The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1848-01-20

Yet on oil sides vistas open to us, and the
horizon tcmpts Us ever further and further
on.
u w. Hast thou seen all this often before,
or dost thou sec it to-day for the first time
| II. Notwithstanding all is 30 homclike
TO the here, and though everything grcets
me as something long beloved, yet when I
think Of il, must say no, have never been
here before.
| w. Aud dost thou not wonder 10 see
mo again at thy eide!
II. Indeed, and hast thou not, somehow,
always been near me?
w. In n certain sense, have; but in
another, not so. 'Tis long since thine eyes
have seen me. disappeared from them
once.
II. All! now there sweeps over my
memory as il were a dark cloud-days Of
anxiety, and nights spent in wecping-on-
" the painful thoughts and emotions which
SO recently absorbed me. Now they cludc
my grasp; cannot distinctly comprehend
them; they appear 10 inc something mys-
FERROUS.
W. Think on tho fourteenth Of Fcbru-
ary.
II. Now, il is all clear to me. II was
near noon. Four days hadst thou been
sick. We had feared much for thee, but
still had hope. Suddenly fnintness came
over thee; thou didst lean thy head upon
my breast; didst sink bnck with q deep
sigh; thou diedst-yes, il is oil over, thou
art dead.
w. am dend; aud yet see, l live.
II. fthou art dead, and il see thee,
then do I really dream!
w. Thou drenmest not, for thou ar,
awake.
II. Or, art thou sent down from heaven
to earth, that should sec thee again for
short time, and then anew through long
years lament thy disappearance?
w. No; hencciorth we shall never sep.
crate. ] attn indeed sent to thee, but no.
down upon the earth. Look around thee
here; where upon earth has, thou seen such
trees, such waters! Look At thysclr; thou
didst 60 about yonder bowed beneath the
weight Of years. Now thou art young
again. Thou dost not walk, thou floutest |;
thine eyes not only sec, bu, see immcasu-
rably far. Look inward upon myself; has,
il always been with thy heart as now?
II. Within me is deep, unfa,holnable,
ever-swslling, md yet entirely still and
peaceful sen. Yes, when look about me
here, and when feel thy hand in mine
then ! must say arm blessed am in
heaven.
w. Thou nrt.
II. And then must be actually dead.
w. Thou art. Hast thou not lain sick
in that very chamber where | died, and
whittier thou didss long to be brought
fias no. thy son, day and night, without
leaving thy side, sincerely and tcnderly
nurscd thee? HAST thou not, by day and
night, found open the blue eye Of thy
daughter, in which she vninly sirovo to
hold back tho for.h-swclling tears? Was
there not then deep mist and utter dark.
ness spread over tho faces Of thy children,
and over everything around thee?
II. Am DEAD! Lord Of life and death,
upon my knees thank thee, that thou hast
fulfilled this SO great thing in me; that thou
hast led inc TO such great happiness-to
such great honor; dead, and happy to be
dead! Thou knowost, . Lord, how often
that moment stood bcforc me; how often
have prayed that thou myself, since wos
not able 10 do il, wouldst prepare the for
that hour; that thou wouldst send me a soft,
blessed death. Now, o Lord, that thou
hast heard this, MS all my other prayers,
thou hast in this, as in all things, cternally
shown thysslf gracious and pitiful. VIVA,
stood before me is now over. Truly.
though dead, have not yet learned exact.
ly what death is, but this much know ;
death is sweet. As one bears a sleeping
child out Of dark chamber into bright
spring garden, SO hast thou borne me from
earth to heaven. But now, loved one, hold
me no longer hack.
!! w. Whittier wouldst thou 60?
]. II. Canst thou ask? TO whom else
but to Him! All is beautiful and lovely
here; these trees, these flowers, this down.
streaming water, this GOODNESS, which
brcathes over flowers aud trees, and deep
into my heari; thysclf, thy presence, which,
alter so long separation, aficr 50 ",any
tears, | enjoy again. But not even oil this
satisfies me. HIMSELF ! must see. Let
him adorn his heavens as beautifully as he
may, that cannot compensate for the loss
Of his presence. What was impossible he
has made possible; 50 long, 90 IN weariedy,
% faithfully hes he worked in me, that ]
might he capable of bliss. Even before I
, was born be chose. Where i the little
earth? Yonder j. spins, how Gar from here I!
10 what darkness il is yelled! would no,
return to il! He has condescended 10 no
down ihither, has trod ito dust with his o.
cred feet. has endured hunger md thirst,
and died! All! he will quicken my vision,