The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-12-19

4
srrie she remembered so wildly. The af
fectionate expression Of his eyes, even upon
his sick-bed, was never, never to be forgot.
ten. How speaking had not his glance
been when she had bent over him, and ia.
ken the little hand he was himself too weak
to raise. AS she had set by his couch, SO
now she sat by his grave; but here her tears
might flow freely over the sod that covered
him.
"Wouldst thou descend to thy child p
said voice close by.
1t sounded so clear, so deep, its tones
went to her heart She looked up, and near
her stood man wrapped in large mourning
cloak, with hood drawn over the head ;
but she could see the countenance under this
1t was severe, and yet encouraging; his eyes
were bright as those ofyouth.
descend to my childr' she repeated /;
and there was the agony Of despair in her
voice.
"Darest thou follow mc?" asked the fig
ure. II am Death y
She bowed her assent. Then it seemed
all at once as if every star in the heavens
above shone with the light Of the moon. She
saw the many colored flowers On the surface
Of the grave move like futtering garments.
She sank. and the figure threw his dark
cloak round her. 1t became night-the
night Of death. She sank deeper than the
spade could reach. The churchyard lay
like roof above her head
The cloak that had enveloped her glided
to one side. She stood in an
immense hall, whose extremities were lost in
the distance. twas dusk around her; but
before her stood, and in one moment was
clasped to her heart, her child, who smiled
on her in beauty far surprising what he
had possessed before. She uttered cry,
though it was scarcely audible, for, close
by, and then far away, and afterward near
again, came delightful music. Never before
had such glorious. such blessed sounds
reached her ears. They rang from the 9th
cr side Of the thick curtain black as night
that separated the hall from the boundless
space of eternity.
my sweet mother! my own mother y
she heard her child exclaim. 1t was his well
known, most beloved voice; and kiss follow
ed kiss in rapturous joy. At length the
child pointed to the sable curtain
"There is nothing so charming up yonder
on earth, mother. Look, mother! look at
them all That is felicity ~
The mother saw nothing nothing in the
direction to which the child pointed, except
darkness like that of night. She saw with
earthly eyes. She did not see as did the
child whom God had called to himself She
heard, indeed, sounds-music; but she did
not understand the words that were convey
ed in these exquisite tones.
81 can fy, now, mother" said the child.
81 can fly with other happy children, away.
'even into the presence of God. I wish So
much to 90; but if you cry on as you arc
crying now, cannot leave you, and should
be SO glad to GO May not? You viii
come back soon, will you not, dear moth
er?"
"Oh, stay III, stayP' she cried, "oniy
one moment more. Let me gaze on you one
moment longer; let me kiss you, and hold
you moment longer in my arms"
And she kissed him, and held him fast
Then her name was called from above
the tones were these Of piercing grief. What
could they beg"
:Hark said the child; ''it is my father
calling on YOU
And again, in a few seconds, deep sobs
were heard, as of children weeping
"Thcse arc my sisters voices" said the
child. Mother, you have surely not for.
gotten them? ?"
Then she remembered those who were left
behind. A deep feeling of anxiety pervaded
her mind; she gazed intently before l,er,
and spectres seemed to hover around her;
she fancied that she knew some of them;
they foated through the Hall Of Death, on
toward the dark curtain. and there they van
shed. Would her husband, her daughters,
appear there? No, their lamentations were
still to be heard from above. She had near
ly forgotten them for the dead.
"Mother, the bells of heaven are ringing"
said the chlld. "Now the sun is about to
rise"
And an overwhelming binding light
streamed around her. The child was gone,
and she felt herSelflilted up. She raised her
head and saw that she was lying in the
church yard, upon the grave Of her child.
But in her dream God had become prop
for her feet and light for her mind. She
threw herself on ner knees and prayed:
Forgive me, 0 Lord, my God, that
wished to detain an everlasting soul from its
flight into eternity, and that forgot my du-
ties to the living Thou hast graciously spared
me >
And as she uttered this prayer itappeared
as il her lea:t felt lightened of the burden
that crushed it. Then the sun broke forth
in all its splendor, and little birds sang over
head, and all the church bells around began
to ring the matin chimes. All seemed holy
around her; her heart seemed tohave drunk
in faith and holiness; she acknowledged the
might and the mercy Of God; she remsm-
bercd her duties and felt longing to regain