Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-09-29
DEATH AND BURIAL OF LITTLE
81. NELL.
BY CHARLES DICKENS,

stiffness was no 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 crea-
ture 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 spot where she had
been used to favor.
..When l 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 crushed, was stirring
nimbly in its cage; and the strong heart
of its child mistress was mute and mo-
tionless forever.
Where were the traces of her early
cares, her sufferings and fatigue !? All
gone. Hers Vas 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 and profound repose.
And still her former self lay there.
unaltered in this change. Yes. The
old freside had smiled upon that same
sweet face; it had passed like dream
through haunts and misery of care; at
the door of the poor schoolmaster on the
summer evening, before the furnace fire
upon the cold, wet night, at the still
bedside of the dying boy, there had
been the same mild, lovely look. So
shall we know the angels in their maj
esty, after death.
The old man held one languid arm in
his, and the small hand tightly folded
to his breast, for warmth. 1t was the
hand she had stretched out to him with
her last smile-the hand that led him
on through his wanderings. Ever and
anon he pressed it to his lips; then hug
ged it to his breast again; murmuring
that it was warmer now; and as 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 gladden..
ed-the noiseless haunts of many a
thoughtful hour-the paths she had
trodden as it were but yesterday-could
know her no more.
s"It is not, said the schoolmaster, as
he bent down to kiss her on the cheek
and gave his tears free vent, sit is moi
in this world that Heavens justice ends
Think what it is. compared with The
world to which her young spirit has
winged its fight. and say if one delib
crate wish expressed in solemn terms
above this bed could call her back t.
, life, which of us would utter it %
When morning came and they coule
speak more calmly on the subject O
their grief, they heard how her life hat
closed.
She had been dead two days. The,
were all about her at the time, knowinl
that the end was drawing on. She diet
soon after daybreak. They had rea'
!, and talked to her in the earlier portion
of the night, but as the hours crept on
,, she sunk to sleep. They could tell, b
what she family murmured in he
dreams. that they were of her journey
ings with the old man ]; they were of n
:. painful scenes, but of those who ha,
helped and used them kindly, for sh
often said, ''God bless you !" with grea
feryor. Waking, she never wandered i
her mind but once, and that was a
! beautiful music which she said was i
q the air. God knows. It may hav
t been.
: Opening her eyes at last, from yer
quiet sleep, she begged that they woul
n kiss her once again. That done sh
o turned to the old man with Lowell
] smile upon her face-such, they said, a
J. they had never seen. and never coul
r forget-and clung with both her arm
# about his neck. They did not kno
a that she was dead, at first
:, <s - x
And now the bell-the bell she ha
: so often heard by night and day, an
:, listened to with solemn pleasure almos
r as living voice-rung its remorsele:
l. toll for her, SO young, SO beautiful. s
e good. Decrepid age. and vigorous lif
o and blooming youth, and helpless infal
: cy, poured forth-on crutches, in Il
;, pride of strength and health, in the flu
L blush of promise, in the mere dawn
e life-to gather round her tomb Oh
OF men were there whose eyes were di
Of and senses failing -grandmothers wi
$ might have died ten years ago and sti
" been old the deaf, the blind, the lam
ID the palsied, the living dead in mar
e, shapes and forms, to see the closing
I'D that early grave. What was the dea1