St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1861-02-21

and death; but this is no reason why good
music and the sight Of graceful motion
should not tranquilise our mental faculties,
improve health, and SO give strength for
the duty of lving. The business Of dy-
ing will be time enough when it comes
and if We are al careful to do the Lords
work, i. 9. our duty, until we come to the
brink Of the River, no fear but He will SEQ
US 'afely over. We have never met an
instance of person whom we could think
dancing had unified for dying: have no.
thing in our experience to show that it
takes us further away from the contempla-
ton of sacred things than docs singing or
sailing. running or laughing.
Once when two hours ride from home.
We had summons to go to Doighbor's
house, at which we had never visited
Their eldest son, a young man Of %, he'd
died suddenly; and with the messenger
came note requesting that we should Or
der or get whatever was suitable for the
funeral ceremonies. Although not unac-
customed to render such services to init
mate friends, or to those who had no
friends, this surprised US, as the family
were of ample means and large connections.
The surprise was not lessened on hearing
it was by special request of the deceased.
We could not remember ever having
spoken with him, save once, more than
year previous, few casual words, at
dancing party. Soon after this he had
told his mother that if he should die sud-
denly, so that he could not talk with her
at last, he wanted her to send for Us i'm
mediately, as no one else would sympath.ze
with her so deeply, or could comfort her
SO we'll. Again and again ho had recalled
this request to her mind, adding that she
should leave every arrangement to U.S.
His request had been so minute and 10
earnest that his family felt we had only
entered into the spirit of 1t when our hand
was the last to clasp his, us it lay cold
and still upon his breast, and our lips
placed the latest kiss upon the brow no
soon to be dust. A; we stood by his cot.
fin for that last look, and tried to recall
him on the only evening we had ever met
him, its light and music, and innocent
mirth did not appear at all incougruous
with the light, which the hope of a blessed
immortality had left upon his face; and
the music and glad motion which then
employed his freed spirit. And surely,
the scenes of that evening could not have
been to him the antipodes Of all solcmnity,
or he could not have thought Of US as his
mothers comforter and that one of all
others whom he wished to look upon and
touch his inanimate clay. Years before,
his physicians had informed him that he
had heart disease, and night die at any
moment; and he spent his life in silent
meditation, and reading books of devotion.
He dare not risk so much exercise as dane:
ing; and if the practice appeared sinful
and frivolous to all devotional minds, he
could not have thought of US as he did.
We look back now, is the still face as We
last saw it, to the quiet grave under the
tall oaks, and to the evening when his seri-
Gus, sorrowful thought connected the NOV
ing figure in quadrille, with the human
comforter he wished stozsustain him as he
put off this mortal for Immortality, and to
lessen the crushing blow to his bereaved
mother; and in it all we trace one link in
our memory, connecting the amusement Of
dancing and the necessity of dying as two
parts of one great whole-a harmonious
human existence.
About this "Holy Spirit" whose way
We are supposed to bar, we shall have
something to say next week, for We have
no objection to render reason for any
thing We do.
COLLEGE FOR WOMEN Matthew Vas
sar, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y, has donated