Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1858-10-23
[Frcm the New York Murcury.
A WALK AMID GRAVES.
By JESSIE LEE.

By JESSIE LEE.
have been cleaning in the mystic
world Of Dreamland-have given the
swill.winged Thought free liberty To
roam wherever fancy Iisielh. And what
feast hath she spread before me ban
quel al which the soul delights. Far up
on her magic wing hath she borne my
captive spin, onward. far beyond earlh's 5
cares, and like the soft singing Of aerial
harmony {:
"Loved sounds once more are on the air,
Voices for ever me;
! Heaven is all bright and earth all fair,
Oh heart dream on ! dream on -
Again the magic wand is touched, and
mechanically follow whittier the rosy
tip'd finger of my sylvan guide directs.
There is low, gushing sound, as CT ma
ny walers, meets the ear, as we turn our
Steps toward the silent city of the dead,
while the ariaI melody grows mournfully
soft, and the plan! air echoes tae sad
chant of buried love,
Slowly We wend our way amid The
grassy mounds where sleep the csre-worn
griefs Of age--the budding hopes Of youth.
Here lies tender flower plucked from
The paren, stem, 10 add another TO the
cherub lhrong who bless with their pure
love The Father Of mank ind,
Sweet babe! Not as Of old do thy little
out-strelched arms WOO the warm EN-
brace-,he loving kiss. The damp OF
death now rests upon the ruby lip, and
the " hile arms are folded on thy baby
breast, Like wounded bird, thy young
Ipinions wearied Of the strife OF life, and
calmly now thou sleepesl. Never again
Will thy infant brow wear the Grown Of
peuet childhood. The warm heart is
s,i'led and pulseless, and the blue eye
viii look no more upon the fragrant flow
erS, for thou, the larest blossom of them
all, ART faded. cold and dead
Slowly my bowed head was raised, and
on he marble tombstone PeaTIy tear
lay. eradIed in an opening rose. There
was movement Of The mystic wand, and
the dewy drop changed into form of
celestial light. Tie unseen choir swept
their harp strings with . burst o! triumph.
ami JOY; Ihe bright presence passed from
my view, and | turned 10 where will
lows mourn(ul ben. cas-, a deep shade up
on the last resting place of one who
"slep. the last sleep"
llefe, then, is the end OF all things !!
This grass-grown mound conceals The fur
,ouad brow ,T coOravaaronIts TON
yet who shall say, 'It was life well
spent % Ah ! none save the crumbling
form beneath this sod can answer that
dread interrogation; and he has passed the
dark porlsls-has stood before his Judge!
How deep the silence that dweIIs upon
this cOnsecrateG grouod The :lny song
s!erS wsrbe their sweet notes IN sub
dued aud melancholy tone, and the tall
grass waves and bends 10 Inc passing
breeze with hushed murmurIng wall,
thai bresihes a solemn requiem above
those silent ones who rest, unconscious
Of the nightly tears that guardian angels
drop upon their lonely graves.
But list What broke the stiffness Of
this sacred spot ! II was The oulburst Of
a mothers love for the child who had
been the light and guide TO cheer her
i-emhling step.
Let US approach and gaze with an un-
faller:ng eye on The dark home which we
one day mus, share. II is an open grave
that yawns before US, and waits TO en-.
close within It's narrow walls the widow S
hope and JOY. Poor stricken mourner
Thy enfeebled frame and shaking limbs
are all TOO weak for such scene as this,
vet, no murmer OF rebellion escapes the
auivering lip at The stern decree, but sub
missively she resigns her boy in all glo-
rious manhood, when buoyant hope reign
ed high within his breast, and sorrows
hand had traced no shadow on the open
brow. He has received the summons OF
recall from Him who gave, yet has The
mothers heart soothing balm, for be-