Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-09-06
DEATH AND BURIAL OF LITTLE
NELL.
BY CHARLES DICKENS.

For she was dead. There, upon her
little bed she lay at rest. The solemn
stlllnes was so marvel now.
She was dead. No sleep so beautiful
and calm, so free from trace of pain,
SO fair to look upon. She seemed a
creature fresh from the hands 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 a spot where she
had been used to favor.
"When I 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 a
Finger would have crushed, was stirring
pimbly in it's cage; and the strong
heart of it's child mistress was mute and
notionless forever.
Where were the traces of her early
Fares, her sufferings and fatigue? All
zone. Hers was the true death before
heir weeping eyes. Sorrow was dead
indeed in her, but peace and perfect
happiness were born imaged in her
tranquil beauty and profound repose.
And still her former self lay there,
lnaltered in this change. Yes. The
Pld freside had smiled upon that same
weet face it had passed like dream
through haunts and misery of care at
he door of the poor schoolmaster on
he summer evening, before the furnace
ire upon the cold, wet night, at the
till bedside of the dying boy, there
lad been the same mild, lovely look.
30 shall we know the angels in their
majesty, after death.
The old man held one languid arm in
lis, and the small hand tightly folded
his breast, for warmth. 1t was the
land she had stretched out to him with
Ter last smile--the hand that led him on
trough his wanderings. Ever and
non he pressed it to his lips then
rugged it to his breast again; murmur-
ng that it was warmer now and as he
aid it, he looked in agony to those who
TODD around, as if imploring them to
[elp her.
She was dead and past all help, or
ICED of it. The ancient rooms she had
eemed to fill with life, even while her
wn was waning fast-the garden she
ad tended-the eyes she had gladden.
d-the noiseless haults of many q
houghtful hour-the paths she had
rodden as it were but yesterday-could
now her no more.
"It is not" said the schoolmaster, as
10 bent down to kiss her on the cheek,
md gave his tears free vent, sit is not
this world that Heavens justice ends.
hink what it is, compared with the
orld to which her young spirit has
inged its flight, and say, if one delib-
rate wish expressed in solemn terms
bove this bed could call her back to
fe, which of us would utter it?"
When morning came and they could
peak more calmly on the subject of
heir grief, they heard how her life had
losed
She had been dead two days. They
ere all about her at the time, knowing
nat the end was drawing on. She died
pom after daybreak. They had read
nd talked to her in the earlier portion
ullO ulRllOy DuU db bllC CItpb
he sunk to sleep. They could tell, by
hat she family murmured in her
reams, that they were of her journey
hgs with the old man they were of no
[ainful scenes, but of those who had
elped and used them kindly, for she
ften said, "God bless you'll" with
reat fervor. Waking, she never wan
cred in her mind but once, and that
as at beautiful music which she said
las in the air. God knows. 1t may
ave been.
Openir g her eyes at last, from very
uiet sleep, she begged that they would
iss her once again. That done she
lrned to the old man with lovely
mile upon her face-such, they said, as
hey had never seen, and never could
brget- and clung with both her arms
bout his neck. They did not know
nat she was dead, at first.
X ~
And now the bell-the bell she had SC
ften heard by night and day, and
stened to with solemn pleasure almost
a living voice-rung It's remorseless
1ll for her, so young, so beautiful, SC
ood. Decrepid age, and vigorous life,
nd blooming youth, and helpless in,
ancy, poured forth--on crutches, in
be pride of strengthened health, in the
Ill blush of promise, in the mere dawn
life-to gather round her tomb. Ole
ben were there whose eyes were din
nd senses failing-grandmothers who
hight have died ten years ago and still
cen old-the deaf, the blind, the lame
be palsied, the living dead in many
hapes and forms, to seethe closing oi
nat early grave. What was the death
T. would shut in, to that which still
ould crawl and creep above it
Along the crowded path they bor'