Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-06-14
The Child in the Grave.
By uANs cHnlsrIAN ANDERSON.

md he was the youngest, and q son. 1t was a
eavy trial, The sisters screwed as young
hearts sorrow, and were much afflicted with their
parent grief; the father WAS weighed down by
he afh otou, but the mother was quite over
whelIned by The terrible blow. BY night and /,
day had she devoted herself to her scli oh ID
vat he'd hun, lifted him up, carried him abOul
lone every thing for him herself She could mo-
bring herself to belive that be was dead, that be
could b, LAID In the fin. and concealed in thr
rave. Gnd would not take the child from her,
Quot And when he wns taken, and she coud
no longer refuse TO believe the truth, she OK
'laimtd in her wild grief; "9od has not OF
In ned this He has heartlrsr angels here o.
earth They do what they list-they heurken
not to . moth ra pray ars /"
She dared in her woe, TO arraign the Mo
Il Oh and then came back th' ugbis the thoughts
of death--everlasting dea, h that human be'ug.
eturned as earth to earth, ant then all WAS over,
Amid thoughts morbid aud impious as these,
there could be nothing to console her and sh'
-ark into the darkest depth of despair
In these hours of deepest distress she could
not weep. She thought not Of the young daugh-
tiers who were left to her her husbands tenr.
fill on her brow but she did not look IN at hin,
her thoughts were with her dead child her
whole heart aud soul wrapped up in recalling
every minisoenoe Of the lost ONE, every syllable
Of hio intantile prat 10. . --..
The day Of funeral came. She had not slep
| the night betre, but toward morning she WA
overcome by fatigue, and sank for a short time
iuto repose During that time the coffin
| removed into another apartment, and the cove
was screwed down with Oh lltte noise az poss-
ble
When she awoke, ehe arose, al wished 10 zee
h,r child Then her husband, vi h tears in b.
Eyes, told her, 1--WE closed the coffin it bad I
be done.'
'wh tho Almighty ia so hard on n.y., -h'
exclaimed. why shou'd human beings be kin'
| er I" hni .he burst into tealsi
The cofin was carried to the grave, Tue ill.,
cousolabie mother sat with her young au. hlcrs
She looked at them, but she did not thula
her thoughts had nothing more tn do win I'm
she gave herselfup to wretchedn g, and itlo ii
her about as the SEA tosses the snip sli;A h
lost its rudder Thus passed the d4y ni til,
funeral aud several days followed the niue
uniform, heavy grief. With t'a'fu eyes AM
melancholy looks her afflicted fam " ga2ei al
b She did not care for what comlortei them.
4 What could they say to change the current Of
her melancholy ,houghtse
Ii seemed as if sleep had Il d from her for
ever; it alone would be her best friend, strength
en- her frame and rfcallei ponce to her mind -
Her family persuaded her to keep her bed, and
she lay there as IL buried in sleep. One night
| er husband had listened to her breathing, and
believing from il she has at length found Fepose
aud relief, be clasped bis hands, prayed tor her
and for them all, then sank into peaceful sluin-
Der While sleeping soundy he did not per
reiv that she rose, dressed herself, and softly
fl the room and housr-,o go-wheIe her
thou hts wandered by day aud by nght-'o the
grave of ner child. She passsd quietly through
the ga, dem out TO the fields, beyond which the
road led outside Of the lows to the church-J ard.
M one saw her. and she Saw no one
1t was fine night; the stars were shining
b lightly, and the air was mild, although il wa
| ii III nf
yard. aud went 10 the little grave-it looked liEt
ono great bouquet of sHeet-scented flowers -
She thew herself down, and bowed her head
over the grave, az if she could through the solid
earth behold her little boy, whose smile ehe re-
membpred so wildly. The Rifeotionate express
4iou OF his eyes, even upon his sck.bed, was
never, never TO DO forgotten. How speaking
had not his glance been when she bad bent over
him ami taken the little hand he was too weak
to raise AS sue had sat BY his couch now
she snt by bis grave, but here her tears might
fow freely over the sod that covered him
'Wouidst thou descend to thy child?" said u
voice O. Sc by.
It sounded 80 cl,ar, go deep its tones weut t,
her heart. She looked up, aud near her stood
mar wrapped in large mourning chnk witt
hood drawn over the head but he could 81.
the counteuance under this l. WIS SEVERE yt
, encouraging; his eyes were bright as those O.
youth.
|, there was the agony of despair 10 her voice
"Darest thou How mp asked the figure
II Am DEATH"
she bowed her assent Then il seemed all a
. once rs il every star IN tho heavens above shon'
with he light If the moon She saw he msn,
!, colored flowers thu surface Of the grave NOV
like flu leIug garment. She sank, and III
4 figure threw his dark coax around her. 1t be
came night---the night Of death. She SAM
deeper than the spade could reach. The church
I va d lay like root ab1ve her head
y The cloak that Pnveoped her gliied to on
= s de. She too IN an Immense hall, whose ex
y remitie4 were lost in tie distance. 1t was DIR
:, around htr, but before her rtod. aud in on
= moment was olasped To her heart, b r Guild, VIII
=. m,led TN her iu brauty far surprising VIII 4 b
= Ind DOS. essed before. She uttt red cry, thong
AZ it WAS scarcely audible for olUse by, and the
q FIR away, aud afterwards near again. came d.
w light al music. Never before had such gloriou
such blessed soui DIS. reached her ears. The
- rarg from he other side of the thick Gu tain
~ black as night-that separated the hall from II
ia bound ess space of eternity.
~ My sweet mother my own mother % "A
. heard her child exolaim II Was his we'll know
70 most beloved voice; aud kissed followed Hi $
. rapturous joy. At length the child psiut,d
- the sable curtain
~, "There is nothing SO charming up yonder
earth, mother. Look, mother. at them al +
-, That is felicity ~
L. Tbs mother saw nothing-nothing in tho
rection to which he child pointed, except dur
No noes like thai Of night She saw with car
LIZ eyes. She did not see as did the child who
T.. Gid had called TO Himself. She heard, indee
i ne 4ounds-musc, but she did not understand !
IN words that were conveyed in these exqu'al
4. tones.
w 81 can fly now, mother" said the child,
-. can fly with other happy children away, ev
A'F into the presence of God l wish so much
=. 70 /; but il you cry on Us you are crying now,
e., cannot leave you, and yet should be SO glad
'nn co. May mott You will come back soon, v
-, you mot, dear motherf"
ey,, on, stay OBJ, stay!" she cried, "only Q
moment more. Let me gaze on you one MONT
longer in my arms ~
aud she kissed him, and held him fast It
her name was called from above--the tones w
Of . ercing grief What could they be
oh- aHark r. said the child. sit is my fau
's,s calling you"
' lses And again, in few seconds, deep aobs W
tSs heard, "a Of children weeping
nd 'These are my sisters voioes," said
ia" child.
80 Then she remembered those who were LETT
~ hint. A deep feeling Of anxiety peryaded
NV mind; gazed intenty before herr and spect
, 10 seemed to hover around her; she fancet
= q she knew somp Of them; they naated through
!, g Hall Of Death on toward the dark curtain,
\ pa there they vanished Would her husband,
~ daughter, appear thereG No. their lamer
Al. tons were still to be heard above. She
Wy nearly forgot en- them for the dead
AhAS nAIother the bells OF Heaven are ringiI
said the child snow the sun is shout rise
1.ne And az overwhelming bnnuiI 6 hgnt sire
ny, ~. ed around her. The child was guue and
~, ma felt herself lifted up. She raised be lie ID.
from saw ' i,a -ne ~ eh,,d Rni il, her d.
lad had q NM