The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-05-09
@icelIanp.
DEATH AND BURIAL OF LITTLE
NELL.
By CHARLES DICKENS.

She was dead. SO sweet, sc beautiful and calm,
50 free from trace of pain, so fair to look upon.
She seemed creature fresh from the hand Of
God and waiting for the breath of life, not one
who had lived and suffered death
Her couch was dressed with here and there
some winter berries and green leaves, gathered
in spot she had used to favor.
"Whsn die, put near me something that has
loved the light and had the sky above it always"
These were her words
She was dead. Dear, gentle, patient, noble
Nell was dead. Her little bird-a poor slight
thing the pressure of finger would have crush
ed, was stirring nimbly in its cage; and the
strong heart of its child mistress wss mute and
motionless forever.
Where were the traces of her early cares, her
sufferings and fatigue? All gone. Hers was the
true death before their weeping eyes. Sorrow
was dead indeed in her, but peace and perfect
happiness were born; imaged in her tranquil
beauty ana npfound repose.
And stifE4& former self lay there, unaltered
In this change Yes. The old Preside had smil-
ed upon that same sweet face it had passed like
dream through haunts of misery and care; ut
the door Of the poor schoolmaster on the summer
evening, before the furnace fire upon the cold,
vet night, at the still bedside Of the dying boy,
there has been the same mild, lovely look. SO
shall we know the angels in their Majesty after
death.
The old man held one langaid arm in his, and
the small hand tight folded to his breast, for
warmth 1t was the hand she had stretched out
to him in her last smile-the hand which had
led on through all their wanderings. Ever and
anon he pressed it ,his lips then Rugged it to
his breast again, murmuring that it was warmer
new; and a. he said it, he looked in agony, to
those who stood around, as if imploring them to
help her.
She was dead, and past all help, or need Of it.
The ancient rooms she had seemed to fill with
Life, even while her own was waning fast-the
garden she had tended--the eyes she had glad
dened-the noiseless haunts Of many thought
full hoar-the paths she had trodden as if it were
but yestsrday--could know her no more. SUI
at is not" said the schoolmastcr, as he bent
down to kiss her on the cheek, and gave his tears
free vent, lit is not in this world that Heavens
Justice ends. Think what is, compared with the
world to which the young spirit has winged its
flight, and spy, if one deliberate wish expressed
in solemn terms above this bed could call her
back to life, which Of us would utter it?'
Whom morning came and they could speak
more calmly on the subject of their grief, they
heard how her life had closed.
She had been dead two days. They were all
about her at the time, knowing that the end was
drawing on. She died soon after.-They had
read and talked to her in the early portion of tho
night, bnt as the hours crept on, she sunk to
sleep. They could tell by what she family muir
INJURED in her dreams, that they were Of her
journeyings with the old man they were of no
painful scenes, bat of those who had helped and
used them kindly, for she often said, "God bless
themV with great fervor. Waking, she never
wandered in her mind but once, and that was at
beautiful music which she said was in the air.
God knows. 1t may have been.
.(lpapiuu har ovos az Loot fco,, n ~ar,, o~;.S
sleep, she begged that they would kiss her once
again That done, she turned to the old man
with lovely smile upon her face-such they
said, as they had never seen, and could never
forget-and chung with both her arms round his
neck. They did not know that she was dead, at
first.
And now the bell--the bell she had so often
heard by night and day, and listened to with
solemn pleasure almost as living voice-rung
IT'S rsmsrseless toll for her, young, so beauti-
AID blooming youth and helpless infancy pour
ed forth-on clutches, in the pride of health and
strength, in the full blush of promise, in the mere
dawn OF lfe-to gather round the tomb. Old
men were there, whose eyes were dim and senses
Undergraduates who might have died ten
years ago, and still been old-ths deaf, the blind
the lame, the palsied the living dead i'm many
shapes and forms, to see the closing of that early
grave. What was tho death it would shut in, tu
that which could crawl and creep above it!
Along the crowded path they bore her now
purely az the new fallen snow that covered it,
whose day en- earth had been as iseting. Under
that perch where she had sat when heaven in it,
mercy brought her to that peaceful spot, she pass.
ed again, and the old church received her in its
quiet shade.
They carried her to one old monk, where she
mad many and many time sat musng, and laid
their burden softly on the pavement. The light
streaiRed on it through the colord window-a
window where the boughs of the trees were ever
rustling IN the summer, and where the birds sang
sweetly all day long. With every breath of air
that stirred among these branches in the sun.
shine, some trembling, changing light would fall
upon her grave.
Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust
Many young hand dropped its little wreath
many stihed sob was heard-some-and they
were not few-knet down-And all were sin.
cere and truthful in their sorrow wv
Inc service done, the mourners stood apart.
and the villagers closed around to look in tho
grave before the pavement stone should be re-
placed One called to mind howhe had seen her
sitting on that very spot, and how her book had
Iallsn on her lap and she was gazing with pen.
sive face upon the sky.-Another told that he
had wondered much that one so delicate n, abs
-eeuld be 80 bold how she had never feared to en-.
Yer the church alone at night, but had longed to
nnger there when all was quiet, and eyen 70
lehmb the tower stairs, with NO more light than
the moons rays stealing through the loopholes
IN the thick old wall. A whisper went about
among the oldest there, that she had seen and
talked with angels; and when they had called Ia
mind now she had looked and spoken, and her
early death some thought it might be So indeed
thus, coming to tho grave in little knots and
st%nelhg down, and giving place to others, and