The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-02-21
OBITUARY.

HARRY ACHILLES CoGswELI., who died
last week, was an only son, and his par
ents, in consequence, looked forward
with peculiar pride and hopo to the time
when he should develop into the full
proportions Of noble manhood. Add to
this the fact, that his natural disposition
was exceeding winning and afTectionate,
and we can readily understand how deep
must be the grief Of those fond hearts
which mourn his loss.
Surely, this life is a strange mixture of
lights and shadows. Even the brightest
future has its clouds, and the most fat
terinS hopes are often doomed to saddest
disappointment. Perhaps there is no in
eIdent Of this IN Ortal existence which IL
illustrates these truths with more painful
power than the unexpected death of some
lovely child. Around him the tendrills
of our hearts warmest affections become
entwiued, until he seems necessary part
! of our very being, and in him our dearest
hopes Of the future are centered with
such bold confidence that we almost en-
tirely forget that he is mortal. when,
! therefore, the cold hand of death sudden
Iy touches his veins with ice, and the
bright roses fade from his cheeks; when
his pattering footsteps are no longer. heard
by the fireSide, and mis- busy little hands
| are folded in the chilling repose Of the
tomb; when his aftectionate heart has
ceased to thTob, and his innocent prattle,
so dear to parents heart, is hushed for
/ ever; when his ruby lips have become
| liVid, and the happy smile of welcome to
those whom he loved, will come only on
the wings of memory-then we learn the
sad lesson. that our deepest and worst
| grief SD ings from the very objects We
love best. At such a moment, our affiic-
! ted hearts are ready to exclaim in depth
OF unmitigate6 anguish: my child, my
sweet child is dead! It seems as il with
him halt the world were dead-every
| bright face darkcned-cyey sunshine blot
| ted out-evsry flower withered-eyery
| hope extinguished.'' Is It ever thus that
one by one the dearest objects o: mortal
life are taken away? Alasi yes.
! ''I've ever found from chlldhood's hour,
] That all my earthly joys decay;
| never loved 3 tree or flower
But 1t was sure to fade away"
| And yet, fond hearted and weeping
parents, there is great comfort in the as
surance that although your loss IL indeed
crest, It is far greater gain to him. He
has only been taken away from the trials
and temptations incident to this mortal
life, and has gone home TO the brighter
and purer world above, where there are
no more tears, no more sorrowinp, no
more pain, no more death. 1t is true,
that the beautiful bud of mortality had
no sooner begun 10 open itselfintO the full
blown flower Of life, than it folded W. its
petals, as if the rude blasts OF this Ter.
restrIal existence were too severe for their
delicate loneliness; but that bud shall
bloom in paradise in celestial loneliness
which far transeendS the power of tongue
or pen to describe. The soul stamped
with the immortal image Of Its divine
creator has, therefore, emily spread III
angel wings in an upward fight to more
congenial cl lines. From the cup Of NOR
tai bitterness a cherub OF the sky has
turned away. We cannot, therefore
weep ss those without hope; for we know
that he is infinitely more happy there
than he possibly could be n this vale o
tears. Besides, there is . sacred comfor
in the thought that now a golden ehaiI
Of peculiar affection binds your hearts Il
heaven, and as year after year of this lif
shall swiftly glide away,it will cheer yol
to remember that the links of this chair
: will continually draw you nearer an,
nearer together, until you, too, shall ente
the portals OF the blest
. ., then, stricken parents, weep not
though the reaper, Death, has blighte,
your hopes. Dwell on the soothing com
fort which these beautiful lines contain
Death gazed on the flowers with tearfu
eyes,
no kissed their dropping leaves;
II was for the Lord OF Paradise
: lie bound them in his sheaVeg.
/ ''My Lord has need Of these fiowrets gay,
The Reaper said, and smiled;
Dear tokens of the earth are Their,
; Where he was once child.
/. They shade all bloom in fields OF light.
: Transplanted by my care.
And saints, upon their garments white,
/. These sacred blossoms wear
Aud the mother gave in tears and pain,
The flowers she most did love;
She knew she should find them all ayaiI
In fields of light above
D, not IN cruelty. not in wrath,
] The Reaper came that day;
I Twas IN angel visited the green earth,
And took the flowers away.
y D. VIC.