Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1873-03-13
IN MEMORIAM.

Three years ago the house which
had been the home of my childhood
was the scene Of heartfelt mourning.
A gentle, gracious, saint-like wo-
man, had passed away to her rest and
her reward.-The name Of 'Aunt
Clara",' $50 familiar and beloved
throughout the town. was now but
a name the mild, kind face beamed
no longer, on every one alike
the busy hands, that had work
ed faithfully for the good of others,
so many years, were lying idle, at last,
beneath the coffin-lid
In many homes, she had stood,
watchful nurse, by the cradle of the
infant, and the bedside Of the dying.
The hungry had been fed, the naked
had been clothed, by her secret boun-
Unknown only to herself, to the re-
cipient, and to God The tasks of her
own daily life, Gin some respects
daily martyrdom,) were performed in
a quiet, cheerful spirit Of Love, that
asked no pity, and never knew its need.
A loving daughter, an affectionate
wife tenderly devoted mother
Il kindly, willing, and helpful neigh
Dor in each and all Of these relations
of life she had proved herself faithful
and true. And so, many, beside her
own children, ''rose up, and called her
blessed y and many a heart, that
knew no kindred blood to hers, was
sad beside her grave.
Three years, to day, since her
death and one OF her warmest friends,
(who, as ''bearer," hel ped to lay her
in the tomb,) has now followed her =
Into the land of the great Departed
Into the silent land !"
OF the grief of this so recently be-
reaved family, / may not speak with
so sacred sorrow as theirs, the hand
of the the stranger intermeddleth not.
Only by the sincerity Of our own
mourning for our departed friends, can
we guage the intensity Of theirs, who
lose, in him, the loving husband, the
afectionate brother, the tender, in
dulgent father, whose life seemed to
be one long, gentle thought of the
dear ones, sheltered safely in his care,
around the sacred hearth of home.
have known little of Mr. Mungers
illness. On Thursday. for the first
time, | heard a hint Of possible dan
ger. On Saturday, feeling exceedingly
anxious, wrote to request daily It'd.
ings of his state, and just as | finished
my letter, | received the news of his
death
Looking at the Spirit Of the Age
directly atterward, for confirmation of
the sad news, the first paragraph that
met my eyes, was that beautiful quo
tation from the .Koran,* which | am
sure every one must remember. And
my very heart seemed to melt within
me, at the thought of the Death
Angel standing near that departing
soul, and demanding of it, list of the
"good deeds" that had preceded it to
the better world.
Oh if the dying lips were silent,
the walls Of that cottage home should
have spoken, to tell the tale of time,
not quite two years ago, when, at his
bidding, they sheltered whole family,
PROSTATE with sickness, for whom no
other refuge could then be found
If the dying eyes were too dim to look
the death Angel calmly in the face,
let other eyes plead for him, remem-
bering the tears they once shed, till
the help he gave, in seasonable time,
wiped tears away forever. If the kind
hand lay cold and nerveless, let those
who have been raised from want and
suffering by its warm and helpful
clasp, in days of health and strength,
bear witness to its countless gifts,-
and let Others testify, myself among
number, to the priceless words of adj
vice, of comfort and encouragement
that hand has penned, in the midst of
business tasks, to cheer them, lest
they should falter by the way.
"The good deeds sent before him.!
Yes--they are manifold, although
time and space forbid my naming them
here. And whether, as some creeds
teach, they are of no avail or wheth-
er, as others declare, they are as the
jewels set in u crown of light which
in Christs Kingdom he is to wear, 1
know not. But this know-that,
in themselves they were good, and
beautiful, and pure, and, as such, they
never have proceeded from heart
that was not all noble, firmly fixed in
the resolve to do its duty toward God,
and its fellow men.
Therefore, since indeed that state
exists. las we all hope and believe,) of