The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1868-04-17
BRING FLOWERS
OR
GOING INTO MOURNING
BY OLIVER OPTIC
CHAPTER |.

CHAPTER /.
81 am sure they cannot care much for
their sister, for not one of them was seen
with black ribbon on her bonnet, - said
Mabel Grant tn her invalid sister.
Nay Mabel, you must not judge them
harshly"
"But only think of it! Even her
mother did not so much as change her
bonnet
Probably they have views and opin-
ions of their own upon the subject re-
piled Mary Grant, feebly, for she was in
the last stage ofconsumption-t dread
full scourge of our northern clime-and
even the exertion of speaking few
words was exceedingly tiresOme.
''And poor Ellen Lawson, our dear
friend and schOolmate, one of the fairest
and truest girls in the village-to think
that she should go down to her early
grave without even show Of mourning
in her own family. ItlOOks like sacrilege
to me-
NAY, Mabel, your respect for mere
custom causes you TO disregard the plain
est dictates of charity
II do not mean to be uncharitable"
~ know it, Mabel; but you must re-
member that the practice of putting on
mourning, is only custom; and there is
no sacrifice of love or principle in disre-
garding the customs"
"Well, l don't know; | cannot think
they loved poor Ellen as she deserved
to be loved.
"Why not ~
Because if they had, they would AT
least have shown a decent respect for her
while they stood around her BIER
did they seem to be cold Indifferent
asked the invalid, with great deal OF
interest.
NO; Mrs. Lawson was very much al
fected while in the cemetery. She sob
bed as though her heart would break
Indeed ~
''But it did not seem 10 be real her
dress was so Inappropriate.
You wrong her Mabel.
Il hope l do"
you cannot see into the heart -
and her sisters, too, if they had not
worn white bOnnets, would have seemed
like real weepers."
'"The heart weeps, Mabel not the dress,
nor even the careful eye. Many a one
in sable weeds has felt no sorrow for the
loss of parent or friend.
THAT may be; but don't YOU think
yourself that white bOnnets and blue
dresses are very improper at the funeral
of a near friend ~
1T would not be my taste, Mabel, - re-
piled Mary. with faint smile But |
wish 10 accord to every one the privilege
of doing as they please in a matter Of
this kind
''Sod do /; of course they have the right
to wear what they please"
- ON cpnglIrp them fbOurb -
Not censure them, Mary; | only say
that il looks a though they did not care
much for poor Ellen"
Gouimpugn theirmOtives; you ought
tObe charitable to them, however strange
they may seem to act
II will, dear sister; but il | had lost a
friend. | should feel rs though | was de-
ficient in respect 10 the memory of that
friend, if / did not put on mourning
Mary sighed; she knew how soon that
dear sister would be called upon TO put
on mourning for her Even another day
Of existence might not be permitted her.
She was calmly waiting the hour that
would bear her from the scenes of earth
to that brighter realm beyond the dark
grave Already she heard the music OF
the angels fluttering wing, and was
ready to lay her head upon the lap of
earth.
Mabel penetrated her sisters thoughts,
and she turned away to hide a tear,
which sprung unbidden to her eye.
There are many things to be CON
sidered, Mabel in relation to the custom
of wearing mourning. For my part |
think it would be far better if the prac-
tice was entirely discontinued.
why, Mary! how strange you talk. "
You can conceive how very disagree
able il must be for those who are wait
ing TO cOnsign the remains of a dear
friend to the tomb, TO be compelled to at.
tend upon mantau-makers and milIin-
ers.n
Mabel had never thought of that be-
fore.
"No sooner has the spirit taken its
flight, than the house of death is made
the scene of connection and confusion
by the preparations to appear in black.
That holy sorrow. which Graves lOneli-
ness and solitude, is broken in upon by
the cares of business; by the necessity of
conforming to q mere fashion which re-
quires the mOurner TO make a vain
show
Perhaps you are right, Mary; pray,
do not talk any more. You are quite ex-
hausted.
Mary said no more A shade of deep
thought rested upon her paid features.
She was thinking how much more sOOth-
ing it would be, when her redeemed
spirit sped its flight, if her friends could
only think of her while her lifeless clay
remained with them, without the in
trusion of milliners and dress-makers.