The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-04-17
NV Sister in II eaNen.

Sister, o how many thrilling emotions
does that precious word strike on the chords
of the feeling heart! How sad, now bitter
the thought that the FemOrseleSs hand OF
fate can with one fell stroke, sever the dear
est ties that hind the human heart to its fell
low mortal, unheedful and unmindful that
its tiPeless wing trails in the dust the ruined
shrine of many fond and cherished hone
of happiness; that its track is marked by
the bitter wailings and heart crushing
dampnesS of human woe. Rut lie who ad.
ministered the cup Aas mercifully mingled
sweetness with It's gall; and when my sister
was removed from her earthly home to the
bright mansions of eternal rest, oh how pre-
cious, how conSoling to the hearts of those
who mOurned her flight, was the assurance
that her pure spirit was mipgiing with the
holy throng that araoes the everlasting
fields of the pettef land; that the glad music
of angels had welcomed her home forever,
for none that knew thee blessed spirit can
doubt that thou art with thy God. Noae
save those who have crossed the dark stream
can tell ths agony OF soul to gaze on dying
sister, Ia see the struggles of that loved form
yielding to the grasp of King of Terrors, and
know that no earthly hand may snatch the
helpless victim from his grasp. All! this is
grief. 1t is then that the soul aWalzens to a
sense of its utter wretchedness. 1t is then
that "the heart knOweth its own bitter
ness" Oh who is it that does not appreGi-
ate the warm heaying heart Of @ sister? And
is there one who has never possessed or has
been deprived of this precious treasure
that has not seen moments, yea, even ho,rs
of sorrow, when the heart longed to pour
orth all It's troubles into the willing ear of
sympathtZing sister?
What a throng of early associations crowd
upon the memory, as the recollectiOns of
that fair young being, my only sistc. fits
across my mind. MethiLks ! see her now
as in the days Of our childhood "when we
lived ana loved together" But alas these
days live only in the hearts of those she
loved so well. But Time, with thee, my
darling, is DER. No more wilt thou be re-
ceived into the social circle of relatives and
friends. The hour of death, with all its APP
palltng scenes, is passed, Thy meanings are
hushed, tiny suffeIings DER, thy heart Is free
and the sweet tone of thy voice Is stlL,
"Alas thou vast but young 10 die Thou
hadst but few brief years for tiny portion IN
this land of sunshine and gloom. Around
thee tWined many sunny hopes. But all,
how soon were they bllghted forever, All
faded in "Ieath, save that blessed star
which points the Christian across the dark
waters Of the Jordan ofdeath, and casts an
Choir within the temples vale. Our wishes
were, that thy life might be tho dream of
love and hope, and that the future might
CLEAN with the brightest hues of heaven:
that earth might be an Eden to thee: that
spirits from the celestial world might wan
der down to thee with thoughts of their
peaceful abode. But just as the roses of love
began to spring up in thy path to deck thy
blooming cheek, when thy heart beat Wild
ly with emotion, and thine eye ranged on
from new to new delight, and all was one
continual calm and sunshine, Death"