Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1851-11-20
A Monument to a Mothers Grave.
BY JOSEPH R. CHANDLER.

- ~c'LHh n. hANAHE
1 followed into a burying- ground, in the suburbs of the
city, a small train OF persons, not more than a Dozen
who bad come to bury one of their acquaintances. The
clergyman in attendance was leading a little boy by the
hand, who seemed to be the only relative OF the decea-
sed.
I~gathered with them around the grave; and when the
plain coffin was lowered down, the child burst forth IN
uncomfortable grief. The little boy had no one left to
whom he could look for affection, or who could address
him in tones of parental kindness.-The last of his kins-
folk was in the grave. and he was alone.
When the clamorous grief of the child had a little
subsidized, the clergyman addressed US with the customa-
ry exhortation to accept the monirion, and be prepared
and, in turning to the child, he added:
she is not TO remain in the grave forever. AS sure
as the grass which, now chilled with the frost oil the
season, shall spring to greenness and life in a lew months,
so true shall your mother rise from that grave to another
life-a life Of happiness, l hope"
The attendants then shoveled in the earth upon the
coffin, and some one took little William, the child, by
the hand, and led him forth from the lowly tenement Of
his mother.
Late in the ensuing spring, l was in the neighborhood
Of the same burying-ground, and seeing the gate open.
/ walked among the graves for some time, reading the
names of the dead; when, recollecting chat / was near
the grave Of the poor widow, buried the previous au-
tumn, l turned to see what had been done to preserve
the memory of one so utterly destitute OF earthly
friends.
To my surprise, I found the most desirable of all me-
mentoes for a mothers sepulchre; little William was
sitting near the head of the now sunken grave. looking
lntently N some green shoots that had come forth with
the warmth of spring, from the soil that covered his mo-
theirs coffin.
William startled at my approach, and would have left
the place. 1t was long before | could induce him to tar
~, and, indeed, | could not win his confidence until |
told him | was present when they buried his mother, and
had marked his tears at the time.
''Then you heard the minister say that my mother
would come out OF this grave, {" said William.
81 did,"
alt is true-is it not?' asked he in a tone of conf
dence.
al most firmly believe it.n said I.
~ Believe itI; said the child. - Believe IL / thought
you knew it. l know it."
q How do you know it, my dcar2"
A" The minister said, that as true as The grass grew
up, and the flowers bloomed in spring, so true would
mother Use. came a few days aiterward, and planted
nowcrseeds on the grave. The grass came green in the
buryipg-ground long ago; and l watched every day for
The flowers, and to-day they have come up too. See
them breaking through the ground! BY and by, mother
will come again"
A smile Of exulting hope played on the features of the
boy, and | felt panied at disturbing the faith and conf
dence with which he was animated.
But my little child, y said ], g it is not here that your
mother will rise"
eyes, here" said he with emphasis; " here they
placed her, and here l have come ever since the first
blade oil grass was green this year"
looked round, and saw the tiny foot OF the child had
trod out the herbage at the grave side, so constant had
been his attendance. What a faithful watch keeper
What mother would desire a richer monument than the
form of her son bending in fearful but hoping trust over
her grave?
'sBut, William. - said I. "It is in another world that
III VII iiSi. 41Ht Il dAlCulltu " "a Pidiu " nun NC
nature of that promise which he had mistaken. The
child was confused, and he appeared neither pleased nor
satisfied.
"If mother is not coming back TO me, if she is not to
come up here, what shall / do2 1 cannot stay without
her."
"You shall 60 to her" said 1, adopting the language
Of the Scriptures, . you shall go TO her, bus she shall
not come again TO yOn."
"Let me 90, then" said William, "let me go, that.I
may rise with mother
william" said !, pointing down to the plants just
b.o.I.-- .L--.-L a. ,lo - 4 -
sown there would not have come up, if it had not been
ripe; so you must await till your appointed time, until
your end cometh."
Then shall | see herr"
"I surely hope So"
al will wait, then" said the child; Z" but / thought
1 should see her soon-I thought l should meet her
here
In. a month, William ceased TO wait. He died, and
they opened bis mothers grave and placed his little cof-
fin on hers. Ii was the only wish the child expressed in
dying. Better teachers than |, had instructed him in
the way to meet his mother; and, young as the little
sufferer was, he had learned that all the labors and hopes
of happiness, short of heaven, are proftless and vain.