Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-06-05
she Is Dying.

The following is subllmely beautiful
nd pathetic, and could only have been
lictated BY heart that has experienced
II tie bitterness that is therein ex-
ressed. Who is the author we know
OF. but suspect ii is an extract from
ume book. Ii any body can read it
llhOut moisture IN their eyes, aud
tones in their throat, they are worthy
Ofpty.
Hush She is dying. The sunlight
.lr,ams through the window-the room
fragrant with southern tiowers-large
.n.lk white African prmroses nghtln-
ale would stop to worship; jessamines
nd camellas with their large glossy
,ayes.
Through tie open easements steals
me iaint, musical tingle Of n playing
ounlain; the lignt tempered pleasantly
~ rose curtains OF embroidered satin,
With a halo bright as a rainbow.
1t is as if lresher sunshine were fall
ug earthward on tue bower Of beauty.
The canary sings il his gilded cage
her canary and the mocking bird raj
.es his clear notes higher and higher
on the periumed air.
Why do you clench your hands under
the nails and draw the rich rosy blood
through the thin quivering skin Why
do you grind your teeth together and
Mss between them that one word. hush!
It's beautiful home, am sure, aud
that lady with her hands upon her Boz
som is fair as any dream vision OF the
painter.
Surely, nothing could be purer than
that broad, high brow nothing brigh-
ter than those curls.
And she loves you, too =! All. yes,
any one can read that in the deep, yio-
let eyes, raised SO tendsrly to your own.
All. that is it ; your young wife loves
you.
She linked to yours the existence OF
an angel when she knelt beside you at
the marriage altar and placed her hand
in yours.
For twelve long golden Summer
manths an angel has walked or sat by
your side, or slept on your bosom.
You know it No mortal woman -ey-
er made your heart bow before parity
so divine.
No earthly embrace ever filed your
soul with the glory beyond the stars
no earthly smile ever shone unchang-
incly above all noi,esome things as
YOUR earthworms call care and trouble.
She is an angel, and other angels have
been singing to her in the long days OF
this pleasant June time.
'Hush,' you say, you can't shut the
anthem notes Of Heaven from those..un-
sealed ears-longer, lighter, swell the
h,mns OF the serapha brighter grows
the smile on your young wife's lips.
She whispers, Dearest, I'm almost
home. and | am going to ask God 10
ble,s youv But you cannot hear it
you turn away, and the big tears gather
in the violet eyes.
You had held her there on your bos-
Or all day-all night; are you tired
But YOU can't answer. Closer, closer,
you clasp the slight fair figure painful
| " you press your lips to the cold bro"
Carrie is dead !
What is il TO you that the sunshine IL
bright; what that it. cheerful rays Ial
on the broad lands our lands! what
- it now that she can walk on them no
more And what is death-her death'
Few people knew her F; no wise presi-
dent must be chosen to ill her place
no nation will raise monument to her
memory! But she was yoars' great
God of curs-yours all |!
No. yours aud Gods; and your years
of JOY are over; she rests on His Iosom
now in Heaven.
They have dug grave for her,
Spring flowers brighten over it and the
green grass smiles with the daisies aud
violets. You 20 there, and sigh and
pray, and ask God if you, too, may come
home And when no answer comes
your bright heart rises up in bitterness,
and with the bold, wicked words upon
your tongue, you pause, for your guar
dian angel locks down from HeaYen
and whispers, Hush !"