Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1854-06-24
Letter from a Diving Wife.

Letter from Dying Wlle'
The following most touching fragment
Of Letter from dying wife TO her hus-
band, was found by him, some months
after her death, between the leaves Of a
religious volume, which she was very
fond Of reading. The letter, which was
literally dim with tear marks was written
before her husband was aware that the
grasp of fatal disease had fastened upon
the lovely form of his wife who died at
the early age of nineteen:
"When this shall reach your eye, dear
c., some day when you are turning
over the relics of the past, shall have
passed away forever, and the cold white
stone will be keeping its lonely watch
over the 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 too often nestled so
close TO your warm heart. For many
long and sleepless nights, when all be-
sides my thoughts were at rest, | have
wrestled with consciousness of approach
ing death, until at last had forced. itself
upon my mind. and although TO you and
10 others it might now seem but the ner-
vous imaginations of a girl {; yet dear
G., 1t is so O! Many weary hours
have passed in the endeavor TO reconcile
myself 10 leave you, whom love so
we'll, and this world Of sunshine and beau.
ty; and hard Indeed is it to struggle on ST.
lenuy and alone with the sure conviction
that [ am about to leave all forever, and 90
down alone into the dark valley But
know in whom have trusted, and leaning
upon his arm i fear no evil Don't
blame me for keeping all from you. How
could subject of all others, to such sor-
row as feel at parting, when time will
soon make it apparent 10 you | could
have wished 10 live, if only to be at your
side when yOur time shall come, and pill
lowing your head upon my breast, wipe
the death-damps from your brow, and
usher your departing spirit into It's Ma
ker's presence. embalmed in woman's no.
liest prayer. But it is not to be so, and |
submit. Yours is the privilege of watch
ing, 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 feeble kiss
shall be yours; and even when flesh and
heart shall have failed me, my eye shall
rest on yours until glazed by death and
our spirits shall hold one last communion,
until gently fading from view--the last Of
earth--you shall mingle with the first
bright glimpse of the un(ading glories Of
that better world, where Parungs are un-
known. Well DO | know the spot, dear
c., where you will lay me ; often we
have stood by the place, and watched the
mellow sunset as it glanced in quivering
flashes through the leaves and FURNISHED
the grassy mounds around us with stripes
of Furnished gold, each perhaps has tho't
that some day one Of us would come
alone, and whichever it might be, yOur
name on the stone. But we loved the
spot, and | know you'll love it none the
less when you see the same quiet sun
light llnger and play among the grass that
grows over your Mary's grave. am
laid there, and my spirit will be with you
then, and whisper among the waving
branches, 81 am not lost, but gone be-
fore ~