Litchfield enquirer., 1856-04-03

new strong love which had awakened in her bo- som. And stroke after stroke told of her ear
 y womanhOod-of the love and cares, and hopes and fears and tolls through which she passed during these long years, till fifty rang out harsh and loud. From that to sixty each stroke told of the warm-hearted mother and grandmother, living over again her own joys and sorrows in those of her children and child ren's children. Every family of the group wan ted grandmother then, and the only strife was who should secure the prize but, bark the Dell tolls on :! Seventy-seventy-o three-four. She begins to grow feeble re quIres some care, is not always perfectly patient or satisfied she goes from one child's house to another, so that no one place seems like home. She murmurs in plaintve tones, and after all her toll and weariness, it is hard she cannot l,e allowed home to die in that she must be sent, rather than invited, from house to house Eighty-eighty- -two-three - four -ah she IS now second child-now she has out lived her usefulness, she has now ceased to be A comfort to herself or anybody ;" that is, she has ceased to be profitable to her earth-crayin and money ey-grasping children
 Now sounds out reverberating through our lovely forest, and echoing back from our "hill of the dead" Eighty-nine there she lies now III the coffin, cold and stI-she makes no trou- ble now, demands no love, no soft words no tender little offices A look of patient endur- ance, we fancied also an expression of grief for anrequitted love, sat on her marble features- Her chlldred were there, clad in weeds of woe and Tn an irony we remembered the strong mans words, :" She was good mother in her day"
 When the bell ceased tolling, the strange munster rose in the pulpit His form was very erect, and his voice strong, but his hair was slivery white. He read several passages of Scripture expressive of Gods compassion to fee ble man, and especially of his tenderness when gray hairs are on him. and his strength faileth
 He then made some touching remarks on hu- man fraty, and of dependence on God. urging all present to make their peace with their Mas ter while in health, that they might claim his promises when heart and flesh should fail them.
 Then" he said, the eternal God shall be thy refuge, and beneath thee shall be the everast- ing arms" Leaning over the desk and gazing lntently on the cofiued form before him. he then sad reverently, From a little child I have honored the aged !; but never till gray hairs covered my own head, did 1 know truly how much love and sympathy this class have right to demand of their fellow-creatures Now l icel II. Our mother" he added most tender y, who now lies in death before us, was a stranger to me, as are all these her descendants. All KNOW ot her is what her son told me to- day-that she was brought to this town from afar, slXt y-nne years ago, happy brdc-that here she has passed most of her life, toiling as only mothers ever have strength to toil, until she had reared a large family of sons and dauyh- ters that the left her home here clad in the weeds of wdowhood, to dwell among her children :: and that till health and vigor left her. she Fv- ed for you, her descendants. You. who toceth- CT have shared her love and care. know how well you have requited her. God forbid that conscience should accuse any of you of ingrati- tude or murmuring on account of the care she has been to you of late. When you go back to your homes, be careful of your words and your example before your children, for the fruit of your own doing you will surely reap from them when you yourselves totter on the brink of the grave. l entreat you as a friend, as one who has himself entered the evening of>l;fe" that you may never say, in the presence of your families nor ot heaven, Our mother had out lived her usefnness-she was burden to us" Never, never; a mother cannot live so long as that! No; when she can no longer labor for her children, nor yet cafe for herself, she can fall Ike precious weight on their boSoms, and call forth by her helplessness all the noble, gen erous feeling of their natures
 Adieu, then, poor, toilwon mother there are no more slecpless nights no more days of pain for thee. Undying vigor and everlasting usefulness are part of the inheritance of the re deemed. Feeble as thou vert on earth, thou wilt be noburden on the bosom of Infinite Love, but there shalt thou find thy longed-for rest, and receive glorious sympathy from Jesus and his ransomed fold"