Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1854-08-18
N. p. Wills.

Mr.. ". P Willis, long known as among the most
pleasing writer's of this country, is dying Of consup
ton In the last number of the Home Journal,
he takes formal leave of his readers and his vocation
in letter of great beauty, and of pathetic interest,"
We quote below brief passage of this letter, in
which the dying man with philosophy truly admi
rabe seeks consolation and elevation of spirit even
from that fatal power which is absorbing his lie
| But consumption mourned over as 1T Is, seems to
me gentle untying of the knot of life, instead ofthe
sudden and harsh tearing asunder of its threads by
other disease tenderness in the destroying angel.
as il WERE which greatly softens, for some, his IN
evtable GRAND to all 1t is decay with little or
no pain, insensble almost IN its progress, delayed,
sometimes, year afte" year, lis fatal approach
es And it is not alone in its indulgent proIong-
ing and deterrng, that consumption IS like blessing
The chords which it first oosens are the cOarser ones
most combining to the mind. The weight OF the ma
teral senses is gradually taken IRON the soul with
the iphtering of their food and the essenng of their
strength. Probably, till he himself invalid,
no man has ever given the wings of his spirit room
enough-Tew if any, have thought to adjust the min
serings 10 body and soul so to subdue the senses
to their secondary place and play. With illness en-
ough to distress or weaken-With consumption in
other words, as most commonly experienced-the
mind becomes conscious of a wonderfully free
dom and predomnance. Things around alter their
value Estimates OF persons and pursuits strangely
change. Nature seems as newly beautiful as if a
film had fallen from the eyes. The purer affections,
The simpler motives, the humber and more secluded
reances for sympathy. are found to have been the
closets linked with thoughts holder and freer. Who
has not wondered at the cheefuness of consumptive
persons 1t is because with the senses kept under
BY invalid treatment, there is no " depression OF
spirits" With careful regimen and the system pu-
rifed and disciplined life, what there is of it, is in
the most celebrating balance of its varied proportions
Death is not dreaded where there is, thus such
scous breaking through of the wings of another life
and higher.
SILENT SEA CAPTAIN.-Capt. Stone of the
steamer Canada, in this port, is probably the
most silent afoat. Sailors who have been with
him many months, say they never heard him speak
He writes his orders to his officers and if they fail in
carrying them out, he reprmands them in writing
Yet he has the reputation of being of the mCst
skifu and prudent captains of the Cunard line, and
remarkable for his powers of personal endurance
When 1T sea he rarely leaves the deck, night day
more than an hour time, and nothing appears tC
escape his notice, Still he does not speak, either tc
his officers passengers. On recent passage two
Wags, who were passengers in his ship, noticed this
peculiarly, and at dinner one day were quite elo
quent upon the blessings Of speech, and then, by
way Of contrast expressed their deepest cOmmisera
ton for dumhies. One of the wags over
come by his feelings that he deliberately took ar
onion from his pocket and applied it to his right eye
while he gaZed at Capt. Stone with the left "Poor
dear gentleman" he sobbed as the Tears followed the
onion, 9 | wonder if he is deaf we'll as dumb
This was too much for the passengers, who burst in
10 a roar of laughter, in which Capt Stone joined
heartily as the rest When order was restored, he
said, &" Gentlemen and Ladies, or Ladies and Gen
temen, acknowledge that | appear to dsadvan
tage by not speaking more than do but what would
you have me to say 1t is my constant care TO SCI
that you are properly attended to every particular
What more can you desire After this effort, he re
sumed silence, ana has not been known to speal
since.-BoSton atlas.