Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-09-10

earthly soul and makes il fit TO Join the
company of the immortals.
The child died first. Its feeble struggles
were soon ended, and its little breath faded
away as softly as a zephyr. With long
convulsive kiss the dying mother gave il
to the arms of the father, he kissing il
reverenlly in turn and passing it to those
who would prepare it for burial. But
there was neither sob nor tear. They had
passed for the time beyond the limits OF
such purely earthly things, and all was
said, all told, that could possibly have
been between them, when their trembling
fingers were clasped as never to be separa-
ted, and their lips met only to be sundered
by death.
Husband" at length breathed the sor-
row. distracted wife in the feeblest and
most painful of accents, "weep not for our
darling l shall soon, very soon, follow
him. You-you will be left behind. But
you will not forget us-will keep our
graves from weeds and plant flowers
over"
Hush! Mary" he faltered. "Linger
but Il little, and will go with you"
YouP she questioned, starting up with
momentary strength. =" 1t cannot be that
you also are doomed?"
1t is true, but let not the knowledge
trouble you. care not to stay when you
are gone, but while life remains will not
shrink from duty 10 others. That done,
II
With the cry as of breaking soul she
threw herself upon his neck ,and the closed
fountains were re-opened and their tears
commingled.
The instrument licked forcbly the sum.
mons to attend-the living were hanging
upon the acts of the dying. He laid the
trembling form gently down, kissed her
feverish lips with ones equally burning,
whispered that he would Immediately re.
turn, and parted to never again gaze upon
her living face or hear her sweet voice
this side of eternity.
Dead Wife and child deadr' he
hoarsely whispered, and with n mighty
burst of grief, rs re returned. "And | am
alone"
There was not an unmoved heart, not a
dry eye, MS he knelt down and smoothed
the dark locks of his wife and golden curls
of his baby-boy. Time, place and sur
roundings considered, there never could, be
picture of more utter desolation.
Gone gone! May God take them with
in His sheltering arms, and pity-pity
me.n
AS one bereft of reason he sat in un-
broken silence, with his eyes fixed in stony
gaze when the body was made ready 10
give back to mother-earth. The physician
laid his hand upon his arm and spoke to
him unheeded; kind friends attempted
consolation, but he knew it not. To everv-
thing passing around he was deaf until the
long familiar clicking of the instrument
fell upon his ears, and the strength OF
obedent habit broke the icy spell.
The hours passed; messages were sent
and returned. With the most terrible of
fevers shooting through limbs and back
with tongue becoming dry, black, ,shrivelled,
the breath irregular and laborious; with
biting cramps at the vitals; with horrible
collquative sweats; with reeling brain
with sinking of every mortal power; with
the black vomit claiming him as his GER
tain prey, he still sat- with eyes fixed upon
the pulseless forms of beloved wife and
child, fighting for duty-mechanically
working-the dying struggling for the
living.
But suddenly he reeled, and would have
fallen had not the arm of the physician
sustained him as he urged:
One more message, only one. For the
love of Heaven, try again"
The chilling, almost nerveless fingers
once more rested upon the key; the ex-
hausted form was nerved; ghastly smile
of consent rested upon the features, and
answer was painfully breathed:
- will try"
Mind for the mement triumphed over
matter. The all-important words sped
along the wire, and to them was added:
You will hear no more. I-die-at-
my-post-and-"
What followed no human eve could de-
cipher. 1t was the message of dissolution,
the rolling of the key by the spasms of
the departing soul-and the operator fell
back dead
Every age has its heroes; scarcely a
year passes but some one gives up life for
his fellows; but none Drawer can be found,
none more noble in any land or time, than
he who sat in the presence of dead wife
and childdyng by inches-forgetting pain
and sorrow and dissolution that others
might live-and died at his post. Not in
the history of earthly fame may it be
written, the world may never know it to
keep in reverence, but when the books of
the angels are opened will be found recor-
ded in letters of gold the name of him
who proved, MS perhaps never before:
The most fitting place for man to die
Is where he dies for man! !"
Give us the name, o South! when the
heavy burden is lifted from our hearts and
health sits smiling by your hearthstones-
give us the name of the hero, that we may
remember and honor. 1t is not yours to
selfshly keep; it belongs to the north us
well to carve in marble and perpetuate in
brass belongs to the entire world TO stand
weeping around such II grave.-N Y.