St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-03-19
Love after Death.
WORTH INFINITELY MORE IN LIFE.

Love after Death
WORTH INFINITELY MORE IN LIFE.
Why Is ii that 81 many people keep
all their pleasant thoughts and kind
words about Il man bottled and sealed
up until he i dead. when they come
and break the bottle over his coffin. and
battle his >hIuud III fragrance Many
Il man goes through life with scarcely
one bright. cheering. cmcouIaging
hopeful word. He tolls hard and in
loWly ohScuritN. He gives ont his life
| freely and unStintcdly tor others Ic-
member such Il man. He WAS not
brilliant: he WIS not great hut he
WAS faithful. He had many things To
discourage him. Troubles thirkemcd
about his life. He was mislcprc>rmttd
and misunderstood. Every body be
livVcd that he WAS II good man. hut no
one ever said IL kindly word AZ pleasant
thing To him. He never heard Il COM
plimcnt, scarcely cNcra good wish. No
one ever took any pains t" encourage
him. to strengthen his feeble knees to
! Tighten his burdens. "r t" lift up his
heart 10y Il gentle deed of love. or hN a
cheerful word. He WIS neglected.
| tmkind things were often said OF him.
| stood at his coffin. and then there
were many tongues to speak his praise.
! There wis not Il breath of dispersion in
/ the air. Men spoke of >clf-drnials OF
his work among the poor, of his good
qualities. "f his quietnc>>, his m"dc>tN .
his humility. his puIcne>> OF heart. his
faith and prayer. There were many
who spoke Indignantly of the charges
that taiSehood had forged against mm
i'll past Years. and the treatment he had
received. There were enough kind
things said dining the tw" or three DAYS
that he lay i'll the coffin. and while the
company stood around the open grave.
! to have blessed him and made him hap
pN all his fifty Years. and tu 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
I" have made his whole life path bright
as clearcSt day. But his ears were
closed then. and could not hear Il word
that was spoken. His heart WAS still
then. and could hot hc thrilled by the
grateful sounds. He cared nothing then
toi the sweet flowers that were piled
upon his coffin. The love blos>umrd
out too late. The Kindness came Whci
the life could not receive its blessings.
/ And | said then that | would not
keep all my pleasant thoughts and feel
ingS. about my nci.hbor. locked mp in
my breast till he is dead. They will
do him no good then. His dead hand
cannot feel the VAIN pressure. Gentle
words will not make his pale. cold face
glow. 1t will he too late. when he lies
in the coffin to seek to make him hap
py. to lit the shadows off his lite or tu
brighten his path.
II was beautiful thing that the
country did the other day. The gar
dens were stripped of their flowers.
Hundreds of thousands of graves were
strewn with the richest fragrance OF
earth. Many words were spoken of the
dead. Their valor was praised. Their
heroiSm was lauded. Their brave and
gallant deeds We're counted. Orators
exhausted the resources of language Ia
find words strong enough and beautiful
enough to weave into garlands for their
browS. And it was well. 1t was Il fit
and noble thing to do. 1t is well, too,
to build monuments to mark the spots
where our dear dead sleep. and to in
scribe upon them the sacred names
The memory of IL sweet and beautiful
life should he kept ever green and fresh
III our hearts, and there is no richer
tribute to Il life than the sincere wit
ness of SorrOwing friends around the
coffin and the grave. 1t is well that
even death has power to stop the tongue
of detractiOn to suhdue cnmiticS. zeal
Ousies. and animOsities to reveal all
the beauties and excellencies of Il man,
character: to hide his hIemiShcS and
defects; and to thaw out the tender
: thoughts and kindly feelings of his
neighbors' hearts.
But meantime. there are a great host
of weary men and women tOiling
through lite toward the grave. who
need cheering words and helpful min
istrleS. The incense is gathering Ia
scatter about their collins: but why
should it not he scattered in their path,
to-day The kind words are lying in
mems hearts and trembling on their
tongues. which will be spoken bye-and-
bye, when these weary ones are sleep
ing but why should they not he spo-
ken now, when they need them so much
and when their accents would he Sc
pleasing and grateful
1t costs hut little to give men a great
deal of JOY and help. One brought Il
bunch of flowers to my table. and for Il
whole week they filled my room with
fragrance. One wrote me Il cheering
letter. breathing spirit of love and
gratitude. 1t came when | was weary
and depressed, and was like the meal
prepared by the angel for the old proph-
ct I ll..-,l A.
many days. One met me on the street
and spoke an encouraging word and
grasped me warmly by the hand and
for hours felt that warm grasp and
heard that wold echoing through my