Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1877-06-14
Way Dcsl,oni?

Down the silent avenues Of the church
yard the man wonders 'pensive]y, and
listens to the silence that seems audible,
and to echo in the chambers of the sleep
ing thousands about him. Not a head
stone but tells of a life gone out! Not a
flower but speaks of wounded and weep
!ingaovc! Not a path but bears the i'm:
press Of mourning! Not blade Of grass
but bows before the passing zephyr as
something that is imbucd with the spirit
Of grief Hero is the narrow strip that
divides the finite from the limitless; the
known from the mysterious; the scalding
tear foods from the cold crystal streams
that flow on beds of holy sun shine that is
born of the smile Of God; the cold winter
from the perpetually blooming summer;
half blooming earth from full blooming
heaven; sin from the dazzling, sinless
presence OF the living God But the fu-
ture is untricd and unseen. The liielcss
form of the loved one is borne to the
silent city OF the dead, and when the clods
cover the caskct the tears hide heaven
from our sight, and we wonder where the
spirit is. Trembling amidst the solcmnity,
that lies like a mountain over the grave,
we would call the dear one back, but dare
not ask to go hence to meet the soul
whose absence we mourn. Conscience
makes us towards. 1nfidelity blinds us
to the brilliant morning Of which death
is the silvery day break. Listening only
to the deep silence Of the grave, and nev-
er hearing the merry chants which swell
like the oceans roar, and fill the dome of
heaven with faultless melody, the man
won ders Oh through the forest Of marble
slabs, shivering at every zephyr's touch,
and starting at every rustling of the foil
age upon the trees, until he reaches the
stone that bears his mothers name, and
then he pauscs to weep, and mourn that
he has been left to stain her N emory with
a life so unworthy of her holy teachings.
Deeper and deeper lie plungcs into
thought, until he laments his birth, and
wishes that he never were. "What is
life? Why lingcr here. amidst the barren
rocks, and showers. of tears, on which the
sunbeans scarce ever trace u rainbow,
when this clurcl: yard is the end of hfe's
aspirations, and a marble block the monu-
mcnt to .l;fe's achievements? z" Thus asks
the man al his mothers graves, while IA
ture is radiant with smiles, and heaven
is Overlooking wish promises. The chirp
ing bird in the tree that casts it shadows
On The sacred spot upon which lie stands,
The laughing rose that blooms upon the
mound beneath which his mother sleeps,
the dancing leaf upon the gentle breath
Of air, !he singing s'rcamlct tripping
down the ncighboring hillside, and the
wild glare of the sun above him, seem to
seek, but in vain, TO arouse him from his
cowarlice. -. 49,
There is no time or spot from the era:
die to the grave for man to sit, down and
despair. There never is a necessity in an
ambit;ousa and honorable life for man to
be respondent. IftAc mother is in the
churchyard his best friend is dead. She
who would follow him to the scafold and
kiss him in the belief of his innocence,
who would fold him, degraded, and for
saken by all except herself, to her loving
heart, haspassea beyond; the brightest
star of his life has paled; the. sweetcs,
flower on earth has faded; the lovliest
woman that ever lived is dead. -.... 49,.
But perhaps u sister remains. Next to
The mother, size follows the brother out
into the v,cisisitudes of life, watching his
footsteps, and guarding his interests, and
drawing him from evil to good, with a
solicitude and earnestncss which 10 heart
has ever experienced since dear mother
was borne amidst shower of tears from
the old homestead to where she has slept
Without waking for so many years. The
dear girl tries to fill her mothers vacant
chair. She has a smile ever ready to
light up the darkness, and a prayer ever
ascending for guidance to brothers. foot
steps. 1t is a stoid heart that wishes to
die with a sisters love illuminating the
pathway and warming the flowers into
fresh bloom, and the dropping grasses in
to vigorous vendure. 1t is not manly to
sit by the grave of the departed and per-
nit love like sisters TO go unrcquited.
Achieve for her, if not for yourself; weave
laurcls of fame for her brow, if you don't
wish them for your own; make her hap
ply, if you choose 10 be miserable.
But we all have friends-tlosc who arc
deeply interested in us-thosc who count
our welfare as sacred as their own-those
who are ever studying how to advance
our interest Why despair, why wish
that we never were while the hand OF
sympathy and love is thus outstretched:
Il we can not live for ourselves let us live
for others; if we can not make ourselves
happy let us strive. to make others happy.
If we will open our windows to the sun
shine it will pour into our chamber; if
we will open our hearts to gentle, encour.
aging influences they will fill it. Every
man can have friends if he deserves them
every soul can be loved if it merits it
Western Rural.
False lmprcsnois. #
i IS generally supposed by 4 certain