Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-07-28
'.HE DIED RICH. -

People said this cyery"h, r., wh q .ho /
morning papers announced the ira q OF
John Russell, Presi'lrn', the---
Bank" They said i, on Wall s.r. et
where they count wealth by hundreds Of
thousands, and they sid i, in elegant
parlors and by luxurious breakfast tables,
al over the sqnars aid avenues rf the
great city: they said il too, in dark alleys,
and in squalid homes where al Ms thou
sands could not buy back to The iiIion
aire one hour of the life that was l. them
burden and a misery. Everywhere
was the same story. "He diei rich"
His family and his friends thought 50,
as they gathered around the bedside Of
the dying man; and you, reader, would
have tho't it too, if you could have look
ed around that chamber, into which death
was entering with his dumb foot falls and
his ghasily presence. All. it was
princely room! Rare pictures flushed the
walls that winter day, with the glory of
Arcadian summers; the fairest blossoms
of southern Mays were piled thick upon
the costly carpet; aud the dliatily en-
broidercd drapery fell in soft, crinkled
clouds from the massive bedstead. And
the ovn ner of all this magnifcence lay
there ';yin-:; and through all hi; lie of
more l.!An three SC ore gears. n hld toll.
ell all ! Struggled for lhis-:o die rich.-
He had bJug,i, lands and so!d,them; he
had sent richly freighted ships to foreign
ports; he had owned shares in railroads,
and stock banks, and noul
Ali there was an angel who stood al
the bedside Of John Russell in tn dying
hour, and the man had nothing out Of all
his life 10 give him; no generous, noble,
sacrificing deeds, which would have been
pearls, and gold, and all precious jewels
in The hand of the angel; so he wrote
down at the chapter Of John Russel's,
"H died poor
ale died poor" very few persons
said this of an old man who lay il back
chamber of "a small dilapidated building,
whose solitary window looked out of the
blck garden of John Russel's residence.
Tie floor was bare, and there were only
few chairs, a table, and 4 low bed in
the room. By his side stood an old
woman, whom the dying man had occa-
sionally furnished with an armful Of
wood or a loaf Of bread. She moistened
his cold lips with wafer. or held the tai
low candle close to his dim eyes, 50 that
he might see once more The light Of this
world. lie had not dollar upon earth;
his fortune had taken wings and flown
away; his wife and his children mad gone
before him, his friends had deserted OF
lost sight OF him, and now rome rom a1ed
to watch with the old man till death call
ed him, but the gralrfil old woman
whom he had saved from Starvation.
Bat The angel with the bIok s,o1I there,
too. and looked over that oil mans life
he saw many good, aud eca!ie anil gen
eroas de'ts Frightened every yea; how
he had been Kin 10 ihr suffering, anI
forgiven such wrongs lis make men
friends, and strive through all the trials
and temptations Of hi, lJHg sal If, to
be true to God aud himself. s. the angel
wrote under The last chapter of this old
mans life, every letter shone like some
rare setting of Jimonds, ''Hs died rich"
And the old man knew il, too, when he
stood at the silver gales Of The Eternal
city, and they led him in, and showed
MIN the inheritance 10 which he was
heir"
There was the house moi made with
hands, with its columns of pearl, ami its
ceilings of jasper, with its pleasant rooms,
and lis lofty halls. and its mighty organs
from which peal forever the notes Of
praise 10 our Godl
There, o, was tic pleasant Ian Escape,
with lis green avenues, and lis golden
Payillions, lis trees waving in the joy OF
eternal waters. He was heir to all these
things, and he took their title deeds from
the hands of Gods angles, and saying
piiyingly on earth, "He died poor"
All, reader! how unlike are tee things
here, and the things there. All the
wealth in the world cannot buy one acre
of the soil con The other side ofth river"
nor one title deed 10 IFS pleasant homes,
or its fountains Of sweet waters; but only |
live 50 that when you sail out on the
great sea of death you shall bear with |
you 10 The golden parts those blessed
words of the angels, "He diel rich, " and
you shall be satisfied with your inheri-
tance in the "kingdom of Heaven. >
ATthhr's MggaziRe