Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-02-21

cere mourners. 1t was indeed q comtortless
abode; but for the poor man who reposed in
his pine coffin, it was as good tenement as the
most sumptuous palace ever reared. When
see the dead going from an abode like this, the
thought comes up that perhaps they have lost
little, and are gaining much; that the grave
over which the grass grows, and the trees wave,
and the winds murmur, is, after ALL a peaceful
haven and place of rest. But when they 60
from marble halls and splendid mansions. the
last trappings appear mockery, and think
only of what they have left behind.
Standing in one corner of that small cabin
among the sobbing relatives, while the winds Of
winter howled without their requiem Of the de.
parted year began to read the Church's SOL
emn Office for the dead 6.
81 am the Resurrection and the fe saith the Lord he
that bseveh Me- though he dead, yet shall he live
and whosoeyer veth and beleveth in Ne shall de
Having completed the reading of those choral
words, which form the opening part of the or
der for burial, and the magnificent. and inspiring
words of St. Paul, the procession was formed at
the door of the howell and We procaeeed on foot
The winter-storm ragged violently, 30 that
you could scarce see, by reason OF the snowy
pillar, while the drifts were sometimes up to
your knees. The walk was most dreary. On
either haud the mountains lifted up their heads
loftily, covered to the summit with SHOWS the
pine trees and evergreens which skirted the
highway, presented the spectacle of small pyra-
mids; every weed which the foot struck was
glazed over and the bushes, in the faint beams
of the struggling light, sparkled with gems
In wild, Titanic defle, gigantic icicles hung
from the oozing rocks and as We passed mill
stream, we had the sight of frozen waterfall,
arrested in its descent, and with all its volume,
spray, and mist, as if by the hand of some en-
chanter changed suddenly into stone.
All these objects, in my walks through the
mountains, had impressed their lessons of the
magnifcence and glory Of God. But what new
ideas did the same scenes suggest, associated as
they were with this wintry funeral
At last we arrived at the place of graves. 1t
was an activity of the mountain small field
surrounded by a rude fence, in one corner of
which were erected many wooden crosses and
pile of sand, or rather of sandy frozen clods,
dug out with pickaxe, and cast upon the sur
sounding SHOWS, indicated the spot Of the new
sepulture. There was not single marble erect
ed, not a monument of brown stone, or epitaph
but the emblem of the cross alone denoted that
it was the resting place of the lowliest of the
lowly-of the poor sons of Erin, the hewers ol
wood and drawers of water, who had from time
to time, in these distant regious given up their
lives to toll, to suffering or to crime. But the
mountain in which they were buried was itself
a monument which, without any distinction, in
a spot where all were equal, was erected equal
ly for all. There is no memorial, even of the
greatest, so good as the place in which they re-
pose and when looked at the Sinai-like peak
which rose before US, thought that these poo,
people had, in their depth of poverty, resorted
to the very God Of nature to memorize theil
dead.
But must not forget to notice, by way O
memorial, the history Of that poor man. HI
was one of those who lived by the sweat of thu
brow. By digging and delving in the earth
by bearing heavy burdens, and performing dan
gerous work, he obtained living by hard labor
= "betwixt daylight and dark - and while th'
! ! famine was raging in his own land, like man,
of his race who exhibit the same noble generos
!, ity and devotion, (what an example to those o
loftier rank y he had carefully saved his earn
= ings and transmitted them to his relatives. -
= They arrived too late. His father and mothe
- had already died of starvation but his onl
:. sister had scarce reached the doors of this poo
4 mans hovel, after SO long journey, when, q
: she awaited anxiously his return that evening
from his daily work, the litter which contane,
. his body arrived at the door
~ | reflected upon this little history, as we ap
~ preached the grave upon the mountain side
;a and, melancholy as the scene was, with tn
;. SHOWS drifting upon our uncovered heads,
would not have exchanged the good which
! did my SOUL for the warmest and best lighte
chamber where revelry abounds and as rt
>, peated those most touching words, go Lore
~ God most holy, 0 Lord, most mighty, o hol
:. and most mercful Saviour deliver US not unit
IN the bitter pains of eternal DEATH" | though
10 that the surrounding gloom was itself sugges
,t i've of hope to the Christian SOUL In fe
: months more, the mountains would again
go clothed with verdure, and the little hills woul
" rejoice on every side. As the winds died ava
into yernal gales, as the icicles fell from tt
;. rocks, as the SHOWS vanished, they would
:. succeeded by the voice of the blooming an
" beautiful earth, with all their forest choir
- prolonging the chant of thanksgiving. Ho
much more should the body of him, which no
- lay cold in its grave, with the clods and Il
SHOWS of the mountains piled upon it, awake
- sure, and, it is hoped, a joyous resurrection
- With such cheering thoughts we hurried ava
y from the spot, when the service was ende
., humbly praying that portion of consoatit
~ might be conveyed to the heart of her, who,
% in strange land, mourned the loss of on on
- brother. In pace requiescat
From the Hunters Feast"