The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-01-29
post.Mortem Love.

Why is it that so many people keep all
their pleasant thoughts and kind words
I about a man bottled and sealed up until
he is dead, when they come and break
the bottle over his coffin and battle his
] shroud in fragrance? Many a man goes
through life with scarcely one bright,
cheering, encouraging, helpful word.
I He tolls hard and in lowly obscurity.
He gives out his life freely and unstint-
edly for others. / remember such a
man. He was not brilliant; he was not
great; but he was faithful. He had
many things to discourage him. Trou-
bles thickened about his life. He was
misrepresented and misunderstood.
Every body believed he was a good
man, but no one ever said kindly or
pleasant thing to him. He never heard
a compliment, scarcely ever good
wish. No one ever took any pains to
encourage him, to strengthen his feeble
knees, to tighten his burdens, or to lift
up his heart by gentle deed of love, or
by cheerful word. He was neglected.
Unkind things were often said of him.
| stood by his coffin, and then there
were many tongues to speak his praise.
There was not breath of aspersiOn in
the air. Men spoke of self-denials, of
his work among the poor, of his good
qualities, of his quietness, his modesty,
his humility, his pureness of heart, his
faith and prayer. There were many
who spoke Indignantly of the charges
that falsehood had forged against him
in past years, and of the treatment he
had received. There were enough kind
things said during the two or three days
that he lay in the coffin, and while the
company stood around his open grave,
to have blessed him and made him hap
py all his 90 years, and to have thrown
sweetness and Joy about his soul dur
ing all his painful and weary journey.
But his ears were closed then, and could
not hear word that was spoken. His
heart was still then, and could not be
thrilled by the grateful sounds. He
cared nothing then for the sweet flowers
that were piled upon his coffin. The
love blossomed out too late. The kind
ness came when the life could not re-
ceive its blessings.
And said then that would not keep
all my kind words, and all my pleasant
thoughts and feelings about my neigh
Dor locked up in my breast till he is
dead. They will do him no good then.
His dead hand can not feel the warm
pressure. Gentle words will not make
his pale, cold face glow. 1t will be too
late, when he lies in the coffin, to seek
to make him happy, to lift the shadows
off his life, or to brighten his path.
1t costs but little to give men a great
deal of joy and help. One brought
bunch of flowers to my table, and for
whole week they filled my rooms with
fragrance. One wrote me cheering
letter, breathing spirit of gratitude
and love. 1t came when | was weary
and depressed, and was ike the meal
prepared by the angel for the old
prophet. l went on its blessed strength
for many days One met me on the
street and spoke an encouraging word,
and grasped me warmly by the hand;
and for hours | felt that warm grasp,
and heard that word echoing through
my. soul. A little child may brighten
scores of lives every day. There is not
one of us who may not gladden. and
strengthen many heart between every
rising and setting sun. why should we
not live to bless the living, to cheer the
disheartened, to sweeten cups that are
bitter, to hold up the hands that hang
down, to comfort those that mourn, to
bear Joy into joyless homes? Kind
words will not spoil man. If ser
mon helps you it will do the preacher
no harm to tell him SO. If the editor
writes an article that does you good, he
can write still better one if you send
him a word of thanks. If book bleSses
YOU, do YOU not owe it to the author to
write grateful acknowledgement? Ii
yon know a weary or neglected one,
would it not be such work as angels do,
would it not be Christ-like work, to seek
every opportunity to brighten and bless
that life? Do not wait till the eyes are
closed, the ears deaf, and the heart
stilled. Do it now. POSt-naOrtem kind
nesses do not cheer. Flowers on the
coffin cast no fragrance backward over
the weary days.-AnOnyn1OstS.
Hair Parfing-A Scientific Essay on