The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-01-20
JANUARY

and the leaves of that long, that intermin-
able summer day; its memory was with
our boyish hearts from June to June; and
the sound of that sweet name, "Hazel
Glen," often came upon US at our tasks,
and brought too brightly into the school
room the pastoral imagery of that mirthful
solitude.
AS we now slowly approached the cot
tage, through deep snow-drift, which
the distress within had prevented the
household from removing, we saw, peep
ing ont from the door, brothers and sisters
Of oylr little guide, who quickly disap-
peared, and then their mother showed her
self in their stead, expressing, by her rails
ing eyes and arms folded across her breast,
how thankful she was to see, at last, the
pastor, beloved in joy and trusted in
trouble. .s.,...., RI, ..
Soon as the venerable old man dis
mounted his horse, our active little guide
led it away into the humble stable, and we
entered the cottage. Not sound was
heard but the ticking of the clock. The
lnstron, who had silently welcomed US at
tho door, led US, with suppressed sighs
and face stained with weeping, into her
fathers sick room, which even in that
time of distress was as orderly as if health
had blessed the house. / could not help
remarking some old china ornaments On
the chimney piece in the window
was an blowing rose tree, that almost
touched the lowly reef, and frightened
that end of the apartment with its bios
SONS. There was something tasteful in
the simple furniture; and it seemed a. if
grief could not deprive the hand of that
matron of its careful elegance. Sickness,
almost hopeless sickness, lay there, sur
rounded with the same cheerful and beau
tiful objects which health had loved, and
she, who had arranged and adorned the
apartment in her happiness, still kept it
from disorder and decay in her sorrow.
With gentle hand she drew the curtain
Of the bed, and there, supported by pill
lows as white as tho snow that lay without,
reposed the dying elder. It was plain that
the hand Of God WAS upon him, and that
his days on earth were numbered.
He greeted his minister with q faint
smile, and slight inclination of the head
for his daughter had 80 raised him on
the pillows that he was almost sitting up
in bis bed. It was easy to sec that he
knew himself to be dying, and that bis
soul WAS prepared for the great change -
yet, along with the solemn resignation Of
q Christian who had made his peace with
God and his Saviour, there was blended
on bis white and sunken countenance an
expression Of habituA reverence for the
minister Of his faith-and saw that he
could not have died in peace without that
comforter to pray by bis dssfh-bed.
A few words suffioed to tell who was
the stranger-and the dying man, bless.
ing me by my name, held ont to me his
cold shriveled hard in token Of recogni-
ton. l took my seat at small distance
from the bedside, and left closed station
for those who were more dear. Tho pas
tor sat down near his head-and by tho
bed, leaning on it with gentle hands, stood
that matron, bis daughter-in-law; q figure
that would have graced and sainted q
higher dwelling, and whose native beauty
was now more touching in Its grief. But
religion upheld her whom nature was
bowing down; not now for the first time
were the lessons taught by her father
to be put into practice, for l saw that she
was clothed in deep 'mourning-and she
behaved like the daughter of man whose
life had not been only irreproachable but
lofty, with fear and hope fighting despe-
rately but silently in the core of her pure
and pious heart.
While we thus remained In silence,
beautiful boy, who, at the risk Of bis
own life, had brought the minister of
religion to the bedside Of bis dear and
beloved grandfather, softly and cautiously
opened the door, and with the hoar-frost
yet unmelted on his bright clustering ring
lets, and walked up to the pillow, evident
ly no stranger there. d no longer sobbed
he no longer wept-for hope had risen
strongly within his innocent heart, for the
conscienciousness of love 90 fearlessly ex-
erted, and from the presence of the holy
man in whose prayers be trusted. as an
intsrcession Of some superior and heavenly
nature. There he stood, still as an image
in his grandfatber's eyes, that, in their
dimness, fell upon him with delight. Yet,
happy as was the trusting child, bis
heart was devoured by fear-and be looked
as if one word might stir up the flood of
tears that bad subslded in his heart. As
he crossed the dreary and dismal moors,
he had thought of corpse, shroud, and
grave; had been in terror, lest death
should strike in his absence the old
man, with whose gray hairs he had so
often played but now he saU him
alive, and felt that death was not
able to tear him away from the clasps and
links and fetters of his grandchild's en-
braciag love.
I" If the storm do not abate," said the
sick man, after pause, it will be hard
for my friends to carry me over the drifts
to the kirk-yard." This sudden approach
to the grave struck, as with a bar of ice,
the heart of the loving bey-and with q
long, deep sigh, he fell down with his face