The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-11-03
MloraI 4eadina.
FOR tie Democratic Ashoeais.
THE GRAVE.

If there is aught to awaken in the sin
ful soul Of man feeling Of his own moth
ingness if there is aught to lead the minG
in a train Of thought that seeks to unrave
the mystery Of the thing which we cal
life--or, if there is aught TO force upon Us
the true meaning Of the thrilling passage
recorded in the Holy Writ, aDust thou
art, and unto dust thou shalt return, it i;
to stand beside new-made grave Al
we contemplate its narrow limits, aud heai
the cold and heavy earth falling upon thu
coffin, which contains the inanimate form
Of one through whose veins the blood o.
life andvigof has but recently coursed like
our own, do we not shudder at the mystic
rious thing we are, and feel with the poet
Young
How poor how rich, how nbicct how august
How complicate how wonderful is mani
How passing wonder ITE who made him such
Who centred in our make such strange extremes !
From different natures marvelously mkt
Connexion exquisite OF distant worlds,
Distinguished link in beings endless chain
Midway frorn nothing 10 the Deity
A beam ethereal snIlied and absorbed,
Though sullle,l and dishonored SIN divine
Dim miniature Of greatness absolute
An heir ofgiory a ftail child Of dust;
Helpless immortal insect infni,el
Aworml a god i. trcmble at myself
And IA myself am lost. Athome stranger,
Thought wanders up and down, surprised, aghass
And wondering at her own how reason reels.
OH what miracle 10 man Is manF
! stood by the new-made grave Of a
friends fair and youthful girl Of sixteen
summers. It was saba melancholy
scene. Death is at all times terrible,
Come to The hrldal-chainber. DEATH
Come 70 the mothers, when she fceIs
For the irst time her first ferna broath
Come when the blessed seals
Thatclose the pestilence are broke.
And crowddd cities wall its stroke
Como In consumption's ghnsfly form,
The Earthquakes shock, the ocean storm;
Como when the heart beats high aud warm
With benquei-song. and dance and wine
And thou art tarrible-the lcar.
The groan, The knell, the pail. the hicr
And all we know, or dream, or fear
OF agony. arc thine -HALrEcK
But, oh when he comes and lays bis
icy finger on the brow Of innocence and
loveliness, and the budding rose just burst
ing forth in all the pride and beauty Of
fall-bIown womanhood is withered by his
chilling breath, it may not be more ter
rible, but oh is it not a aore melancholy
scene
| gazed long upon che cold, yet lovely
form Yes, the form WINS therc-but that
was ali Where was the light that once
beamed Though those dreamy eyes, speak.
y ing Of the pure, bright, aud gladstone
thoughts that dwelt within? Where was
the mantling blood that coursed along the
small blue veins, telling Of life, and health
and yigor Of youth Where we're The
sweet and gentle sonesof voice that once
breathed gladsome music to all around
Alas the light had gone out from those
sparkling orbs, and now they wore cold
and CLASSY hus; the warm blood was sud
denly frozen within the blue edged veins
and the musical voice hushed within it
secret cells foregerl Che ensket still WA
there-bnt ah ! the jewel gone Iva
worthless now II was but dast--fash
toned in beauteous mould and unto dus
il must returni
The coffin lids were closed, and It wa
lowered in the cold and dark recess .
The silenttonl,- Tie damp earth was throw
upon 1.-The last prayer vas uttered b,
many bleeding heart-2and We slowly JET
the spot A3el We left the casket there
bat whore isthejsveIY Where the beau
toous spirit that clothed It with its charms
Where the soul that spoke from out lh,
sparkling eyes
'sWhere STIR Faith whispers above the blue air
p the land fths pnfeit i there il il lIseree'
adams county, Pa, 1877. G.