The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1855-06-26
:, Written for the Standard
DEATHS CONTRASTS.
BY CORA LAWRENCE.


| BY CORA LAWRENCE.
LOVED READER:-Hast thou visited tha
great metropolis of our Republican Union.-
Then listen to tale enacted there sad though
it be amidst mirth and revelry. Elegsnce ant
art had stayed their genius, and their effort
had been crowned with success, and it seems
as if yonder mansion could scarcely be nrrayeC
more beautifully. Two years ago it stood al
elegant as now, but what q chaGge within =
Then all was fashion, mirth and gayety, now
all is still and silent. In one Of those boauti
fully apartments where wealth can bo traced
in every thing, was gathered there the family
of the wealthy owner. And there reclining
upon couch was the adored, the beautiful
| Aea. She was the child of luxuries and wealth
She was the idol of her parents, and tho circle
whore she moved. All bowed before her
beauty and worshipped at its shrine. But
death came and laid the proud beauty low at
his feet, and those fond parents were gathered
there to watch her spirit as it took its fligh,
from earth The silence Of few moments
was broken by nothing save the sobs of the
mother, until the daughter, raising her dark
eyes to that parents face exclaimed, Mother
is this death"
"Yes, my child, it is death, oh that the
cruel destroyer should have snatched away from
my embrace my only loved, my darling one"
"Mother.' Gaid Ada, scarcely noticing that
she had spoken, "why did you not tell me
that too must die, you taught me to rejoice
in scenes of mirth aud revery, but, oh you
never told me that must stand before my
makers throne and render to him an account
Of all those things"
The mother thus accused by her dying child,
her lear and only one, whom enc had cherish
ed and reared for this worlds pleasures could
answer nothing, bu, no reply was n.odedy fo-
the spirit of the idolzod Ada had departed to
that bourne from whence no traveller returns.
Many and bitter were the toars shed by her
misguided parents. but it was to late to make
amends to that departed ono. The gay circle
missed her. They saw not that beautiful form
which once glided so swiftly among the inazes
of the dance. But they missed not with her
a cheerful voice that had a pleasant word for
every one. But her place was soon supplied,
and time rolled on and the onoe worshipped
Ada was forgotten.
But let lis turn from the contemplation of
such an awful sceno to another where sweet
peace and resignation is pictured on every
thing. 1t is to the far-off west where the soft
winds blow gently over tho puro and lovely
lulling them to sweet repose. In yonder neat
little cottage, situated SO romantically among
those beautiful trees which spread their green
verdure around them, with the streamlct slow
ly ripping by, there is a scene of death trans
piring. The morning sun is pouring his
sparkling rays into neatly furnished room
whore lying upon bed is young girl, her
sweet face is becming with love divine as she
gazes aifectionately at her only remaining pa
rent, her mother, who is weepingly gazing up
on that dear one who will soon leave her to
inhabit that better world beyond tho grave
smother dear, why do you weep for me, I
shall soon be at rest in that better country
where the blessed Redeemor and those pure
angels dwell, and there shall forever live, and
you will meet me soon dear mother" and her
face lighted up with enthusiasm as she spoke.
"Yes, dear Flora, we shall soon meet whore
thoro shall bo no more sorrow, nor crying, nei-
ther any moro pain"
While the hours we're feeting past the
mother, at her daughters request sung the fol-
lowing lines:
Beyond the fight oftime,
Beyond this vale Of death,
There surely is some blessed cline
Where life is not breath,
Nor lifes affection transient fire;
Whose sparks fly upward TO EXPIRE"
There is world above,
Where parting is unknown,
whole eternity oflove,
Formed for the good alone;
And faith behods the dying here
Translated to that hapy sphere"
"Thus star by star declines
Till all are passed away,
As morning high and higher shines
To pure and perfect day,
Nor sink those stars an empty ight-
They hide themselves in heavens own
light"
The daughter united her voico with that of
her mother, and their song arose like sweet
incense unto heaven. Oh how beautifully
those words express tho goodness and mercy
Of God in preparing for us place whero
"Life is not breath,
Nor life's affection transient fire,
Whose sparks iy upward TO expire"
After some conversation and bidding adieu
to her friends below, she resigned hor spirit
unto her Savior and departed to that haven o
eternal rest prepared for tho blcst Of God.