Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1858-03-27
A Letter from a Dying wife TO her Hus-
band.

A solemn and touching fragment OF
letter written by vile 10 her husband,
was found several months after her death,
between The leaves Of religious volume,
which she was fond OF perusing The
letter was written before her husband was
aware that The clasp of fatal disease had
fastened upon the lovely form Of his wife,
who died at, the early age OF nineteen:
When tins shall reach your eye, dear
George, some day when you are turning
over the relics of the past, shall have
passed away forever, and the cold white
stone will be keeping lis lonely watch.
over the lips YOU have so often pressed,
and the sod will be growing green that
shaI! hide forever from your sight the dust
of one who has often nestled close 10 your
warm heart. For many long and sleep.
less nights, when all besides my thoughts
were at rest, have wrestIed with the con-
sciousness of approaching death, until at
last il has formed itself upon my mind ;
and although to you, 10 others il might
now seem but the nervous Imagining OF a
girl, vet, dear George, it is so! Many
weary hours have passed in the endeav-
or to reconcile myself 10 leave you, whom
| love So well. and this bright world Of
sunshine aud beauty; and hsro indeed il is
to sIuggIc on silently and alone with the
sure conviction lhal am about 10 leave all
forever and 90 down into the dark valley !
But know IN whom haye believed"
and leaning on his arm. "I fear no evil"
Do not blame m for Keeping ever ak this
from y0u. How could | sui feet you, Of
all others, TO such sorrow as feel al part
ing, when time will soon make il appa-
rent TO you! could have wished 10 live
if only 10 he at your side when your time
shall come, and pillowing your head upon
my breast, wipe the death damps from
your brow, and usher your departing
spirit into the Makers presence, embalm-
ed in woman holresi prayer. Blu, j. is
not to be-and | submit. Yours is the
privilege Of watching. through long and
dreary nights, for lhe spirits final fight,
and of transferring my sinking head from
your breast 10 my Saviour's bosom And
you shall share my last thought, and the
last faint pressure OF the hand, and The last
feeble kiss 81 all be yours, and even when
flesh and heart shall have failed me, nv
eyes shall rest on yours Gniil glazed by
DEATH and our spirits shall hole one last
communion until gently fading from my
view-the last of earlh--you shall mingle
with the first bright glimpses Of The una-
ding glUTies Of The better world, where
parInCs are unknown. Well do know
The spot, my dear George, where you will
lay me; Often we stood by the place, and
as we watched The mellow sunsc, as it
glanced in quivering flashes through the
leaves and FURNISHED The grassy mounds
around US with The stripes of Furnished
gold, each perhaps has thought that some
day one Of us wonld come alone, and
which ever ii might be, your name would
be OF the stone. But we loved the spot,
and know you will love il none the less
when you see the same quiet sunlight
Ilngcr and play among the gross that
grows over your Mary's grave. know
you will 90 there. and my spirit will be
with you then, and whisper among the
waving branches-''l am no, lost, but
gone before"