The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-10-13

OF the nrst-porn, and . pale cheek
turns languidly to the pillow, as the
crown Of motherhood descends upon a
girlish brow ! III ' Az
She has known happiness before,
this little prairie rose, ssroses viii, bios
coming upon the parent stem snn-fed,
dew-nourished, blushing, swaying to
the soft winds At their own sweet viii.
She had known the nurturing hand
and watchful eye of love before bat
this new love, this new joy maternity
which came Of it; this little breathing,
gasping life. which she must shade with
that feeble hand, lest the tiny taper
fame flicker, and flicker, and die out
this little warm, painting, nesting treas
ure-and all her own-their own; no
longer girl, though still child, but
clothed in the majesty of full perfect
womanhood-a mother; lifting her
brow to Heaven for double blessing
not /, but soe-" / and the child thou
hast graoiously given me-"
All, this story! old as time, yet
always new repeated in hall and how
el, in splendor and rags, mid curses
aud blessings Never the roof so
frescods over, that angels cannot peep
in; never the doorway SO humble that
"our Father" cannot enter to listen
plying, lovingly, to that feeble infant
CRY. And.yet what is language to pic
turs forth this hour of strength and
weakness, of bliss and pain Nosc
could she die-this young mother-for
every joy that her life-cup was full;
die, before one bitter drop had min.
gled in its sweetness; die, while life
was in the full tide of happiness, nor
see the barren shore as the waves re-
coded. 4i1 J15 - 3 90
So soonl is the unconscious prayer
so soon answered? The arms toss
wildly; the breath comes quick and
hurried !; the blue eyes dilate; God o.
mercy, so soon ? There is a head
bowed low upon clenched hands as the
husbands voice goes up, let this cup
pass from me, oh my Father" Nor
this-nor yet the cry of the newly
born. can enter that ear into which sc
lately loves heavenly music flowed
The little hands are blue and clenched
the broad white brow damp with the
death dew; the raven locks framing
face upon whose every feature re
morselesss death has placed his icy
seal.
Turn away, if you will, it must BE-
met. Before you at the beds foot. lie
side by side her slippers, SO joYously
laid aside but the evening before
thereis the work-basket, the last stitch
taken; upon the mautel, the brooch
(your gift,) which glittered upon hel
breast at the last evenings meal, a.
rosy and radiant she smiled beside
you; ah-look at her now! Through
the half-open door hang her dresses
you remember where she went with
youin that; and how pretty she looked
in the other. In mercy spare her; OF
take us too; she-who was so good
and pure and kind who walked will
angels here, whose earth robe was So
white and stainless.
One shivering sob, and the hand,
relax and the lids fall, and the pulse ii
still! Well may that feeble infant
wall toll out the dreary neighbours
Far on her heaven-bound journey
must that mother be, that she turn no
back to listen. Strong must be the
death-olasp that could hold her bacl
from the irst-born child of her love.
Now-when the birth day dawns-
shall tyrant custom close the shutters
and draw down the curtains of tina
desolate house, and double and trebl
the gloom? Shall it dress, and wash
and comb with sacrilegious touch tina
which needs no such useless ceremo
MES, to make love vail its tear-stainet
face, or turn shuddering away? Shall
it hush all outward sounds, and shrou,
all outward sights, and tie crap
round every joy which God has spared
till the hands outstretched for comfor
fall empty and palsied? Shall it opel
the door to the human raven, who flap
and croaks over the bereaved hear
and comes between it and Gods pity
beaming face?
Shall ton the funeral day-plac
the bereayed one on the rack of tn
stereotyped consolation when the dis
tracted soul through the quiverin,
flesh cries out for mercy? Shall j
doom him to sit and see strange faces
who never perhaps looked upon tn
living,-peer curiously into the dea