Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-02-19
Unconscious Farewells.

Every hour there are partings, thought to
be only for little season, which prove to
be forever. One morning gentleman bade
his wife and child goodbye, and went out to
his work. There was an accident on the
street, and before midday his lifeless body
was borne back TO his home. 1t was ter.
rible shock, but there was one sweet com.
fort that came with wondrous power to the
crushed heart of the young wife The last
hour they had spent together had been one
of peculiar tenderness. Not word had
been spoken by either that she could wish
had not been spoken. She did not know at
the time that it was their last conversation
and yet there was nothing in it that left one
bitter recollection, now that she should meet
her husband no more. And through all
these years of loneliness and widowhood,
the memory of that last parting has been an
abiding joy in her life, like fragrant per-
fume, or a bright lamp Of holy peace.
We all know how kindly it makes us feel
toward any one TO sit beside his death-bed.
We are spending our last hour with him.
We would not utter harsh word nor cherish
a single grudge against him for the world
All our coldness melts down before the eyes
that have deaths far-away look in them
All the long-frozen kindly sentiment in our
hearts toward our friend is thawed out as we
have our last intercourse with him. Then
we all know, too, how sumbering love
awakes, and cold spirits warm, and all the
chill of sel6shness dissolves beside dead
mans coffin. Every one feels kindly then.
Not trace of grudging or bitterness fingers
in any heat Sights and wrongs are for
given. Icy winter changes to mellow sum
mer. Loving words of gratitude or appre-
citation flow from every tongue. Praise and
commendation, never spoken when the weary
spirit needed them so much, find free ex-
preston when the heavy ear can hear them
no more. Men feel themselves awed in the
presence of eternity, and heartily ashamed
of their wretched spites and petty animosi-
| ties aud cold mechanical friendship.
Now how it would bless and beautify our
| lives if we could carry that same thoughtful,
grateful, patient, forgiving, loving spirit
into our everyday intercourse with each
other if we could treat men with the same
gentle consideration, with the same manly
sincerity, as when we sit by their death.bed
if we could bring the p0st.mortem justice, ap.
probation, gratitude, charity and unselfsh
kindliness back into the vexed and burdened
years of actual toilsome life And it would
be impossible TO live otherwise, ii we but re.
allied that any hours intercourse with
another might be the last. If a man truly
felt that he might be spending his last day
with his family, taking his last meal with
them, would not his heart be cleansed of all
harshness, bitterness and selfshness and
would not his feelings, his very tones, be
charged with almost divine tenderness
If mother felt that to-day might be the
last that she would have her child with her,
would she be so impatient of its endless
aatl uaH hn lfg tlru
so fretted and vexed by its faults and
thoughtless ways ? Would we be so exact.
ing, so calculating, so cold and formal, SO
undemonstrative, so selfish, in our inter
course with our friends, if we truly believed
that to-night's sunset might be the last We
should ever behold, or that we should never
meet our friends again
II thou dosi bid thy friend farewell
i,ui tot one night though that farewell may be
Press thou his hand 10 thine;
How canSt thou tell how far from thee
Fate caprice lead his steps ere that tomorrow comes
And days have grown TO months,
And months % laging years, ere they have
Looked In loving eyes again
@ s h oE & SS %e & e ,I ss see ssSe word
Night and day, regret should walk"
With many lonely heart regret does in
deed walk night and day, because of tn,
memory Of unkind words spoken which cal
never be unspoken, since the ears that hearC
them are deaf to every sound of earth
Friends have separated with sharp words, o
in momentary estrangement through SOM
trivial difference, end have never met again
Death has come suddenly to one OF them o
life has set their feet in paths divergen
from that moment. Many bitter aud un
availing tear, bitter because unavailing, il
shed over the grave of a departed one b,
one who would give worlds for single mo