Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1871-04-26

would say Of me, "She has outliyed her I
userulness-she is no comfort u herself, !
aud a burden to everybody else!" Aud $
hoped that before such a day should
dawn, l might be taken to my rest. God /
forbid that should ouiliyc the lovs Of. ,
my children! Rather let me die while
my heart is a part of theirs, that my
grave may be watered with their tears
and my love linked with their hopes Of
Heaven.
When the bell tollod for the mothers
burial, l went TO the sanctuary to pay my
only token Of respect to the aged stranger
for [ felt that | could give her memory a
tear, even though her own childred had
none to shed.
"She was a good mother in her day,
and toiled hard to bring us all up-she
was no comfort to herself, and a burden
to everybody else" These cruel, heart
less words rung in my cars as saw the
coffin borne up the aisle. The bell tolled
long and loud, until its iron tongue had
chronicled the years of the toil-worn moth
er. One-two-thrce-fo four-fve. How
clearly and almost mcrrily each stroke
told of her once peaceful slumber in her
mothers bosom, and of her seat at night.
fall on her weary fathers knee. Six
seven--oight-nine-ten--rang out the
tale of her sports upon the green-sward,
in the meadow and beside the brook.
Eeven-twelve-t thirteen-fourteen--
teen-spoke more grayely of school-days,
and little household joys and cares. Six
teen-seventeen-e ghteen-sounded out
the enraptured visions of maidenhood and
the dream of early love. Nineteen
brought before US the happy bride. Twen-
ty-spoke Of the young mother, whose
heart was full to bursting with the new,
strong love which God had awakened in
her bosom. And then stroke after stroke
told of her early womanhood-of tho
loves, and cares and hopes, and fears,
and tolls, through which she passed dur
ing those long years, till fifty rang out
harsh and loud. From that to sixty,
each stroke told of the warm-hearted
mother and grandmother, living over
again her joys and sorrows in those of her
children and children's children.
Every family of all the group wanted
grandmother then; and the only strife was
who should secure the prsze. But, hprk,
the bell tolls on! Sevnty-seyenty -one
!! -two-three-four. She begins to grow
feeble, requires some care, is not always
perfectly patient or satisfied; she goes
from one chlld's house to another so that
no place seems like home. She murmers
in plaintive tones, that after all her toll
and weariness, it is hard she cannot be al.
lowed home to die IN; that she must be
sent. rather than invited, from house tc
house. Eighty-eighty- two-three
-four. All she is second child--now
"She has outlived her usefulness, she has
now ceased to be a comfort to herself OF
n anybody y''-that is, she has ceased to bt
profitable to her earth craving and money
grasping children.
Now sounds out, rovcrberating through
our lovely forest, and echoing back from
: our "hill of the dead, "eighty-nine There
she lies now in the coffin, cold and still
she makes no trouble now. demands NJ
love, no soft words, no tender little offices
A look of patient epdurance--we fancieC
e also, an expression of grief for unrequiteC
s. love- ON her marble teature'. He
IF children we're there, clad in weeds of wo,
i and in irony we remembered the stron;
i mans words. "She was good mother il
!; her day." .a.8
:, When the kell ceased tolling, the straug
Ie minister rose in the pulpit. His form wa
very erect, and his voice strong; but hi
/, hair was silvery white. He read sevcra
passages of Scripture expressive of God
il compassion to feeble man, aed especial,
n of his tenderness when gray hairs are o.
er him and his strength faileth. He the
d. made some touching remarks OH huma
X frallty, and Of dependence on God, urgin
IT all present to make their peace with thei
y. Master while in health, that they Nigh
b. claim his promises when heart and fes
10 failed them t'Then" he said, sthe eterni
re God shall be thy refuge. and beneath the
90 shall be the everlasting arms Leanin
as over the desk, and gazing intently on tn
hs coffined form before him, he then said re,
a erently "From little child have hol
ry ored the aged but never till gray hai
covered my own head, did know trul
he how much love and sympathy this ella
sc have right to demand of their fetlo,
to creatures. Now | feel it. Our mother
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