Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-05-09
Gales and Sketehes.
A LIFE FOR A LIFE.

like that indescrlbable Summer Sabbath
quiet that settles down upon country
farmhouse and its surroundings, had fallen
over number Of people who nearly filed
the modest rooms of the dwelling. These
were mostly women, excepting that in the
long hall that ran from the front door al
most to the rear of the house, sitting near
by two cofflns. there were twelve old gen.
tlemen, who wore upon their arms wide
ribbons of Grape tied in large double bow
knots-these manifesting the duty of the
hour that had fallen upon them.
We had looked at the two coffins, unpre-
tending and od-fashioned, standing side
by y-side. with their plates, on which were
engraved names strange to US, and the
aees-seventy-seven years in one instance
sixty-nine years in the other-and at the
occupants. as we had passed through into
a back room. @4
They were old, old faces upon which our
eyes. for an instant or two, had rested
They had lOurneyed to meet Death. lie
had not come to meet them. He had only
waited. A mans face, wrinkled and vast
ed; woman's face. aged and worn; but
upon them both an expression Of resttul-
ness and repose that conld not have es-
capped the notice of the most careless.
As we passed to the back room and
seated ourselves, heard my companion
whisper, more, perhaps, to herself than to
me. and rather as II the words came I'M
hidden to her lips: Z i0 ssaoH
"My grandmsmma has said, n ao
Poor old lady, she is dead
Long ago.
That he had Roman nose, 4a5w
And his cheek was like a rose
In the snow"
As we sat, we could look back still fur
ther through the house. into. first, what
was evidently the diniBg-room. and then
into an apartment beyond.
Had the doors all been Iurposely left
open? 1t was an attractive room, not in
the sense of being pleasant, but because
of it's strange appearance and surprising
furniture. or fitting up. ......-
The first thought that struck one in look
ing in upon 1t was that of freedom-es-
cape from confinement. A cage wherein
the shackles had been burst, the locks torn
off. the doors thrown open. a.
The floor was bare and rough, the sides
were windowless, and across the centre,
reaching the whole height of the room,
ran number of strong wooden bars shut
ting off by itself the portion OF the apart
ment furthest from us. The barred door
was swung wide open. A heap Of straw.
undisturbed from the position into which
it had been thrown. was lying iu one cor
ner, and stretching about the floor in ON
nous coils was chain of iron of which
one could count the links even from the
dis ance at which we sat- 4ai8l
MY eyes sought those of my companion
with curious wonder in them, directing
her attention to that which had excited the
feeling that they must plainly have ex-
pressed. There was simple but know.
ing nod of the head in answer, assuring
an explanation. .f,ss
The prayers had been recited, and the
quar,etle choir had wandered through the
music selected for the occasion with AS near
an approach to the boy as they could come
without the help of 4 musical instrument
when the silence which for moment had
rested upon the assembly was broken by
slight stir, as il some one was moving
who only moved with difficulty, and then
by weak but pleasant voice that was
low and musical at first, but which as il
proceeded grew louder, so that all could
hear distinctly. without, however, losing
anv of its musical tones.
We bent forward to see the speaker,
somewhat hidden from our view II was
almost as II he within the coffin had come
forth from it and was speaking 10 as.
A tall, erect old man, leaning lightly on
a staff. with plentiful white hair and pale,
wasted face, that looked more pale 0e-
cause OF the black eyebrows that over
stood the eyes, which age nor lime had
the least dimmed And the plaintive voice
took up the parable:
Il stand before you," IL said, "by the
wish-alnost the last expressed one-of
my dead friend here,' touching the coffin
AS he spoke, and leaving his hand resting
gently and tenderly upon il for a moment
For nigh upon seventy years now.
together we have stood shoulder to shoul-
der, and thank God that have been
strong enough to steady. comfort and
support him somewhat in the uncommon
that made up bis life. 1t
was his wish that should stand here this
afternoon and make known TO you his his
tory. the longest part of which is shortest
in telling. You are his neighbors and his
friends. for il he had an enemy, I, who
knew him best, knew II not. He dreaded
to be misiudged or misunderstood; but
while he lived, dreaded more to clear up.
Wy dCt VI uctu Vi nis OWu, Wuht
seem and was mysterious, strange and
to you all, whether OF his
own generation or these younger ones,
who. since they can remember. have seen
the tottering, feeble, sad-eyed old man
occasionally moving amongst them, like
a relic of the past. 'aiI
Fifty years ago! Fifty years ago, and
into what oblivion such brief period
will cast that which has been the most
the most talked about Fifty
years ago, no name was more prominent
or carried more weight with 1t in this
county. or. indeed. for many counlies
about here, than the name which my dead
friend bore. His father, who, in his time,
had made it illustrious, stood among the
strongest men OF his generation. q peer.
Wealth. social and political honors, ex-
alted positions at home and abroad, were
his for the asking. oftener without even
TIA. shat.
1--WE are standing now upon ground
that was once his property. Looking
from that window, sweeping with the eye
in every direction for miles. the gaze rests
upon what was also his. And YET, with
all the promises OF family that would
with their wealth carry the name down
tContinusd IN fourth psgs.I