Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1876-04-08
For the Register
MEyIENTONIORE.

Where shall we be then! Perhaps no
such thought ever occurred to Florence
Donavan when leaving his home for
the last time. For when his brother
who intended starting West approached
him TO say goodbye, he departed with
the announcement that be should return
in time to see him off. 81 will be back
Oil tomorrow" But upon his return,
as he neared the Narrow Passage he
remarked, "If l get over here safe this
time, it will be my last trip until this
bridge is repaired" A vague but SOL
emn presentiment whispered that per-
baps his life indeed, was almost past.
and Weakened the hidden springs Of bis
heart, with a deep and secret power.
as there some nameless boding sent,
Like a noiseless voice from the tomb:
A spirit note from the other world,
To warn Of death and doom
To the bereaved parents and friends,
may l be permitted to tender my heart
felt coincidence. The news Of his sud
den and piteous death, shocked and
grieved me deeply. For in years gone
by, your boy was pupil of mine, and
well do remember his bright face, his
gentle and ever respectful manner, ever
ready to do kindness, or show some
little courteous attention. You have
lost noble boy, and believe me you
have my deepest sympathy. He had
one of those natures which could better
and more clearly conceive of religious
things from its own perceptions and In.
stincts, than many matter. ot-tact and
practical Christian. The gift 10 appre-
ciate and the sense to feel the finer
shades aud relations of moral things,
often seems an attribute of those whose
whole life shows q careless disregard OF
them.
Hence Moore, Byron, Goethe, often
speak words more wisely descriptive OF
the true religious sentiment, than anoth-
er man, whose whole life is governed
by it. Human lite is a mere Inheritance
of regrets. OF the many of those re-
grets which arise death or enlargement
of our dear friends. Can it ever be for
gotten? The piercing wildness in that
cry of anguish, when that fond Father
received the intelligence of the horrible
death of his son. He threw himself
down upon the ground, and covered
his face with his hands, and for while
gave way to his wretchedness. Thor
oughly wretched he was, and with rea-
son. For moment he wonders if he
is sane His brain seems OH FIRE, his
thoughts are confused, he is haunted by
the face of his mangled boy, and with
strong effort, born of horrible fear,
he Gains himself, rises to his feet, walks
about a little, tries to think of other
things just to see if he can judge as to
whether he is in an abnormal state Of
mind or not. He is soon satisfied on
that point, and the terrible difficulties Of
his position force themselves upon him
again with greater weight than ever.
The thought of Florence laying buried
beneath the wreck was madGeuing, ooh
God, what shall l do where shall | go,
what if he were to go, the very thought
is a relief, should he 60, would it be
possible tor him to go on such an er-
rand! Again tide of irresistible emo
ton swept over him, and he cried aloud
tor some one to take him to the place
Of the terrible disaster. / have been
told upon his arrival, the scene that en-
sued was indescribable. He would ap-
peal to the worklnen to release his son,
and with outstretched arms he would
walk up and down asking his boy ITO
wait little longer,-only little while
and we will get you out. BE patient
my boy" Those words Of encourage
ment fell upon a deaf ear, for he had
passed from death unto lite.
Farewell, beloved child the bright
eterna, doors have closed after thee
we shall see thy dear face no more"
''Death," he repeated again the mystic
word so common in every mouth, yet Of
such fearful power-"Death." Strange
that there should be such word, and
such thing, and we ever forget it,
that one should be living, warm, beau
tiful, full Of hopes, desires and wants
one day, and the next be gone, utterly
gone, and forever.
The scene at the house, en- the arrival
of the body, was heart-rending in the
extreme His brothers and sisters stood
around in the deepest distress, while
his mothers whole being seemed in a
cold eclipse. The chill at her heart
froze her to numbness and oblivion of
all that was passing around her. She
hardly knew what was said to her, or
that she had been spoken to at all. She
was conscious of nothing save kind OF
aura, creeping from her heart outwards,
over her whole being, holding her brain
like band of iron. Yet great change
was visible in her, she knelt by the bed
side; but no prayer come, no relief by
words nor tears. Nothing but the
same dull aching, nothing but the same
sad silence, "She feels az one who in a
living body bears about dead soul"
My dear friend. take your suffering
heart to God, and He will heal, and com
fort, and strengthen You. If he has
sorely afflicted you try to believe that
Infinite love and mercy directed all
things, and that ultimately every sor-
row of earth will be ovorrulcd for your
eternal repose and happiness. You viii
l trust, forgive ME if endeavor to i'm
press upon you the vital Importance Of
making each day fragrant with the bur
den of some good deed, some service
rendered to God or to suffering human