio" took
his hand in his, to lead him TO the scenes Of
childish pleasure he loved so well.
For day or two before his departure, he
knew that he must die, and sweetly did he
talk ofgoiug to see his dear Savior. With
the composurc and forecast of'a matlle Chris
,iun, he made all necessary arrangements
and patiently waited for his release.
His choicest treasure, his hat, the first and
only one he had ever possessed he gave to
his "dear Willie" A silver dollar which,
during his sickness, had been hung around
his neck, with the hope ofheguiling now and
Vhen the weary hours appointed to him, he
gave to Gods poor children, as llo was ac-
customcd to call the hcathon. lie had long
hccn in the habit Of deposiring his pennies in
Il box which was kept for their benefit in his
school room.
The dying hour came ut last, and should
my life he prolonged thousand years, shall
never forget that scene. The disease which
bore away Our pet lamb was one ofthose dis
eases which PROSTATE whole families. Five
ofour number were suffering from il, and us
we were borne from our beds to sec one, in
whom we had garnered our affections, slain
10y the same hand which was pressing so
heavily upon us, we seemed almost like dy
ing family.
Tho gathering ofthat stricken flock, the ag-
Ony ofour mother, as she saw the darling
child, who had never grieved her in his life,
torn from her nrn.s-the strugglings of man
Wy grief in Our father ms he felt his utter ina
Utility TO shield his idol from the unGrrng
shatt-thc unrestrained sorrow Of the dotng
aunt, the anguish of the "dear Willie" whose
heart strings were so entwined with those of
the dying babe, that it seemed as If the spoil
or had but TO strike one blow and secure them
both; the last farewell OF tho dear child, I'M
spoken indeed, save in the glance of those
brilliant eyes, which rested so swccrly and
distinctly on earth and all--the final gasp,
the shrek of the afflicted. Oh! the picture!
How vivid are its colorings! The changes
of twenty four years have not affected sin
gIc point, but in memory's eye they will stand
out in all their freshness MS ifhc lines were
drawn but yesterday. But we buried our
darling, and that too in dull November, when
there was not bird 10 carol over his resting
place. no green grass TO wave, and no flow
rrs to bloom upon his he'd. But we dismiss
ed him from our hearts. We always thought
Him cherub; and death only let him wings
on which he seemed to hover over us, us we
tried to comfort the hearts of our parents and
the ''denr Willie" He, poor child, seemed
To feel himselfalmost murderer, because he
had playulIy yielded when the dear babe be-
sought him to breathe in his face, that. he too,
might be sick because Willie was
We felt that his resting place was cold and
drCary; and when wo saw the falling snow
our hearts were grieved, that he who had so
much longer to see il was not there to gaze
upon it with us; yet it did afford us some
consolation that
"T'hc first pure flake Of snow
Would fall upon his breast"
The spring time came, we reared pure
white stone to his memory, and our hearts
lave ever rested in the comforting aud sweet
inscription we made upon it:
"God took thee in his mercy.
a lamb, untnskcd, untricd;
He fought the fight for thee,
lie won the victory,
And thou art sanctfcd.
''Now like II dew drop Skinned
Within chrystal stone,
Thou art safe in Heaven, my love,
Safe with the source oflovc,
The everlasting One"