Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-07-15
WHOLE NO IO3s

sun had not quite risen when we started.
How balmy and pure the air was that soft
September morning. We thought, egotists
as we are, in our happiness, that nature
sympathized with US. 1t seemed as if there
had never been so fair : sunrising before,
and as if half the glory Of the morning
would have been wasted, had not Lizzie
been coming home. @
The cars had not arrived when we stop
ped at the sta ton, but we heard the whistle
of the locomotive, not very distant; and
those few sweet, waiting moments-what
world of blessed anticipations they held
The sun was rising-an, Lizzie! Lizzie!
At last the train came hp-stopped We
looked in the windows only a row Of sad
faces! Lizzie must lave sat on the other
side. A few passeHgess came out, solemn
faced and silent. vs. pressed fofward--
SO did those who were going out Of tie
train. The conductor appeared and waved
everybody back, then motioned to some
one in the car. Then two men came ont
and slowly descended the steps, bearing
lifeless body-a woman-her features were
covered by veil. They bore it into the
saloon and laid it reveren,ly upon the sofa.
Still the conductor waved the crowd back
except our party. He knew US, and he
turned his head away as we approached.
Then we knew how it was, all except
the father; he could not believe il, Firm
ly haised the veil from the dead face
Oh, God! All merciful. Is it thus we
meet thee, Lizzie, darling, our beloved, the
idol of our heartI
In a'brief time we learned the story
learned how the angel of the Lord had
"met Lizzie" before US. in he still twilight
of that autumn morning, and after one
pang, terrible we know, but brief, had
waited her gentle spirit to those who watt
ed for her in the home above among the
angels!
AT the last stopping place, Lizzie had
left the cars to procure some food. for a
little child, who had fretted all night in the
arms of wearied neither. The train stop
ped but a moment; it was dusk, and none
of the officials he'd seen her leave it. She
returned hastily to find it moving, made
misstep, fell forward-and the rest-is a
common tale, such as the newspapers chroh.
icle every week. The beautiful head with
its sunny curls was--what we saw at the
station house!
We shed no tears at first, though il
seemed as if drop could save our hearts
from bursting-it would not come Not
even when one who, we afterwards learn
ed. was on his way TO wedding party, and
who, JOurneying with Lizzie but a few
hoars, had yet learned to know her good as
beautiful, came up and laid, in fearful s-
lence, a boquet Of pure white rosebuds
upon her bosom. We buried them with
her--the strangers kindly offering of SYM
pathy and respecs. =. =. 60.
Blessed be God for tears. They came
at last; came when we say the mother
That scene is too sacred for detail. Blu:
the old grandiarher's mind wandered when
be heard the tidings, and all day he sat in
his arm chair on the porch, listening to the
whistle of the train, as his dull ear distin-
guished it, 81 reckon Lizze's aboard that.
Has sny body gone to meet the gal?" When
told again, he would seem TO comprehend
III q iC ulVulcHto, UUCe ne CdlIeu the
creeping baby 70 him and patting its white
shoulders, said:
"Grandsir's old, and Lame, and blind; he
could not go to the station, but grandsir's
,oing to see Lizzie first, after all. Yes,
'es--grandsir's rot so far from his little
yal as the rest OF them, but we're all fol-
owing fast.'
Blessed lost one. How prone we are to
orget this. How hard for our faith to "put
'ack the dead love from our arms" and
ooking upward, upward to the glory that
ncompasseth thee forever. We mourn
hee always, Lizzie, our idola,rous hearts
ield but slowly to thy fathers chastening;
ct in it we feel the earnest OF joy to come;
re know the clinging earth garments can
OF hold us back from thee forever, We
now that We shall yet ''meet thee at six"
the glorious sunrise of the resurrection
lorning Ohio Farmer.