The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1879-02-07

ulHeIencS OF JeellDg between Ilcn aud
poor about death. Perhaps the habi-
tual plainness of spec ch about it among
the latter may contribute toward lessen-
ing the fear of it among them. But
there is an obvious and deeply pathetic
explanation OF their calmness in the pro-
spect OF it for themselves or for those
dearest to them. The hardness and
baroness of lie lessons its hold upon
them ) sometimes even makes them ieel
it not an inheritance to be, coveted for
their children. The dull resignation
with which they often say. the little ones
are better of !" when they.die, tells a
grieYous story OF tie struggle for mere
existence while the simplicity of their
faith in the upseon ~ r..,ss.ll-syes-il-is,r-
in its cheerfuls beauty. seth habits of
mind tend to diminish the fear of death
itself, as well as the unwillingness to
speak of it which belongs to more com
plicated states of feeling and more lux
urioHs habits OF liie"
1t oftimes happens, as in the case of
DR.. Johnston, that the man who has the
most morbid fear of death while in strong
bodily health, who. has fought against
| the horror Cf IL till he has suffered far
more than a hundred times its actual
terror during his lifetime, will pass
through it with the utmost serenity
when at last it really comes. Hence it
does not follow necessarily that what Is
needed to correct the excess of panic
with which death is contemplated, must
be something adequate to sustain the
soul when it actually comes, for those
who have most to sustain them in the
final crisis constantly suffer most in the
premature contemplation OF that crisis
while those, again, who have 40 morbid
fear of death till it is close at hand, may
be the least able to face it when it
comes"
as regards the painlessness of the
natural process of dying-.it is clearly to
be expected. All suffering, even faint
hess, which is often the worst sort OF
suffering, Is the struggle OF the principlr
of life against some physical disease o
failure which endangers life; and 50 long
as life IS strong the struggle may be ter
rible. But when life ebbs, the power to
suGer physically must ebb with it.
As the comiug of life is gradual and
unconscious, 50 analogy would apparently
be in favor of the last great change being
oraduoI oDd u1c0pso;o,,s too a1J ny s .
analogy suggests, observation appears t.
confirm Even in the case of violent
deaths, it may be fairly said that the
pain suffered is not due TO death, but to
the vitality of full health, since the SUI
| feriDg from acts of violence which are
the most pe@<y fatal. is usually less thar
the suffering from these which, though
dangerous, do not appear TO undermine
equally the vital strength. 1t is not the
man who suffers in being disembodied
and the suffering grows less, not greater
"a the life in the body dwindles.
" While life is sweet, we must need,
shrink, more or less, from what at least
locks like it's untimely termination.
it were not for the conventional associa.
ton of sorrow with death already referred
to, few, perhaps, would be selfish enough
OF wish to detain the aged from rest, anC
to themselves the prospect is rarely un
welcome; but for the young in theiI
spring time, or the middle>sged in thei
vigor, death necessarily involves a los,
which is not the less real, and need no
be the less keenly felt because it may b,
regarded as oyerbalanced by the gain
But the truth is brought home TO u
again and again, that we have not ligh
enough to choose by. Ia the dimness W,
can Isintly discern that lie has othe
kinds of completeness besides length G
days.
1t is not growing like tree
In bulk doth make man better be
Or standing long an OAK, three hundred ye Il
To fall log at last, dry, bald and sere.
l A lily off day
Is fairer farin May
Although it fall and die that night
1t was the plant and flower of light
In small proportions we just beauties see.
And in snort measure life may perfect be.
As the years go on there gathers s spe
cial radiance of eternal youth arotn
some of the figures from whom all on
hopes in. this world have been mos
sharply severed. There are lives s
rounded and crowned by their complete
deeds of love, that death seems to hav
! appeared in the fullness of their prim,
only to consecrate them forever; ethel
stand apart from human ties in a solitud
a | which makes time seem of little cons,
quence, and the grave a not unfamilis
@ country. In all these ca-~-4'o may 49,
: now see a fitneso-n what, aoo0raing l
mere reckoning of time, would be calie
unreasonable. And if we can cate
! glimpses of these thing from wlthou
! there are no doph+ .Ae.Ay inward drani'
! which --~-ssse5 to square themselves VIII
q the external framework of baman lite.
The Conseqepces of Laugh.
, Toronto Mail.
Particulars of the Lobo tragedy q
inst to hand. While Miss Walker W
. preparing breakfast the hired boy ma
her laugh, in the midst of which s
70 dropped dead. Her mother was abse
!, from home, bnt on returning md bel
10 informed of her daughters death, look
If at the corpse and expired within