Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1858-09-24
: - n
..fTK ngEn REcH J,

People seId this everywhere when the
morning papers announced the death of
ssJ0hn Russcl, President Of the
Bank = They said IL on Wall street where
they eount wealth. by hundreds of thousands,
and shsy sid il In elegant psrlors, and by
luxurioua breakfast fsbles, ali over she
squsres and avenues Of the great city: they
said Il. foe. in the dark alleys, and in equalid
honnes where sil his thousands could not buy
back ID the miiiionaire one hour of the life
thas was 70 them burden and misery
Everywhere was the same story, "He died
rich ssss- -
His family and his friends thought 50, az
tliey esxhsred around the bedside of the dy-
inc nan; and yeu, reader, wonld have tho'f
Il toe. If you could have looked around that
chamber, into which death was entering with
hisdanb fooffsils and gsstly presence. Oh.
ilwas princely room. Rare pictures fIush-
ed ihe wallis thai winter day. with the glory.
OF Arcsdian summsrs; the fairest blossoms
of Southern Mays were piled thick upon the
costly carpet; and the daintiiy embroidered
drapery fell in soft, erinkled clouds from the
massive beadstead. And the owner Of all
this magnificence lay there dying; and
through all his life Of more than three score
years, he had toiled and Struggled for this
Ito die rich! He had bought lands and
sold fhem; he had sent richly freighfed ships
TO foreign ports; he had owned shares in
railroads, and stock banks, and now
sAh. there was an angel who stood at the
bedside OF John Russell IN that dying hour.
and the man had nothing out Of all his life
70 give him; no generous, noble, self-sacrifc-
inr deed. which would have been pearls, ane
roId, and ell pres ious jewels In the hand of
the angel; SO be wrote down at the close Of
the chapter Of John Russel,s life. g He died
.sHTIes died poors A very few persons
said this If All Old man who lay in a back
chamber Of ssnah 1ilafdated building,
whose solitary window looked out on the
back garden Of John Russel's residence
The floor was bare, and there were only few
chairs table, and . low bed was 10 the room.
BY his side stood an old woman. whom the
dying man had occasionally furnished with
an armful Of wood or loaf Of bread. She
moisfefed his cold lips with water, or held
the fallow candle close TO his eyes, go thar
hemight nee ence more the lsght Of this
world He had not dollar upon earth;
his ftgtune had taken wings and flowh away
his wife and his children had gone befute
him, isis friends had deserted or lost sight OF
him, and now none remained TO watch with
the old man till death called him, but the
gra,efulold woman whom he had saved from
starsaticH.
But the angel with the book stood there,
too. and booking over that old mans life he
saw many good. and gentle, aud generous
deeds frightened every yesri how he had
been kind 10 the suffering, and forgiven such
wrongs M mike men friends, and st.isen
through MI the trials and temptations of his
long. sad life. 20 be true to God and himself.
80 the angel wrote under the last chapter of
this old mans life, every letter shone like
some rare setting Of diamonds, .He died
yich-'
And the Old man knew II, too. when he
stood at the silver gates of the eternal city,
and they led him in and showed him the 'in-
heritsnce to which he was heir"
There was house, not made with hands.
with its columns of pearl, and It's ceilings OF
jasper, with its pleasant rooms and lofty halls,
and IFS mighty organs from which peal for
eyer ihe notes OF praise to our God
There toos was the pleasant landscape,
with It's green aveaues. undirs golden pavil-
lions. its trees waving in joy of eternal wa
ters. He was heir to all these things. and
lie took their title deeds from the hands of
Gods angels, and ssying pliyingly oaearth,
"Hs died poor.
All. reader. how unlike are the things
here. and the Things there. All the wealth
in the world cannot buy one acre of the soil
''ou the other side OF ghesEver." nor one III
tie deed TO It's pleasant homes. or it's foun.
tains ot sweet waters; but only live SO that
when you sail out on the great sea of death
you shall bear with you 70 the golden ports
those blessed words of the angels, sshe died
rich. and you shall be satisfied with your in
heri,ance 10 the .skingdem Of Heaven.
Artdur's Magazine.