Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1862-05-02

hood. Of the loves and cares. and hopes,
fear. and tolls ,hro' she which passed during
these long years. till City rang out harsh
and loud. Prom that TO sizty each stroke
told Of the warm.hcarted mother and grand.
mother. living over again her own joys and
sorrows in tbosc OF her children and chill
dren's children. Every family Of all the
group wanted grandmother then. aud the
only strife was who should secure the Iriie:
hut bark ! the hell toll. on! Seventy
seventy one-two-threc-iour.
She begin. to grow feeble, requires some
care. !. NOT always perfectly patient or eat
i.fed she goes from one child's house TO
another, - that no one place seems like
home.
She murmurs In plainti,c tones and after
all her toll and weariness, 10 ~ hard she
cannot b. allowed home to die in that
she mus, BE- sent. rather than invited. from
house to house. High,y-eigh,y., ne--two
-three-iour-ah. she - nov second child
now " she ha. outlised her usefulness.
she ha. now erased % be- comfort tn her.
.eli or anybodv :" that -. she ba. erased to
be profitable TO her earth.eravlns ani money.
gra.pIng children.
Now -,und- out, reverbera,ing through
our lovely forest. and cchoing back from our
f" hill Of the dead" Eish.y nine There
she lies now In the coffin c I'D and siill-.hs
makes no trouble now, demands no love. no
.ofi words. no tender little Offices. A look
Of Jaiicn, endurance. We IA lcied also an ex
preston Of griei Tor nnrcquI,ci love at on
her marble features Her children were
thcrc. clad in wed. OF woe. and in an irony
We remembered the strong mans words,
4" 81. was good mother In her day"
When the bell ceased tollins. the strange
minister ro-c IN th, pulpit, Iii. form Was
very erect. and IN. voice strong. but his hair
VA. .ilycry white. u. read several passages
Of scripture expressive Of Goi'- mpa.-Ion
TO feeble man. and especially oi hi, tender
meas when grey hairs arr un him, and hi.
strength hilCih. lie then made some touch.
ing remark. on human frail'y. and Oi de-
p~nicucc on Col. urging II prc-en, TO make
their peace with their Maker while in health,
that they nigh, claim the promise. when
heart aud flr.h should f,il them. Them
he .nii, 1.-The eternal God ,h.ll fc thy refuge
and bcncath thee shall h. everlasting arms. =
L,anins over the drsk. aud gazing intenily
on ,h. collincd form bciore him. he then .aid
rc,crently. From u little child ! have
honorrd the aged hut nsyer ,ill my gray
hairs covered NV own head. did | know
truly how much love AMI sympathy this
elias. have q right 10 demand Of their fel
low.rrraturc-. Now I feel 10. "Our moth.
er." hc added mos. tenierly. "who now
live. IN death before u.. wa' u stranger %
me. n. are all these. her descendant-. All I
know oi her.i. wha, her .on ha. told mc to
dsy--,hat che MAS broush, to this town
from ahr. sixty years ago. happy bride
that here che has passed mos, Of her lie.
to,llng. n only mothers have strength ID toll,
until she his reared large family OF son.
and daughier--that she lett her home here.
clad ia the weeds oi wdowhood. % dwell
among her children: and that, till health
and vigor left her. she lived Tor you, her de.
scendant.. You, who together have shared
her love and her care. know how we'll you
have rcquited her. God forbid that con.
science should accuse any oi you OF ingra,.
i,uis or murmurins on account Of the care
she has been to you Of late. When you 90
hack to you- homes. be careful Of your
words and your example before your own
children, for the fruit OF your own doing
YOU will surely reap from them when you
yourselves ,Ot,er on the brink Of the grave.
I entreat you asa friend, as one who has
himself entered the evening Of liie. iha,
you may never .ay. in the presence Of your
families nor OF heaven. 'Our mother has
outliyed her u.efulness--.he vas burden
TO as Never, never; u mother cannot live
as long ne that No: when she can no
longer labor Tor her children. che can fail
like prcciou. weight on their bo'om'. and
call forth by her helple-.ness oil the noble,
generous feeling OF their natures.
"Adisu, then, poor, toil.worn mother;
there are no more .lcepless nights. NJ more
days Of p'in Tor th,e. Undyins 'ieor and
everlasting usefulhe-s are part OF the IN.
herispce Of the deceased. Feeble as thou
vert on earth thou wilt be no burden on the
bosom Of Infinite Love. but there shalt thou
find thy longei for rest, and recsive gloriou.
sympathy from Jesus and his ransomed
fold"