Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1874-01-17

to be sung at her funeral, ION Jordan's
stormy banks stand," rising. harsh
and unmusical, from lack Of heart to
sing, but growing soft and harmonious
as the beauty of the sentiment grew
upon the souls of the singers.
The minister prayed that this dispen-
sation of Divine Providence might be
sanctified, especially to the aged friends
gathered together i'm this. house of
mourning, to whom death must be very
near, for their '.years must be well
nigh spent.'' The attention of all in at
tendance had been attracted to the
group in the entry. Through all the
years of their lives they had been close
ly associated with the friend now en-
tered before them into the world of spir-
its. She had been. as they were fond of
observing since the Intelligence of her
death had reached them, a woman of un-
common Judgment, a safe counselor, a
remarkable neighbor, and the greatest
possible item was not forgotten in the
distribution of praise, ''She was won-
derful in sickness. a great nurse.''
Said an old lady, trembling with PAL
sy, to the young minister's wife, 'sMany
and many is the time in my youngerly
days, when l was poor and sickly and
bringing up my family, that l should
die, ii it-hadn't been fer Sister SimOns
there. She would come in so brave and
cheerful, take up the baby, wash and
dress it, and before L knew it. almost,
shsi would have me up and my hair
combed, a cup of tea and a piece OF
toast for me, my bed made, the room
tidied up, and be Off home again, where
she had heaps of work to do and great
family to take care of, and not an overly
| healthy woman either, in those days.
always hoped should die first. you
see. for knew she would shed a tender
tear over me. She knew what l had
been through. There is few to shed
tears over us old folks. We're mostly
in the way"
''Sister Simons" would have beer
| greatly missed had she passed away
| from her labors in those youngerly
days of the palsied woman. from the
lack of her helpful hands and cheerful
bravery in everyday battles; but ah
she was to be remembered now as ONT
of the few with whom wisdom had died
one who s'knew of the doetrine;" q
mother in Israel; ga succorer of saints.
| She was one who had delighted
in the ordinances of Gods
house and to walk in the way of hi>
commandments. She rejoiced, even, in
| the mysteries of the faith. She uset
| Iu say:
"God would not be God to ME if
could bring him down to nv mortal un
derstanding; l love to look up to on
far above my feeble comprehension, to,
wise to err, too good to be unkind, ant
one to whom, through the sufferings o
my Saviour, Il can talk as with friend.
With the going down of the sun tn,
| grave was closed over her mortal re
mains, and the crowd of weeping friend
took up the march of life once more, re
membering that its close would fint
them laid beside that silent sleeper.
The young minister's wife lald up tn
words of the s.woman with the palsy,
4 and as she rode beside her husband OF
their homeward way, she said to him:
William, became very much inter
ested in the old people saw to- day, ant
some day before long, I will gathe
them together at my house and Civ
them day of enjoyment in vfsitin,
each other.o
s'That is well! that is right! w
shall have them with us but little Ion
ger. When your grandmother come
for her visit, so long promised, Twill
do all | can to help you in your plan
| Ii my pow were a little more frosty,
SO they would think knew what / wa
talking about, would preach a sermon
to them some Sabbath" replied th
young minister, pleased with the inter
est the Young wife beside him was thu
taking in the too-much neglected of hi
flock.
She was as good as her word, and a
. soon as the weather become cool enougl
for the expected visit from her grand
mother, the spare room uL stairs re
ceived the toilet eauipage of the youn,
couple. that their own pieasant.room be
low might receive their aged friend.
was made comfortable for her use by al
the appliances for the purpose the hous
and some other neighboring houses af
} forded. Toe hair-matrress was take
: away and the fearher-bed, sacred t,
the spare-room, was put in its place, TO
what would the night be to grand
mother without the downy nest t
which she was accustomed. This be-
: had been given her granddaughter, b
grandmother herself. with the assuI
} ance that the feathers were 'sreal liv
geese" plucked by her own hands. |
had been portion of her 'ssetting out,
as grandmother the housekeeping ont
fit. The many colored quilts upon tn
bed. whose true and exact octagon pat
tern had been cut and every piece fash
, ioned upon it by the skillful fingers q
thls interchangeable grandmother, was or
lyused upon special occasions like tn
present, for who could say if anothe
such quilt could or would be created?
The large square pillows were -e
placed by small, oblong ones, bette
fitted to the head that was to pres
them. and the mantle was adorned wit
handsome glass eandlesticks, holdin
genuine wax candles standing erect i
them, as only candles can. A pair {
snuffers stood between them. Crane
mother could not endure lamps. Aboy
them over the mantel, waving over
narrow, gilt looking-glass Of gres
length. was bunch of peacock feather
. given the minister by woman in tn
: ! parish.
The fireplace was opened and kind
, ling laid ready for a blaze, If cox
mornings or evenings required II
warmth. A stand with a copy of til
New Testament and Psalms stood nea
2 the Fireplace. The hymn-book lay bs
( side it. and on some swinging sheIve,
e which had been a bookcase in boarding
: school days, were few of grand-moti
, er's favorite books. The ''Saint's Rest,
e by Richard Baxter Jaws "Mornin