The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-02-11
The Graves of Those We Love.

Tne Graves OF Those We Love.
The grave is the ordeal of true affection
1t is there the divine passion of the soul
manifests its superiority to the instructive
impulse of mere animal attachment. The
latter must be continually refreshed and
kept alive by the presence of its object
but the love that is seated in the soul can
live on long remembrance. The mere in
elinations of sense languish and decline with
the charms which excite them, and turn
with shuddering and disgust from the dis
NAL precincts of the tomb but it Is thence
that truly spiritual affection rises purified
from every sensual desire, and returns ike
holy fame, to illumine and sanctify the
heart of the survivor.
The sorrow for the dead is the only sor-
row from which we refuse to be divorced.
Every other We would seek to heal-eyery
other affiiction to forget but this wound
we consider it duty to keep open-this
affiiction we cherish and brood over in sol,
itude. Where is the mother who would
willingly forget the infant that persisted
like blossom from her arms, though every
recollection Is pangs Where is the child
who would willingly forget the most tender
Of parents even in the hour of agony
Who even when the tomb is closing upon
the remains of her he most loved, when be
feels his heart as it were crushed IN the
closing of its portal, would accept Of eoaso-
lation that must be bought by forgetfalnessg 2
No-the love which survives the tomb is
one of the nohlest attributes of the soul
If il has woes it likewise has Its delights
and when the overwhelming burst Of grief
Is ealmed into the gentle tear of reeollec-
tion-when the sudden anguish and the
eonvulsiye agony is oyer, the present ruins
of all that we most loved, Is scftened away
into pensive meditation on all that it was
in the days Of its loyelineSs-who would
root out such sorrow from the heart ?
Though it may sometimes throw passing
elead over the bright hour of gaiety, or
spread a deeper sadness over the hour of
gloom. vet who would exchange It even for
the song of pleasure aF the hurst of revelry?
Na-zthere 5 voice from the tomb sweeter
than song. There Is a remembrance Of the
dead, 10 which We turn even from the
charms Of the living. Oh, the grave 1t
buries every erroF-eovcrs every defect
extinguishes every resentment From Its
peaceful bosom springs none but fond re-
grets and tender recolleetioEs. Who can
look down upon the grave even of an enemy
and not feel companctiye throb, that he
should ever have warrei with the poor
handful of earth thAt lies mouldering be-
fore him.
Blu, the graves of those We lOyed-what
place of meditation There it is that
we call up 10 long review the whole history
Of virtue and gentleness, and the thousand
endearsnents lavished upon us almost un-
needed in the daily intercourse of intimacy
there il is that the tenderness Of the
parting scene, the bed Of death, with all
its noiseless attendance IS mute, watehful
assiduities the last testimonies of expiring
loye-oh, how thrilling pressure Of the
hand the faint faltering accents, stFag.
Cling in death to give one more assurance
of affection.
Az. 90 to the grave Of buried love, and
mediate There settle the account with
thy conscience for every past benefit unre-
Quilted every past endearrnent unregarsied,
Of that departed being who can never, never
return to be soothed BY their eontrition.
If thou art a child, and hast ever added
a sorrow to the soul, or furrow to the
silver brow Of an affectionate parent--if
thou art a husband, and hast ever caused
the fond bosom that ventured its whole
happiness in thy arms to doubt one moment
Of thy kindness or thy truth if thou art a
friend, aad hast ever wronged in thought,
or word, or deed, the spirit that generously
eonided in thee; if thou art lover and
hast ever given one unmerited pang to that
true heart which now lies cold and still be-
meath thy feet-then be sure that every
unkind look, every ungraeious word, every
ungentle action, win come thronging back
upon thy memory, and knocking dolefully
al thy soul-then be sure that thou wilt
lie down sorrowing and repentant ON the
grave and utter the unheard groan, and
pour the unayailing tear, more deep, more
bitter, because unheard and unavailing.-
Washington Lrriag.