St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1861-10-10
A Land behind the Mountains

limbs were racked with pain no norc.-
The flush was fading from his thin cheeks
and the fever that mad been for weeks dry.
ing up his blood, was now cooling rapidly
under the touch Of the icy hand that was
upon him. '. -.a-- :#>e ~
There were sounds and tokens of bitter
but suppressed grief in that dim chamber,
for the dying boy was one very dear to
many hearts. They knew he was depart
ing, and the thought was hard to bear !;
but they tried to command their feelings
that they might not disturb the last mo-
ments Of their darling. ,.>,.....
The father and mother, and the kind
physician stood beside dear Eddy's bed.
and watched his heavy breathing. He
had been silent for some time and appear
ed to sleep. They thought it might be
thus that he would pass away; but sud-
denly his blue eyes opened wide and clear,
and beautiful smile brokc ever his fea-
lures. He looked upward and forward
first, then turning his eyes upon bis moth
er's face, said in a sweet voice: - CO.. .
1f'Mother, what is the name If the beau
tlful country that I see beyond the noun
tains-the high rountainsl"
q eau sea nothing my chi!d," said tue
mother; ''theIe are no mountains in the
sight Of our house." ~ -. .r..
look there, dear mother" said tho
child, pointing upward, ''yonder are the
mountains. Can you zee them row ?" be
asked in tones Of the greatest astonish.
ment, as his mother shoo!s her head
"Thcy. arc iear me now--so large and
high, and tehind them tho country looks
so beautiful aud the p,ople are 80 .,,pp7
There arc no sick caila7en there: Pn.
pa, can you not sec behind the mountains!
Tell me the name Of that land"
The parents glanced Ct each othef, and
With united voices replied: " . -. u
"Tte land you SEE is heaven, is it not,
my child ?" h..s'M ..... -,
Yes; it is heaven. / thought tl..,
must be the name. Ca let me eo-bu,
how shall / GROSS thoss ,aountains f..
thcr, will you not cal.y me tie me in
your arms and carry me, for they call 1ne
from the other side aud l m,,4; co." D..
Thef, was not dry eye in that cham.
Der, anu upon every heart there fell sol.
emn awe, :z if the curtain which conceal
ed its mysteries was about to be with
drawn. .ss-.l' "..
"Oh, mother-oh, father! do not cry
but colse with me and cross the noun
tains-oh, come" - and thus he entreated
with a strength aud earnestncss that as
tonished all. ..... ...............
The chamber wcs filled with wonder
ing, aCe-str;cken friends. At length he
! turned to his mother, with a taoe beamina
with rapturous delight, and st.etct1ng o,:
a;i Little arms for the :sst embrace, ht
c.iel: ......... 49,.
I Goodbye, mother, I am going; hu,
dcn's .yoc he afraid-tso strong nan q.
eet2e 70 carry III, over the ,norntsins."
!. These were his parting wc-ds. Upon
ais :.other's Src:33; :, broathed lis last
au1 they laid tke I'll, Gair body .,owr
gain upon the pillow, ana closed tho i'd.
over th, beautiful blue e;c., 0. r xhicl,
tn. mist Of i.ath a. :, :thcred ,:.-saa,yiiy
end bo.;:ag ~ X, sosisi,. shey proyed
xito submissive, hrtt ls::.sding ..:-art-, .ud
aid, "l'I,s Lord gavs> and The Lord t.
S,th away; blessed be tia name Of the
Lo.i."-Nc., Tyvcnant.