The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1861-02-14
3 8aUtjfol Storg.
THE CHILD IN THE GRAVE.
BY HANS C. ANDERSEN.

There was sorrow in the hOuso-thcre
was sorrow in the heart; for the young
est child, a little child of 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 cOnfrmed-amiable, sweet
girls they both were; but the lost child
is always the dearest, and he was the
youngest, and boy. 1t was a heavy
trial. The sisters sorrowed as young
hearts sorrow, and were much affected
by their parents grief; the father was
weighed down by the ufliction, but the
mother was quite overwhelmed by the
terrible blow. BY night and by day had
she devoted herself to the sick child,
watched him, lifted him up, carried him
about, done everything for him herself.
She could not bring herself to believe
that he was dcad-that he should be
lain in the coffin and concealed in the
ground. God would not take the child
from her, oh mol And when He had ta.-
ken, and she could no longer refuse to
believe the truth, she exclaimed in her
wild grief: God has not ordained this
lie has hcartlcss agents here on earth!
DO what they list, they hoarkon not to a
mothers prayers"
She dared i'm her woe to arraign the
Most High, and then came dark thoughts
of dcatn-everlasting death-that hui
man beings returned as earth to earth,
and then all was over. Amid thoughts
morbid and impious as these there
could be nothing to console her, and
she sank into the darkest depth Of de-
spair.
In these hours Of deepest distress she
could not weep. She thought not Of the
young daughters who were left to her;
her husbands tears fell upon her brow,
but she did not look up at him-her
thoughts were with her dead child, her
whole heart and soul were wrapt up in
recalling every rcminiscence Of the lost
one, every syllable Of his infantilo pratt
tie.
The day of tho 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 tho coffin was
removed into another apartment, and
the cover was screwed down with as lit
tie noise as possible.
When she awoko she arose and wish
ed to see her child Then her husband,
with tears in his eyes, told her, ave
have closed the coffin; it had to be
done !"
"Wheu the Almighty is so hard to
me, she exclaimed, "why should hu-
man beings be KINDER" and she burst
into tears.
The coffin was carried to the grave.
The inconsoIablc mother sat with her
young daughters. She looked at them,
but she did not soc them; her thoughts
had nothing more to do with home; she
gave herself up to a wretchedness, and
it tossed her about as the sea tosses the
ship which has lost its hemsman and its
ruddor Thus passed the day Of the
funeral and several days followed amidst
the same uniform heavy grief With
fearful eyes and melancholy looks her
afflicted family gazed at her. She did
not care for what comforted them.-
What could they say to change the cur
rent Of her mournful thoughts?
It seemed as if sleep had fed from
her forever; it alone would be her best
friend and strengthen her frame and re
call peace to her mind Her family per-
suadod her to keep her bed, and she lay
there as if lullcd in sleep. One night
her husband had listened to her breath
ing, ani believing from it that she had
found ropose and relief, he casped his
hands, prayed for her and for them all,
then sank into a peaceful slumber.-
While sleeping soundly he did not per
ooive that she rose, dressed herself and
softly left tho room and the house, to
go-whithor her thoughts wandered by
day aud by njght-to the grave that hid
her child. She passed quietly through
the garden, out to tho fields beyond
which tho road led outside of the town
to the ohurchyard, No one saw her,
land she saw no ono.