Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1849-02-01
Gbc family Gtrte,
The Death Of The Wife and Mother

WRITTEN FOR THE OLIVE BRANCH
MY MOTHER when learned that thou vast
dead,
Say, vast thou conscious of the tears shed
heard the bell toll on thy burial day,
! saw the hearse that bore the slow away,
And turning from my nurs'ry window, drew
A long, long sigh, and wept last adcu.
[Cowper
We are borne to enjoy and to suffer. This !
TRUTH seen in every relation of life, and uttered
by the common experience of mankind, finds its
echo in the voice of inspiration. So forcibly inn
pressed with a sense Of it, was the most patient
of men that when berett Of his health, his servants
and his children, he exclaimed in the agony OF
his spirit" Man, that is boneo woman, is
of few days and full of trouble. lie cometh forth
like flower, and is cut down; he feeth also as
a shadow and contnueth not" Our views OF
life change with its ever changing scenes. In
its May morning, when all is gladstone in the
present and bright in the future, we feel that our
being on earth Is happy condition, and we
would ioundly cherish the hope that it might be
perpetual. When united in an unbroken fami-
ly circle, and kindly favored by fortune, we an
icipate no mourntul event, and bless the day
that gave us birth But when our path is beset
with sorrows and our dearest earthly friend is
torne from our warm embrace by the cold and
sudden seizure of death, we would almost i'm
Al, Sc I
and determines our lot. We are then unmind
fu of present blessings, and forget those which
were once, but are no longer ours We enjoyed
them in departed years, and we claim them now
as Our rigltful possession But that mysterious
Providence who gave them can take them away
whenever their continuance wonld conflict with
his wise AMI good purposes. In every affection
as well as in every enjoyment, there is purpose
though it may not be seen when grief presses
heavily upon u.s. That purpose may be to turn
our thoughts from things earthly and transtory,
and to fix them on heaven and eternity to lead
us as way.worn travellers to that fountain of life
whose waters shall give US perennial bliss; to
hold our present enioymcnts, and how preferable
to them are these which neither misfortune nor
death can remove. And who shall say but that
the death of one of our dearest relative may Gre
ate bond that will render doubly dear to us,
those who survive? If we weighed well the
dspensations of Providence, we should bless the
rod that chnstiscs us.
There is no afiliction so grievous and so last
ing as the loss of our nearest and dearest rela-
tive. The world may long have seemed to use
us unkindly ; the fiery element may have wrap
ped our dwelling in flames and scattered our &C
cnmulaIed treasures accidents may have hap
pencd to our limbs and disease have seated it
self upon our feeble frames, but if our friend,
and relatives remain to CHERISH encourage ant
sustain US, we can bare up under our mlsfortunes
Let these be removed, and trail nature bows be-
meath the weight of distress, the countenance i.
changed to sadness, the spirit droops, the hear
is broken.
The loss of The tcite and mother is more griev
GUS than any. The husband and father is indeed
consecrated in our affections, but the active
world is the scene of his labors. Not so witt
the wife and mother. Home is where she lives
and when she dies, it is desolate. Her memory
is associated with every domestic utensil an,
article of furniture. We handle them, and they
are warm with her grasp. Her tavorte chair
by its vacancy, speaks to us of her who onc'
occupied it, but will occupy it no more. W.
look in vain for her in the seat which was her
ut the family table. She has left her place il
the freside circle, never to resume it As w
enter her special OppOrtmet, and look upon The
clothing which she wore, her image gdes be