Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1853-04-06
ny SAMUEL d. HARRIS, Jr.
HEFUNERAL AND COLD DINNER.
BY FRANCES D. GAGE.

"When is that funeral to be, Nettie :"
sAt half past ten, mother, believe
~Half past ten; well, with little arrangement
we will go."F
aNo MOTHER says Minnie, "I will stay at
home and get dinner, and you and Nettie may go.
Il will put things behind hand if we all leave, and
We shall have to hurry when we get back.
would rather stay at home"
3 "No, Minnie, want you all to go; there is a
lesson to be learned there to-day, which will do
us more good than warm dinner"
:. awe will slice up the cold meat left from yes
terday-hash up the potatoes nicely, and with
good bread, butter and fruit, we will be comfort
able enough. y
'But will the boys be satisfied !'
eve viii try to have them so, and trust that
none Of US think SO much of our appetites as to
deprive ourselves of privileges or enjoyments, to
cater to our tastes. Tomorrow, if we have eat
en- wisely, we shall all have forgotten what con
stitated our dinner tosdaS But the lesson learn
ed at the funeral, trust, will be fresh in our
hearts, not only tomorrow, but forever.''
& The girls sped away cheerfully to their work.
arranged the dinner. picked out clean shirts for
the boys, saw tfe shoes were brushed and the era
watts tied, and when the bell rung out the solemn
peal, we were all ready. - le'
We halted at the church door to see the pro-
cession pass by. o what sight was there
First came the long slender coffin and its dark
frnged palI Then the husband of the sleeper
within, and leaning upon his arm, bowed with age,
and trembling with sorrow and woe-was the moth
or of the.dead. There were Il clasped the hand
Of my children and drew them nearer to my sde)
six smotherless children, the Oldest not twelve
years; and as the little sobbing group went by,
fancied heard the wall of the infant at home too
young to be brought out to its mothers funeral
Then followed the long train O. relatives, friends
and neighbors; but did not heed them-my eve
saw only that aged mother sorrowng for her child
those infant children weepins fer mother-T Taal
minister made d short exhortation, aprayer to the
God of the Fatherless. The choir sung its SOL
emn chant; but did not hear. My thoughts were
all too busy with stirring memories within my
own heart.
: Thirteen years ago, I stood by the sleeper, then
a blooming bride. Eighteen summers only had
her deep blue eyes reflected the hues above, or
her ears listened to the song Of the wild robin in
the old elm near her childhood home. By her
side. too. stood that man, and his dark flashing
eye, a bold, proud brow, looked pride and Joy, as
as he clasped the hand of Ruth and promised to
love, cherish and protect her, the beautiful, the
good, the pure, the loving, that was leaving mo-
ther, home, everything to bless him, and to rest
in his heart forever. said she was beautiful:
aye, beautiful as the widest dream of poets
fancy; and with all her beauty, her goodness, her
purity, she gave herself into his care and keep
ing, and promised to love, serve, and obey, till
death should sever the bonds which mans laws
and enactments had woven for them.
But now the last solemn notes of the dead have
ceased their vibration, and naught breaks that
solemn stiffness save the grating of the underta-
ker's screw, as he opens once more the lid that
hides from our sight the pale, emaciated form of
that once beautiful being
- One by one the congregation passed by, and
took their last look. Then came the distant rel
atiyes; for a moment they linger, and many sob
sand weeping eye tell how well she was loved
Even manly hands brushed away the bright dews
sof sympathy from the dimmed vision, as slowly
they moved on. Then came husbapd, the moth
er, theichildren. Oh, who shall give utterance
that the heart may hear, to the anguished wall of
those sdoubly orphan ones" Mother, mother,
mother,'' broke from their hearts in the wild ag-
ony of the moment. 800
Poor littleones, well they knew their utter des-
stitution. Il w Who would gather them now at night
fall and wash their faces. and speak kind, sooth-
ing words, and put them to bed! Who patch
the tattered garments, who contrive the scanty
meala Who the old mother stopped down and
kissed her child, and low, anguished moan told
grief, trouble, too mighty for tears. The hus-
band looked down On the sleeper he had promised
to love, cherish and protect. But he had wasted
that love on the fallen and degraded ones; squan-
tdered his substance in riotous living; often had
he forced from these delicate hands the hard-earn
ed shilling, while his children cried for bread,
dropped it into the rum-sellers till, to crafty his
own insatiate appetite. He saw her waste away
amid poverty and shame, and cursed her day by
day. because her eye grew dim, her cheek pale,
Z and her head weak and trembling Day after day
week after week, he pressed the iron to her soul.
! But she had vowed in the sight of God and sworn
10, Hlove, honor and obey and the folds oi
snowy muslin that hid away her form, covered a
heart that had never broken vow.
His worthy father had discarded him, his rela-
tives went on the other side.''
i And the time came when her delicate spiri
could love no more; when love, even mothers
love, could no longer buoy her up to struggles
and she laid her down to die. The neighbors
found her and her little ones in misera
~bie hut, the children starving, the mother dying
and the father away in the neighboring village