Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1853-06-11
HE FUN Err A L .
How like silent stream shaded with night,
And gliding softly,
Moves the whole franc of this solemnitY 2

like silent shaded with night,
Moves the whole frame Of this solemnity"
Two dark days, and two long, lonesome nights
to the mother had passed away, though the spring
smiling through woodland and field, tripped to the
song of the merry birds, in the soft sunshine Of
the Towering month, or in the moonlight wills
pered the story of her birth to the trembling
leaves.
Two dark days, and two long, lonesome nights
to the mother had passed away though her daugh-
ter sweeping the harp of praise to infant songs of
eternal Joy, knew not the flight of time.
Two dark days, and two long, lonesome nights,
to the mother had passed away; and yet day,
darker than those two long, lonesome nights was
| breaking Ger the world.
And it was Sunday. She had not slept that
night: SO when the early morning forbade the
stars to shine the mother arose from her fearless
couch, fearless She had wept even a mother
may weep. till the dry eyes told the intensity of
her grief, and now the silent woe looked out from
her heart.
As she entered the room, two watcher-maidens
on tip-toe went out, leaving her alone-not all
alone. There was bed pushed back into the
corner, all nicely made up. She gazed upon it for
a moment. Then her eyes rested upon some little
dresses hanging against the wall. Finally, she
looked toward the window, and exclaimed, Mary !!
Mary p She did not look out for the blinds were
closed and full across the window, but below it
resting, the proportions of coffin were revealed
through the black drapery of pail The mother
approached, stood by it a moment, another NOM
ent, another and another.
The day had burst in music and in sunshine
upon the pleasant valley and the slanting rays of
the great light played upon the blinds, and almost
peered through the green stats.
At length the mother noticed this, and she
reached the coffin, pushed clear aside the half
drawn curtain-thc window was up-threw wide
open the shutters, and full in the room came the
flood Of sunlight and the balmy spring She
stood moment looking out upon the landscape,
and then stopping down, lifted the Rall and raised
the lid
There was no agony in the countenance of her
who slept within. Her slunber was very calm
and tranquil.
Carefully knelt the mother by the side of her
child, as if fearing to awaken her, and laid her
hand upon the placid brow. How the cold touch
thrilled through her veins! There was no fever;
no. nor should there DC How pale the checks!
Wrong never should set his blister there! And
the white lips with soft words should never turn
aside wrath nor reproach nor kindly greet, nor
soothe nor teach
How beautifully the maidens had smoothed the
little girl to repose! Around her brow they had
wreathed the saintcd lily and in her hands folded
on her breast placed half-budded rose.
There was something else there. A glory breath
ing around, speaking that silent language which
the heart feels most and lending to the cold look of
death the Eineaments of an angel
The mother knelt there, and watched that face.
Why gazed she so long and earnestly upon it
SHE had bcheld it for six anxious years and there
was not line upon it she had not scanned thou
sand times.
She bent over and imprinted kiss upon those
sealed lips; long, long kiss SO long, it might be
she endeavored like the of old, to breathe
life into the returning dust
And the robins singing their mournful
song, and the blue-birds answered with their soft
and plaintive note, while lit was not strange, for
it spring. the sparrow caroled forth his merry
roundelay.
The opening of the door aroused her; and a
lady, addressing her, closed the blinds, drew the
curtain, covered the face of the sleeper, and led
the mother out, leaving the room to darkness and
the dead.
And as the shadows fell shorter on the lawn
and under the trees, came the melody of the one
bell of the village close by: At first its peal was
one of sober Joy, as if acclamng the day of quiet
hearts and holy rest Then its tone changed to
the measured toll of the knell.
Toll-toll--toll and there band of
six little girls, dressed in white, with black ribbons
around their gipsy-hats. They were the pail
bearers.
Toll--toll and there came the Sunday-school
scholars, teachers ana the man OF OOD
Toll and the people all came, till the humble
cottage was SO full that numbers stood about the
door unable to gain entrance.
How, as the solemn service was read they all
gazed upon the mother! How still they all sat
so quiet, that the rustling of the curtain to the
gentle breeze distinctly heard. The children
looked SO serious, the men solemn, and the women
could scarce restrain their sorrow. Some could not
and unbidden tears started and rolled down their
cheeks. The mother You could not have told
the mourner, except by the frightening of sunken
eye, as the consoling words of the CORINTHIANS
fell upon her ear, and sunk into her heart.
There stir in the room. The features of
the cold, deep slumbcrer were revealed.
The children of the Sunday-school hand in
hand came forward to take the last farewell of their
playmate ana school-mate. The older ones gazed,
wondered and passed by. The younger, on tip
toe, looked, and lifted curious eye; while the
still smaller were held up in their teachers arms
and little tears started, they knew.not why.
Then the villagers in turn beheld the paid
face.
Last of all, the mother arose went to the coffin,
and knelt BY the side Of her departed girl. One