The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1851-04-26
A Dying Wife to her Husband,

The following most touching fragment of
a Letter from q dying Wife to her Uusband
was found by him, some months after her
death, between the leaves of religious vol.
ume, which she was very fond of pcrusing.
The letter, which WAS literally dim with
tear-narks, WAS written long before the hus-
band WAS aware that the grasp Of fatal
disease had fastened upon the lovely form
of his wife, who died ut the early age Of
nintern:
when this shall meet your ere, dear
C., some day when YOU are turning
over the relics of The past, shall have passed
away forever, and the old white stone will
be keeping its lonely watch over tho lips
you have SO often pressed, and the sod will
be growing green, that shall hide forever
from your sight the dust Of one who has su
often nestled close to your warm heart.
For many long and slccllcss nights, when
all my thoughts were at rest, 1 have wrestlcd
with the consciousness of approaching death.
until at last it has forced itself upon my
mind; and although to you and to others
it might now seem but the nervous imagiI-
ations Of girl, yet dear CT it is SOL
Many weary hours have passed in the en-
dcavor to reconcile myself to leaving you,
whom l love SO well, and this bright world
of sunshine and beauty; aud hard, indeed.
is it to struggle on silently and alone, with
the sure conviction that am about to leave
all forever and 90 down alone in the dark
valley But know in whom have trust
ed,' and, leaning upon His arm, l fear no
evil Don't blame me for keeping even all
j tbs ffFsin you. Hew-could subject you, of
\ x('t)tIfprS IN atlf na I f,.I I.,f, ~
ing when time will SO soon make it apparent
to you9 I could have wished to live, if on
ly to be ut yonr side when your time shall
come, and pillowing your head upon my
breast, wipe the death damps from your
brow, and usher your departing spirit into
its Makers presence, embal,ned in wonan's
holicst prayer. But it is not to lie so-and
Isubmit.
Yours is the privilege of watching, through
long and dreary nights, for the spirits final
flight, and Of transferring my sinking head
from your breast to my Saviour's bosom -
And you shall share my last thought; the
last faint pressure of hand, aud the last fee
bic kiss shall be yours. and even when fiesl,
and heart shall have failed me, my eye shall
rest on yours until glazed by death-and
our spirits shall hold one last fond comman-
ion, until gently fading from my view--sRs
last Of earlh-you shall mingle with the
first bright glimpses Of the unfading glories
of that better world. where partings are un-
known. Well do know the spot, dear
C., where YOU will lay me; often have
we stood by the place, and as we watched
the mellow sunset as it glanced in quivering
flashes through the leaves and the grassy
mounds around us with stripes Of FURNISHED
gold, each perhaps has thought that one Of
US would come alone and whichever it
might be, your name would be on the stone.
But you loved the spot; and know you'll
love me none the less when you see the
same quiet sunlight linger and play among
the grass that grows over your Mary's grave.
II know you'll 60 often alone there, when
am laid there, aud my spirit will be with
you then, and whisper among the waving
branches, I am not lost, but gone before -
Knicker6ocker Magazine.