Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-01-09
POSt-MOTtem Love.


the bottle over his coffin, and battle his
shroud in fragrance, Many a man goes
through life with scarcely enc bright,
cheering, encouraging, hopeful word.
He tolls hard and in lowly obscurity. He
gives out his life freely and unstintedly
FOR others. l remember such a man.
He was not brilliant; he was not great;
but he was faithful. He had many
things to discourage him. Troubles
thickened about his life. He was mis-
represented and misunderstood. Every
body believed that he was a good man,
but no one ever said kindly word or
pleasant thing to him. He never heard
a compliment, scarcely ever a good wish.
No one ever took any pains to encourage
him, to strengthen his feeble knees, to
Tighten his burdens, or to lift up his
heart by gentle deed of love, or by
cheerful word He was neglected. I'M
kind things were often said Of him.
1 stood at his coffin, and then there
were many tongues to speak his praise.
There was not breath of aspersion in
the air. Men spoke of self-denials-of
his work among the poor, of his good
qualities, of his quietness, his modesty,
his humility, his pureness of heart, his
faith and prayer. There were many who
spoke Indignantly of the charges that
falsehood had forged against him in past
years, and of the treatment he had re-
ceived. There were enough kind things
said during the two or three days that he
lay in the coffin, and while the company
stood around his open grave, to have
blessed him and made him happy all his
fifty years, and to have thrown sweetness
and JOY about his soul during all his
painful and weary journey. There was
enough sunshine wasted about the black
coffin and dark grave to have made his
whole life-path bright as clearest day.
But his ears were closed then, and could
not hear word that was spoken. His
heart was still then, and could not be
thrilled by the grateful sounds. He
cared nothing then for the sweet flowers
that were piled upon his coffin. The
love blossomed out too late. The kind
ness came when the life could not receive
its blessings.
And 1 said then that I would not keep
all my kind words, and all my pleasant
thoughts and feelings, about my neigh
Dor locked up in my breast till he is
dead They will do him no good then
His dead hand cannot feel the warm
pressure. Gentle words will not make
his pale, cold face glow. 1t will be too
late, when he lies in the coffin, to seek to
make him happy, to lift the shadows of
his life, or to brighten his path.
1t was beautiful thing that the coun-
try did the other day. The gardens
were stripped of their flowers. Hun
dreds of thousands of graves were strewn
with the richest sweetness and fragrance
of earth. Many words were spoken of
the dead. Their valor was praised.
Their heroism was lauded Their brave
and gallant deeds were recounted.
Orators exhausted the resources of IAN
guage to find words strong enough and
beautiful enough to weave into garlands
for their brows. And it was well. Il
was fit and noble thing to do. 1t is
well, too to build monuments to mark
the spots where our dear dead sleep, and
to inscribe upon them the sacred names
The memory of a sweet and beautiful
life should be kept ever green and fresh
III our hearts, and there is no richer
tribute to life than the sincere witness
OF sorrowing friends around the cofir
and the grave. 1t is well that ever
death has power to stop the tongue Of
detraction to subdue enmities, jeal
ousies and animosities; to reveal all tn,
beauties and excellences of a mans char
acter; to hide his blemishes and defects
and to thaw out the tender thought
and kindly feelings of his neighbors
hearts.
But meantime there is a great host O
weary men and woman toiling through
life toward the grave, who need cheerin,
words and helpful ministries. The in
cense is gathering to scatter about thei
collins but why should it not be scat
tered in their paths to-day. The kin
words are lying in mems hearts an
trembling on their tongues, which wi
be spoken by-and bye when these wear
ones are sleeping; but why should the
not be spoken now, when they nee
them SO much, and when their accent
would be SO pleasing and grateful?
1t costs but little to give men a greG
deal of joy and help. One brought
bunch of flowers to my table, and for
whole week they filed my room wit
fragrance. One wrote me cheerin
letter, breathing a spirit of gratitude an
love. 1t came when / was weary an
depressed, and was like the meal pr,
pared by the angel for the old prophe
went on its blessed strength for man
days. One met me on the street an
spoke an encouraging word and graspe
me warmly by the hand; and for hours
felt that warm grasp and heard that wor
echoing through my soul. A little chill
may brighten scores of lives every da,
There is not one of us who may not glat
den and strengthen many heart betwee
every rising and setting sun. WI
should we not live to bless the living,
cheer the disheartened, to sweeten GU,
that are bitter, to hold up the hands tn
hang down, to comfort those that mour
to bear ioy into iovless homes2 Kir