Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-02-16


her first-bOrn and eldest son, Harold. So
all the exercises on this mournful occasion
were strictly in memory of his love and
! preferences. 1t was hard to realize that he
was dead when he lay on the couch in the
front parlOr, for everything around him
was so Gfe-like. Over him was draped
carelessly the five hundred dollar shawl he
gave his mother on her last birthday. 1t
made him look so warm and comfortable
the beautiful shawl of reddish brown,
tinted lightly with green, and the lovely
bouquets of red roses, pinks and pansies-
his faYorite flowers. How wide awake and
bright-eyed the flowers looked as they
watched so tenderly the last sleep of their
friend and lover; fresh bouquets of these
same flowers were in close companionsbip
with the cOffined remains of the dear de-
parted on the day Of the funeral; and tbey
sat lovingly near the bereaved ones. min
| Cling their perfumed breath with that of
sorrow. Nor did these flowers, so full Of
life and color, look out of place then and
there; for neither did Mrs. FairchiId nor
any OF her family wear Grape or the usual
| habiliments of woe-Or l should say, be-
reavement; for one may have woes more
agonizing than the sorrows of death can
ever make, and for which no mourners'
weeds are ever applied! 1t was one Of Har-
Old's last and particular requests, that his
nearest and dearest friends should not robe
themselves in darkness because he had pre-
ceded them to a land of light and blessed
ness. So Mrs. Fairchild wore the same hat
she had on when she last rode with Har-
old; the spray of forget-me-nots with which
it was ornamented was her sons admira-
ton; he thought she looked 'just heaven
ly in blue;" also, she wore the shawl of his
giving and wrapped it closer around her
for its having so recently covered his dear
form. Her face and not her dress told
tale OF love and repressed sorrow, which
rent ones heart to see. All the tender
newness of the loves experienced at the
birth of Harold came back to her now, in
tensifed by years of increasing devotion
and admiration of his noble manhood now
ending in silence and decay. But the bit
ter waters Of her grief were sweetened by
comforting words from Christ, Rev. Geo.
Newman and Harold.
Mr.. Newman, resting his hands on the
Bible without opening it, repeated, ''Bless-
ed are they that mourn, for they shall be
comforted." He spoke impressively of the
ministry Of sorrow and bereavement. How
ever hard to bear, life would be very emp
ty and superficial unblessed by adversely
and sorrows. ''Death, continued he, sis
a great humanizer, pruning our pride, en-
larging our sympathies, burying our ami
mosities, Frightening our faith, and un-
locking with his mystical Key the very
gates of Paradise, for with these dear be-
reaved friends most of US know how some
! angel Of our heart and household looks,
and loves, in the heavenly home"
''Harold being dead yet speaketh, ,"
continued the minister, as he unfOlded
letter written by him to young friend
present and read the following extract
therefrom: Il attended ch, ,Trch to-day and
heard the Rev. Mr.. c., a PresbyteIH eHrlan MN
lister, who said: Eternal life means e., 'rnal
Development I like the defnition-it
gratiiss the unsstisfed longings of nv
nature. 1 never imagined heaven to be a
theatre Of continual praise and song, filed
with rejoicing saints and precocious chill
dren. I believe our feelings or susceptible
tiles are a prophecy of the higher life we
are to attain when freed from the fetters Of
earth"
The next letter was to Mr.. Newman, and
read as follows:
Il am very glad to be able to reply to
your kindly inquiries concerning my feel
ings as [ approach the Unseen Shore
Placed as l am, near the border of two
worlds, the vision of both is wonderfully
grand. You know partings always make
everybody and everything look inexpreSsi-
bly, dear and charming. So this dear
Barth-this speck in Gods universe-tells
me all | know of His creative skill and all
pervading goodness. And in her warm
embrace | shall live again and shall help
to give color, shape and bloom to her
growth and greatness. And this is the
work of Earth, to change and rebuild with
her own elements to greater excellence.
To whatever growth and perfection the
spiritual part of my being may attain, I
feel instinctively, that eve hath not seen
nor ear heard Of the glOrieS that await rs.
The heaven we are labOring, PRAYING. hon
ing for, Christ said, is withinn-to be sure,
wish had more of il. You ask me if |
feel that | am wholly and truly Christ'sY
l am H1S Just so much as / am filed with
Hls unseltish love and the spirit of His
faith as given in His memorable sermon on
the Mount. am filed with unbounded
love and admiration of His character and
mission, so much so perhaps | shall be ad-
mltted to His presence. shall see Him as
de Is, and shall be more like Him. In
tins hope am Yours, HAROLD
These letters continued the pastor,
''are characteristic Of his honest, philO-
sophie, religious convictions, which did
honor to his living and dying. He had
little tolerance for shams or can't or the
utterances of feelings not possessed. To
the last his mind was marvelOusly calm
and cheering. In reply to a friend who
said to him, This is solemn time. y
''Yes," he responded, death may be sol
emn or terrible but more often it is
blessed angel Of deliversnee to suffering
humanity" Shortly after, with some diff
fculty, he added, Thank God! to die is
gainl" and with this testimony he left US
to dwell With Him whose love and precepts
we're his guide while here and his passport
to see Hin as He is, and to become more
like Him."
Mr.. Newman then prayed fervently and
feelingly for the beresved household and
friends Of the deceased and the services
were closed by quartette singing the
hymn commencing with eve shall be like
Him." Thus ended funeral which was
sad but not sable, and very impressive in
its beautiful memorial details Of love and