The Carrollton sun. (City of Carrollton, Parish of Jefferson, La.) 185?-1???, 1860-08-25

The Child in aRe Grave.
Y HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN.

There was sorrow in the house
there was sorrow in the heart for the
youngest child, little boyeof four
years of age, the only son, his parents,
present Joy and future hope, was dead.
Two daughters they had, indeed, older
than their boy--the eldest was almost
old enough to be confirmett-
sweet girls they both weres but the sBsf
child is always the dearest, and stss was
the youngest, and son. 1t was aheavy'
trial. The sisters sorrowed as young
hearts sorrow, and were much afiiIcted
by their parents grief; the father was
weighed down by the affliction, but the
mother was quite overwhelmed by the
terrible blow. BY night and by day
had she devoted herselfto her sick child,
watched him. lifted him up, carried him
about, done everything for him herself.
She had felt as if he were part of her.
self. She could not bring herself to
believe that he was dead-that he should
be laid in Il coffin and concealed in the
grave. God would not take the child
from her, O no And when he was
taken, and she could no longer rotuse.
to believe the truth, she exclaimed, In
her wild grief: ''God has not ordained
this He has hcartless agents here on
earth. They do what they iist-they
hearIlcn not to q mothers prayers - 4
She dared, in her woe, to arraign the
Most High and then came dark
THOUGHTS, the thoughts of death~-ev er-
lastinr dcath-that human beings re-
turned as earth to earth, and then al
was over. Amidst thoughts morbid and
nnpious as these, there could be nothing
to console her, and she sank into the
darkest depth of despair
In these hours of deepest distress she
could not weep. She thought not of
the young daughters who We're left to
her her husbands tears fell on her
brow, but she did not look up at him
her thoughts were with her dead child; ;
her whole heart anassOul were wrapped
up in recalling every reminiscence OF
the lost one, every syllable Of his infan-
tile prattle.
The day of the funeral came. She
had not slept the night before, but, to
wards morning, she was overcome by
fatigue, and sank for short time into
repose. During that time the coffin
was removed into another apartment
and the cover was screwed down with
rs little noisc as possible.
When she awol<e she arose and
wished to sec her child. Then her hus-
band, with tears in his eyes, told her,
e,NVc have closed the coffin it had to
bc done - ~.
"Whcn tho Almighty is SO hard on
me-" she exclaimed, 'swhy should hu-
man beings be kinder 70 and she burst
sSnto tears
The coffin was carried to tho grave.
The inconsolable mother sat with her
Young daughters. She looked 1t them,
but she did not see them; her thoughts
had nothing more to do with home she
rave herself up 70 wretchedness, and
it tossed her about as the sea tossos
the ship which has lost its helmsWali
and its ,udder. Thus passed the day
of the funeral, and several days fI-
lowed amidst the same uniform, heavy
grief. With fearful eyes and meiol-
. cholv looks her afflicted family ga2cd
at her. She did not care for what com
forted them. What could they say to
change the current of her anOurnful
thoughts
1t seemed as if sleep had fled from
her forever; if alone would be her best
friend, strengthen her frame and recall
peace to her mind. Her family pGr-
suaded her to keep her bed, aEsl5 hs
Law there as still as if buried in sleep.
One night her husband had listened to
her breathing, and believing from it that
she had at length found reposo and re-
lief, he clasped his hands, prayeH fHr
her and for them all, then sank iTSo
peaceful sIumber. While sleeping
soundly he did not perceive that she
YosC dressed herself and softly left the