Middletown transcript., 1874-05-09
"Reminiscences Of Mrs. Lydia Il.
w. ROthwen.

How fair was life when the writer first saw
her The Time was summer; the ripe wheat
had been harvested the corn fields gave promise
Of bountiful returns to the careful cullivators of
the soil the daily productions of the gardens
and orchards were contributing 10 the pleasure
Of man the forests were beautiful 10 behold. /
had gladly left the city to spend a few days
among rural scenes. A night ride BY steamer
down the Delaware river, through the canal, and
over the upper portion of Chesapeake Bay had
brought mt TO the shore of Kent county, Mary
land. A pleasant drive from Chesiertown, in
company with a friend who has passed to scenes
unfadng, brought me 10 the neiphborhsod of
Warwick. The occasion was a camp meeting
Scarcely shadow of that dark cloud, which, in
few years, overspread the national horizon
and discharged its deadly bolts into the bosems
Of thousands of our countrymen, had at that
time appeared. True, there were intmatiens of
coming disaster; but the most of US were too
hopeful or too needless to take the alarm. Hope
full, as patriots, for our country, we were hope.
full, also, az Christians, for our race. Earnest
men and women had come 10 worship God in the
grove. Ministers Of the Gospel, widely known
and well-beloved on the Peninsula, were there TO
urge the claims Of the meek and nlercifu Saviour
upon the love aud reverence of their fellow men.
The weather was pleasant. Rarely have known
the combination of 81 many elements to make
the occasion one Of great enjoyment. Among
the multitude that came day after day. as they
we're attracted by services dear 10 the pious
heart, or impelled by considerations iu which
the desire of spiritual improvement held no con-
spcuous place, was Lydia r. Wilson. In the
bloom OF her young womanhood, healthful,
cheerful admired, beloved, with social connec-
tons and expectations such as only the more
favored few enjoy, how brilliant seemed the pros
pect Other future lifei Nothing there was more
remote from the mind Of the writer than the
thought that the hand which pens and the heart
that prompts this tribute, would be employed to-
day in recording her departure from the earth
and rendering consolation TO her bereaved family
and friends. Was II because, on the occasion OF
my first meeting with the departed, | moved
only among her friends and .admirers7 Was Il be-
cause the associations Of subsequent years were
with such only Or wns il because she possessed
= truly frank and amiable disposition, that fairly
entitled her 10 all the commendation bestowed,
that never heard her name men toned except in
connection with some word Of praise or some
expression Of honorable regard? Judging from
glimpses ofcharActer revealed sometimes Ia her
fathers house associated with which are pleas
ant "Reminiscences cf hospitality ty-someti,nes 10
places OF public concourse, aud sometimes in the
nors restricted circles Of friendship, incline
rnther TO the belief that The kindness Of her heart
epd the Geutleness Of her manners wove and re-
1ained tho eateens which sbe seemed 60 largely to
e4j6y. More tllan half : score Or years inicrven-
eo tcfNtes that camp meeting and ihs occur
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