The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1851-12-27

little Wnlle tn1S feeble hand must grow
cold in death. Since the evening that
we parted at our door. and you held me
in your arms. every throb of my heart,
to its last pulsation, has beat and shall
beat for you. have loved you better
than all else this side of Heaven. But
my only concern now is for you; for
myself | have no solicitude. You have
received my letter-you know how
deeply | love you, and you will try to
reach my arms before die, but you
cannot; know your heart will be DESC
late; you will be alone in this world
when | am gone. But let the thought
that have loved you to the last sustain
You. And, oh! Edward, when you
come to break this seal and weep over
my grave, cast your eye beyond it, for
we shall meet in heaven,
"Where no farewell tear is shed"
Oh! what glorious thought it is, that
in heaven there shall be the rapturous
meeting of friends-there the cold mil
dew of disappointment shall never
blight the flower of love-there the
wicked shall cease from troubling, and
the weary and aching heart OF man
shall find an eternal repose. You will
find in the hands OF your sister nv
miniature. and some other little trea-
snres [ priced: accept them. they are
my parting gifts. Let me ask of YOU
one dying request, and will make YOU
a dying promise Oh Edward. follow
the Savior and be d Christian, and then
our separation will only be for a season
For myself let me say, we know but
little. it is true. but | promise you, if
be permitted. will hold communion
with you. will cheer and console You
in every hour OF sadness and drive grief
away from your heart. will be your
guardian through life. If | can. will
visit you when you come TO my grave,
and give you if possible some token of
my presence. | will be as near you
and as constantly as I can. If we
knew that this could all be, it would
be a blessed assurance. We do not
know, but we can hope. And now,
dear Edward-the being | have loved
best on earth-the one whom [ have
prayed 10 see but once more before
die-the one whom | hope to greet in
heaven, and sing his safe arrival there
farewell. My latest prayer and thought
shall be for farewell-farewell
Your own FRANCES
"There was a spirit in these lines
which bgeathed of heaven. They ex-
pressed the last fond feelings of her
soul. and would not have parted with |
the consolation which they afforded my
heart for the whole world / |
recalled her request and her promise.-
could not separate them. | knelt be-
fore the Father of the Universe, and by |
that grave | sealed my vows to be his |
obedient child. In a moment the deep
in my bosom ceased, and felt |
, sweet submission to Gods will.
"For the first time in my life looked |
10 heaven, and with tender, confiding
and grateful love exclaimed, 'Oh! my |
Fatherp and then experienced the calm
that the ground on which |
1nelt and the atmosphere around me
spoke to the outward ear; but retreat
ng within my soul, | seemed to hold
communion with that pure and glorfied
,eing | had loved. And not an hour
las since passed that | have not felt
hat the smile of God and the guardian
hip of my sainted Frances fingered
Lround me. staid in that peaceful
,hurch-yard for hours, but did not feel
hat was alone. pressed those part
ng gifts TO my heart and left her
crave.
Since that time, at almost every an
liEersary of her death, have gone to
Ter native village to visit her resting
'lace. 1t was but few days before
We sailed that | stood there. Fifteen
ong sad years has rolled away since
Ter death, and yet it seemed brief
'eriod. The green grass had over
trown the mound, and the same broad
rms of the sycamore still sheltered her
epose. Her parents, too, were resting
y her side You cannot wonder now.
ny dear SIR" my companion said, {
that this has been to me somewhat
reary world have felt no disposition
D win the love of another, for my heart
) still pledged to Frances. Since her
cath | have laid my father, mother /
nd sister in the grave. and spent most
f my life at sea and in foreign lands;
Or enjoy better health and experience
quietness of feeling on the ocean, and
n excitement abroad which makes me
ontemplate the past with less gloom.
lat never should have been able to +.
ndure all this if had not been sus-
aimed by the hopes aud consultations of {
sligion. My misfortunes I consider t
le only agency which led me to ex- '
erience the blessedness of personal
eligion. They have weaned me from q
ly strong attachments to the world,
nd | have long anticipated my own
cath with cheerfulness. | believe :
lefe is nothing earthly and fading that
IN satisfy the restless heart of man o
ut | do know that life unmeasured u
: the flight of years with its sublime :
,ospects and exalted hopes can COM
etely fill the SOUL"
" You have told me sad story, nv .
,ar sir" replied ); "but still the light r
a. l.