The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1862-01-10
Mllseellaneous.
"Died Last Night.

Coupled with tho bridals. printed in little
type, leading of tho advertisements, jostlcd
by a sorry jest, hard behind market, close
behind cotillOn, what place newspaper
is to put death in.
We are reading something about home,
and all at once we are in place of graves /:
We are looking over the testimonials to the
Elixir Of Life, and come, before we know it,
upon "Died last night"
II there were only some retired and shaded
corner in a newspaper, with willow or an
urn in it, where tho names that have no
owners could be recorded, and we could 20
when weary with rambling through the col
umns of hustle and business, and read; and
think how surely ,One after another all names
tend thither: those that stand at the head OF
the column editorial in capitals; those that
are pointed at with finger, and wondered
over with exclamation points, and asked af.
ter with interrOgations; thOse that were
brides the other day, and are brides still, but
with new bridegrooms those that were he
roes, and found place in tho "leader;" or
beautiful and woven in a wreath for "Poet's
Corner.
But there il no such retreat-nothing but
narrow black line like tins, -, to keep
the world out; to prevent the railway train,
whose times are advertised below, from run
ming over the name and oblitcrating it. And
so it is like grave in a thoroughiare, COW
cred with dust, and Jared with passing
wheels; it gives us pain to look at it, and
we are glad it is only for a day.
"Died last night" 1t was nobody that
you know, you think, and so you pass on to
"salc" ora bargain" that you see beyond,
aud forget that there was ever such name
or such dying in the world. How apt we
are to forget that there are those, though,
who can hardly see the nams for the rain
that is falling. while the heaven overhead is
bright and clear; that eyes do rest thereon,
that see world put out where you discern a
name that wonder how the sun can shine,
since sundown came to them: who hear with
their hearts tho idle laugh that's passing on
the wind.
"Died last night" A pleasant time to
die, but not last night-ah, no-some other
night, great whilo yet to come. To so
abroad by the true light Of stars, to find the
way out from the pot of earth by everlasting
lamps.
"Dicd last night" How many died, how
many beautiful and good; how many young
and fair; how many reverend and wise?-
Some that you and we know perhaps one
that you and We loved. We shall hear Of il
by and by, and then we shall remember that
it was last night she died.
To die at any time ais dread and awful
thing" to die when day is breaking; to die
at high noon; to dio when the pearl and
gold of morning and the glow Of noon are
all blended upon the palette Of the West, till
the sky looks like great tinted shell thrown
pup upon the shore of Eternity. But to go
from this world to that, in the night, by the
pale light Of stars, is most solemn and beau
tiful of all. And then there's dignity
about that going away alone; that wrapping
the mantle Of Immortality about us; that
putting aside, with pale hand, the azure
curtains that arc drawn around this cradle
OF world; that venturing away frOm home
for the first time in our lives, for VIC are not
dead; there is nothing dead to speak Of; and
seeing foreign countries that are not laid
down ON any maps we know about. There
must DO lovely lands somewhere sarward,
for none ever return that 90 there, and we
very much doubt whether any would return
il they could.
"Died last night" Well, in few days,
as soon as they can, they take down the old
family bible, somewhere, and they write q
departurc-th clearance OF a soul. Some.
times il is bud, but rs rare Ben. johnson
said, so every body thinks:
Twas but Q bud. yet did contain
More sweetness than shall bloom again.
Sometimes blossom waited from the tree,
by some returning breath, to heaven. How
different the record on the other page, year
or so ago, when they set down the new name
the same name they write now, but owner
less; that win be thought Of, but not oul
loud; that may bc heard few times, but
not IN the crowd. not in the merry festival,
but In the twilight hours. at home, and then
be syllablcd no mOr.