Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-02-24
Love after Death.


Nonfu iNrisirrtr noHE ~ LIZA.
Why is it that so many people keep all
their pleasant thoughts and kind words about
man bottled aud sealed up until he is dead,
when they come and break the bottle over
ms collin, aud bathe his shroud in fragrance 2
Many man goes through life with scarcely
one bright, cheering, encouraging. hopefnl
/ word lie tolls hard and in lowlv obscnrity.
/ lie gives out his life freely and unstintediy
/ Tor others. ! remember such man lie
| was not brilliant he was not great; but he
was faithful He had many things 10 dis
| courage him. Troubles thickened about his
me- lie was misrepresented and misunder-
stood. Everybody believed that he was a
good man, but no one ever said kindly word
or pleasant thing TO him. lIe 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 30 lift up his heart by a gentle
deed of love, or by cheerful word. lie was
neglected. Jnkiud things were often said
of him.
stood at his coffin. and then there were
many tongues 10 speak his praise There
was not a breath of aspersion in the air.
Men spoke of self-dcnials OF his work among
the poor, Of his good qualities, Of his quiet
ness his modesty, his humility, his purencss
Of heart, his faith and prayer There were
many who spoke Indignantly Of the charges
that ialschood had forged against him in
past Years, aud the treatment he had received
There were enough kind things said during
the two or three days that he Law in the coffin
and while the company stood around the
open grave, to have blessed him aud 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
ms 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. lie cared nothing then |
for the sweet flowers that were piled upon |
ms coffin. The love bossomed out too late. |
The Kindness came when the life could not |
receive its blessings
And | said then that | would not keep all |
my kind words and all my pleasant thoughts
and feelings, about my neighbor, locked M
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 off
ms lie, or to brighten his path.
II was beautiful thing that the country
did the other day The gardens were stripped
Of their flowers. Hundreds of thousands of
graves were strewn with the richest sweet
ness 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 counted. Or
ltors exhausted the resources of language TO
lind words strong enough and beautiful
enough TO weave into garlands for their
lr0ws. And it was well. 1t was fit and
noble thing to do. 1t is well, too, to build
monuments to mark the spots where our dear
lead sleep and to inscribe upon them the
acred names. The memory of sweet and
leauttul life should be kept ever green and
reSh IN our hearts, and there is no richer
ribute to life than the sincere witness of
orrowing friends around the coffin and the {
,rave. 1t is well that even death has power {
o stop the tongue of detraction to subdue
nmities, jealousies, and animosities to re- t
ZEAL all the beauties aud excellencies of a t
mans character TO hide his blemishes and t
lefects and to thaw out the tender thoughts .
md kindly feelings of his neighbors' hearts.
But meantime there is great host of
weary men and women toiling through life
oward the grave, who need cheering words c
md helpful ministries. The incense is gath
ring to scatter about their coffins but why a
hould 1t not be scattered in their paths to-
lay ? The kind words are lying in mems
eartS and trembling on their tongues, which 7
viii be spoken bye.and.bye, when these weary
ues are sleeping but why should they not |
'e spoken now, when they need them so I
much, and when their accents would he so
leasing and grateful? |
1t costs but little TO give men a great deal s
f joy and help. One brought a bunch of c
lowers TO my table. and for a whole week /
hey filled my room with fragrance One
'rote me cheering letter. breathing spirit a
I gratitude and love. 1t came when was
'eary and depressed and was like the meal
repaired by the angel for the old prophet. | :
vent on its blessed strength for many days.
)ne met me on the street and spoke an en- n
ouraging word and grasped me warmly by 1
he hand and for hours | felt that warm 4
-rasp and heard that word echoing through h
ny soul. A little child may brighten scores
# lives every day. There is not one Of us b
Who may not gladden. and strengthen many
heart between many a rising and setting a
un. Why should we not live to bless the
wing to cheer the disheartened, to sweeten
ups that are bitter, to hold up the hands 1
hat hang down, TO comfort those that
mourn, to bear joy into joyless homes t
Kind words will not spoil a man. If a ser
non helps you, it will do the preacher no
arm to tell him So II the editor writes an Il
rtce that does you good he can write a
till better one If you send him a word of |
hanks. II a book blesses you, do YOU not
we it to the author to write "A grateful ac- Y
If you know weary or
reelected one would it not be such work as i