The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-10-21

ule, anu altcr BlphB uo hel palulIlS
benediction and hove, and sealing them
with what / then thought was her last
kiss, she died. Truly was it said Of
her. Blessed are the dead who die
in the Lord, for they rest from their
labors."
We buried her remains there, as she
had desired us to do and after leaving
my little son at boarding school,
made my solitary way back to my
western city home, TO live as best
could, and MS il seemed to me then
with no other guide for the future but
the memories Of the past, and l felt
that my star had set No one knows,
and no one ever can know, but he who
has been thus afflicted and situated
the dark desolation of that home. l
who have known and felt it canrot
describe it. II did not suffice that
had such strong evidence that what
was my loss was her gain. 1t was a
great consolation to know and feel
that, but withal it did not fiji that
vacancy which followed me at every
step, that vacancy that was with me
everywhere, all the time that sight
less, endless blank.
1t may be our duty to submit to the
overriding DEGREES of Providence with
out murmur, and l am one who be-
lieyes in that duty as much as any one
can, but at the same time, hope and
believe that just. merciful God will
look tenderly and forgiyingly on the
tears upon the bereft ones cheeks, as
they trickle in quick succession down
on his lonely pillow. If it is not so,
then certainly a load Of sin rests upon
me, but cannot feel that it is so.
Those flood of tears were not rebel
lious in their nature, but they were
the pure outgushings of n loving and
sad, but humble heart.
A short time after my return to my
lonely home, ! retired to my home for
the night, locked my door behind me,
and at that time feeling under an un-
usual depression of spirits. I sought
some relief in reading the chapter in
the New Testament which contains
that consoling text, and after seeking
consolation from whence l could only
hope for it to come, leaving my lighted
lamp OH my side-table, l lay down on
my bed and wept profusely. How
long l wept know not, nor am I con
scions of having slept at all. 1t does
not seem to me even now that / did
sleep.
While l lay there weeping, my heart
yearning after her who had gone from
me, and my mind striving to penetrate
the depth of the spirit world, and yet
as it seems to me fully conscious Of all
things around me, suddenly, and with
out the least noise or falling of NOR
tar saw the housetop moving from
over me, sliding, as it seemed, to the
left, and pass entirely away, and as l
lay there upon my back, / looked out
upon the starry sky. All was bright
and clear and the twinkling stars
were never brighter or clearer to me,
than l saw them then. All was still
as the chamber of death, when an i'm
mortal soul is just taking its fight
Heayenward, and not a sound from
the yet busy street touched my ear
Could / be mistaken, or am / dream
ing, thought I, as lay in mute amaze
ment for time, contemplat ing this
strange and sudden transition.
I turned my eyes around my room
to assure myself that | was not dream
ing, and l saw it all as it was before
and won't to be, in order; the chairs
in place, the mirror on the wall, and
my lighted lamp still burning on my
side-table. All was the same, save
that the house top was gone from over
me.
Thus treasured, 1 again turned my
eyes upward, when beholdl directly
over me, hanging as it were in high
Heaven, saw in graceful folds blue
and white cloud, and tho upper por-
ton of the white folds were bright
with silvered edges. No other clouds
were there, nothing else was to be seen
but the clear blue sky and the bright
twinkling numberless stars, but the
bright silvered edges of the cloud be-
tokened somewhere above them a
brighter, intenser light, from source
farther beyond than my vision extend
ed. AS lay contemplating the scene,
the cloud became rapidly descending
till it came, as it seemed, and hung
over me in mid air in nearer view,
when amin hehOld q ranturOus vi