The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-10-21

with us You grieve, for Rome is fallen
| mourn for Pickle is dead.
Il have shed rivers Of tears over the in.
expressibly affecting letter thus begun
One would think that might have be.
come enough with the images of death
and destruction yet somehow the image
Of Pickles little dancing figure, lying stiff
and stark between his parents has made
me weep more than all else. There was
little hope that he could do justice to
himself or lead a happy little life in so
perplexed a world but never was char.
acter Of richer capacity-never more
charming child
Mrs. Greeley had some peculiar ideas
which she carried out in the training and
care of Pickle; and although Mr. Gree
ley did not regard them as altogether
practicable. yet he had SO high rever-
ence for the office and responsibility and
self-denials of the mother, than he con-
sidered that any conscientious wish of hers
should be supreme. And she had very
pure and bright subject for her education.
al experiments, Everything about his
person was kept with the most scrupulous
niciety, and no article used by him was
ever suffered to be appropriated by any
one else. All his things were under her
personal care. His food was simple, but
the best of its kind. The lightest bread
and pure new milk from their own COW
formed his principal diet. The atmos.
phere around him was 20 he bright and
clear. His mother never allowed any
harsh or discordant subjects, any moving
accidents by flood or field, any of the Of
fences Of humanity to be referred to in
his presence. She spoke to him of nat.
ural death, but in no way of taking life
through mans instrumentality. She was
a firm believer in immortality, aud in
talking to him, she compared the laying
off the body with the leaving of one
house for another, more beautiful one,
which the kind father had built for us.
But nothing cruel or painful could be
mentioned before him. No matter who
was present or who might be the offend.
er, she vigilantly guarded the boy from
receiving any other than pleasant and in.
nocent ideas, by taking him Immediately
away, if and distress OF wickedness was
referred to b any one, however inadver.
tently. If it seemed to impose unneces.
sary restraint upon speech, it was not
without benefit in teaching her associates
how foolishly topics Of this kind are sui.
ferod, like noxious weed to over.ruu
common conversation.
The Sabbath we're red-letter days with
Pickle, for then his father was more at
home, and the walks, the talks, the read.
ings with him made it high festival
An illustrated edition of the scriptures
was favorite with the child, who used
to beg his father to look at the pictures
and read to him from the book. rs.
pecially he delighted 10 the life of Christ
Mrs. Greeley had warned her husband
not to read anything painful or referring
to crime. In going over Johns nara
tive he came to the expression
After these things Jesus walked il
Galilee, for he would not walk in Jewry
because the Jews sought to kill him." and
he hastily substituted the word plague
for kill.
1t happened that day that the mother
entered the room where they had beer
thus engaged. and expressed her doubt.
whether Pickle could understand or re-
member any of this, but the boy ran ur
to her saying eagerly:
oh, yes, but | eau tell all about the
good Jesus.
And he repeated, without hesitation the
exact words Of the entire story, but wher
be came to the passage he said
Because the Jews sought to annoy
him." thus substituting a word that he
preferred.
In the summer Of lS49, little Pickle
SO carefully cared for, so fair, so bright sc
strong, died after few hours illness.
Mrs. Greedy, who had held everything
subordinate to his good, who had devoted
all her time to him, and built so many
sweet hopes on him, behed him snatcheC
from her, with fearless fortitude. Blu,
the strain was too much for her, and hel
health, previously delicate, became very
much impaired; while Mr.. Greeley re
newed his active life when he had laid hi
darling ooy away, but never after lost th'
vivid consciousness OF the precious pres
ence lent for so brief time, and SO sud
denly changed into heavenly hope. I'm
mortality became to both dearer In it
reckoning than all the occupations and sat
isfactions Of the present life.