The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1876-02-09
For the Hartford Herald.
In WenaOrians.

whom love to call friend and brother,
this little ,.immOrtelle would 1 DROPS
moistened with the tears that haze
welled up, one by one, from heart
surcharged with rebelliOus sorrow over
its sad, and in an earthly sense, its ir-
recoverable lossl Mr.. Elisha Ather-
ton, whose death we saw so lately
chronicled, was the eldest son of Mr..
and Mrs. j. f. AthertOn, old and
honored residents of Mclean county,
who arc both now standing, as it were.
upon the border land of that. better
country to which, through life, they
have so perseveringly bent their steps.
The picture Of the feeble, stricken
father, as l last saw him, bending over
the pulseless form of his boy, whom
the Dark Angel had carried away in
the ferver and bloom of his strong
young manhood the frail, invalid
mother, looking with agonized yearn-
ing her last look upon the still white
face of her precious boy, her hope and
pride; Of the gentle, loving sisters,
broken and bereft, parting in almost
despairing sorrow from the earthly re-
mains of a loved and loving brother.
will be among the very last that will
fade away from memory's tablet.
"Alas, for lore, if thou vert all and
naught beyond, oh, Earth"
For some years / have been most
intimately associated with Mr.. Ather-
ton, and | never knew a more entirely
uneomplex and noble nature. He was
a member of the Baptist church, and,
though, towards the latter years Of his
life, his religion did not seem to glow
so warm, yet | am satisfied there never
lived being who held the word of
God in deeper reverence than himself,
and during his last hours we had every
evidence that his thoughts we're con-
stantly lowering around the Great
White Throne, beseaching pardon Of
Him who never turned away sOrrOws
ing penitent into outer darkness. Often
there fell from his lips texts and prom
ises, that, no doubt, in his times II
thOughtless reading, passed over his
soul with a careless chime; but, in this
hour of imminent peril to his soul,
they came to him like angels, with d.
vinity written on their faces and heal~
ing on their wings! Oh, who can
doubt the answer those yearning pc
titiOns framed by the quivering lips Of
one of Gods noblest creatures received
at the Heavenly Tribunal Not /.
And never didd fold more closely to
my heart theNsMeet thought, that be-
hind yOnd blue horizon stretching away
in unfathOmable mystery above US, as
o beautiful, radiant cline, where We
can all one day go and renew the hall
lowed intimaeies of this world, than
when stood beside thy cold and life
less form, oh, friend. i loved thee
with fond devotion that chung TO thee
in life and is reaching on otter thee in
thy Eternal home! And thou, from
the shining, evergreen land to which
thou art gone, eanst thou look back
and see the sudden darkness that has
come over the earthly sky those who
mourn thee? Weshall think of thee,
dear friend, but as another link to the
chain that is drawing US up to- the &C.
lestial world, made nearer and dearer
by thy presence there and the hope of
meeting thee again, to talk over the
Joys and sorrOws Of this neither world,
shall tinge our every anticipation Of
the Heavenly City with its golden
hue. God guide our erring steps into
the pure path that leads thither, and
enable me to live so entirely under the
power of His holy viii that I may in>
deed clasp hands with thee, dear
friend, beside the crystal waters Of
Eternal Life. v. w. P.