Tri-weekly journal. (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1847-188?, 1848-01-06
A TOUCHING STORY.
nY pRoPEssER WILSON.


struck their knell, the quick shovelling was
over, and the long, broad, skilfully cut pieces
of turf were aptly joined together, and trinity
y laid by the beating spade, SO that the newest
mound in the church yard was scarcely distin
guished from those that were grown over by
the undisturbed grass and daisies of luxuriant
spring The burial was soon over, and the
party with one consenting motion, having I'M
covered their heads in decent reverence of the
place and occasion, were beginning to sepa-
rate and about to leave the church-yard. Here
some acquaintance from different parts of the
parish, who had not had an Opportunity of
addressing each other in the house that had be-
longed to the deceased; nor in the course of the
hundred yards that the little procession had to-
move from his bed to his grave, were shaking
handsquietly but cheerfully, and enquiring az
ter the welfare of each others families. There
a knot OF neighbors were speaking without ex-
aggeration, of the respectable character which
the deceased had borne, and mentioning to one
another the little incidents of his life, some
Of them so remote as to be known only to the
gray-headed Of the group. While few yards
further, removed from the spot, were standing
together parties who discussed ordinary con-
Germs, altogether unconnected with the funer-
al, such as the state of the markets. the promise
of the season, or change Of tenants; but still
with sobriety of manner and voice that was
insensibly produced by the influence of the
simple ceremony now closed, by the quiet
graves around, and the shadow Of the spire
and gray walls of the house Of God.
Two men yet stood together at the head of
the grave with severe and unimpassioned grief,
They were brothers-the only sons of him
who had been buried; and there was some
thing in their situation that naturally kept the
eyes Of many directed upon them for long
the case had there been nothing more observa-
BILE than the common symptoms of common
sorrow. But these two brothers who were
standing at the head of their fathers grave, had
for some years been totally estranged from each
other, and the only few words that had passed
between them during all that time, had been
uttered within few days past, during the ne
cessary preparations for the old mans funeral
Nodeep and deadly quarrel was between
these brothers, and neither Of them could dis
tinctly tell the cause of this unnatural estrange-
ment. Perhaps dim jealousies of their fathers
favor; selfish thoughts that will sometimes
force themselves INFO poor mems hearts, res
pecting temporal expectations, unaccommoda-
ting manners on both sides; haunting words
that mean little when uttered, but which ran
kle and tester in remembrance; imagined oppo-
sition of interest, that, duly considered, would
have been one and the same; these and many
other causes, slight when single, but strong
when rising up together in one baneful band,
had gradually and fatally infected their hearts,
till at last they who in youth had been seldom
seperate, and truly attached, now met at mar
-ket, and miserable to say, at church, with dark
and averted faces, like different clansmen, du-
ring feud.
Surely if anything could have softened their
hearts towards each other, it must have been TO
stand silently side by side, while the earth.
stones and clods, were falling down upon their
fathers coffin. And doubtless their hearts
were so softened. But pride, though it cannot
prevent the holy affections of nature from be-
ing felt, may prevent them from being shown;
and these two brothers stood there together
determined not to let each other know the mu-
tual tenderness that in spite of them was gush-
ing up in their hearts, and teaching them the
unconfessed folly and wickedness of theiI
causeless quarrel.
A head stone had been prepared, and per-
son came forward to plant tia plain stone
with sand glass, scull and cross bones CHS
seled, not rudely, and few words inscribed
= The younger brother regarded the operation
witha troubled eye, and said, loudly enough tC
be heard by several Of the bystanders-"Wil
liam, this is not kind in you-you should have
told me of this. loved my father as we'll a.
you could have loved him. You were the elder
and it may be, the favorite son; but | had {
right in nature to have joined you in ordering
this head stone, had l not?' During thesI
words the stone was sinking into the EARTH anC
many persons who were on their way from tn,
grave, returned. For while the elder brothe
said nothing for he had consciousness in hi
heart that he ought to have consulted his faith
er's son in designating this last mark of affec
ton and respect to his memory: SO the ston
was planted in silence, and now stood erect
decently and simple, among the other ostenta
tious memorials of the humble dead.
The inscription merely gave the name AM
age of the deceased, and told that the stone ha
been erected by his "affectionate sons" Tn
sight of these words seemed to soften the angr
man, and he said somewhat more mildly: eyes
we are his affectionate sons, and since M nam
is on the stone, am satisfied, brother. w
have not drawn together kindly of late year
and perhaps never may, but acknowledge an
respect your worth, and here, before our owl
friends, and before the friends of our father
with my foot above his head. | express m
willingness to be on better and other terms
with you, and if we cannot command our heart
let us at least bar out all unkindness'
The minister, who attended the funeral, an
had something entrusted tohim tc say publical
before he left the church yard, now came fol-
ward, and asked the elder brother why he spab
not regarding this matter. He saw there wa
something of cold and sullen pride rising u