Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-05-09

grandmother then, and the only
strife was who should secure the
prize. But bark the bell tolls on
Seventy. scventy-one, two, three,
four. She begins TO grow feeble,
requires some care, is not always
perfectly patient or satisfied, she
goes from one child's house TO anoth-
e., so that no one place seems like
home. She murmers in plainuve
tones, that after all her toll and
WEAKNESS, il is hard she cannot be
allowed a home TO die in; that she
must be sent rather than invited from
house to house. Eighty, eighty-one,
twoy three, four, five, all, she is now
second child, now she has out
lived her usefulness she has now
ceased to be a comfort to herself or
any body;' that is she has ceased to
be profitable to her earth craving and
money grasping children
Now sounds out, reyerberaling
through our lovely forest, and echo.
ing back from our hill of the dead. >
Eighty-nine There she lies now in
the coffin, cold and still she makes
no trouble now, demands no love. no
soft words, no tender little Offices A
look Of patient endurance, we fan
cled also am expression of grief for
unrcqulled love, sat on her marble
features. Her children were there,
clad in weeds Of woe, and ia irony
we remembered ihe strong man S
words She was good mother
in her day
When the bell ceased toling, the
strange minister rose in the pulpit
His form was erect aud his voice
strong, but his hair was slyery white.
lie read several passages of Scrip
ture expressive Of Gods compassion
To feeble man, and especially OF his
tenderness when gray hairs are on
him and his strength ialleth. He
then made some touching remarks
on human fralIy, aud Of depend
ence on God, urging all present to
make their peace with their maker
while IA health, that they might claim
his promises when heart and flesh
should lat them. Then he said
the eternal God shall be thy refuge.
and beneath thee shall be the ever
lasting arms. Leaning over the
desk and gazing intently on the con-
fined form before him he said reyer-
emily From a little child | have
honored the aged but never till gray
hairs covered my own head, did [
know how much love and sympathy
this class have a right 10 demand of
their fellow creatures. Now | feel
IT. Our mother who now lies in
death before US, was stranger to
me, as are these her descendenis.-
All | know Of her IS what her son
told me ln-day--that she was
nine years ago, happy brde-that
here she passed the most Of her life,
Ioilng as only mothers ever have
strength to toll, until she had reared
a large family of sons and daughters
that she lell her home here, clad 10
the weeds Of widowhood, to dwell,
among her children; and that I'LL
health and vIgor left her, she lived
for you her descendants. You who
together have shared her love and
care, know how well YOU have re-
Quilted her. God forbid that con
science should accuse any of you of
lngraitude or mutmurlng on account
the care this has been TO you of late.
When YOU go back to your homes,
be careful OF your words and your
example before your own children,
Tor the fruit Of your own dong you
viii surely reap from them when you
yourselves totier on The brink Of the
grave. enireal y1u as a friend, as
o.e who has himself entered the
evening life, that you never say in
ihe presence of your families nor
heaven, Our mother outhycd her
usefulness she was n 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 care for herself, she can fall
like a precious weight on their faith
lul bosoms, aud call forth 10y her
helplessness all the noble, generous
feelings of their natures.
Ad,eu, then, poor, loll-worn moth
er-lhete ate no more sleepless
nights, no more days Of pain Tor
Thee, Uudylug yIgor and everlasting
usefulness are part of the inheritance
Of the redeemed. Feeble as thou
wert on earth, thou witt be no bur
den on the bosom of Infinite Love,
but there shalt thou iind thy longed
for rest, aud receive glorious sympa-
thy from Jesus and his ransomed
old."-ErdmiRer.
A Cold Water. Story.