The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-01-19
PAGAN ELOQUENCE.
Touching Grafton by Col. Inger-
SOIL mt "a Child,s Grave.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6.-In a re-
mote corner of the congressional
cemetery this afternoon, with I'M
covered heads, were ranged around
a newly-opened grave a small group
of the friends of Detective and Mrs.
George o. Miller, who had gathered
to witness the burial OF their bright
little son Harry, recent victim of
diptheria. AS the casket rested
upon the trestles there was d pain
full pause, broken only by the mo-
theirs sobs, until the undertaken adj
vanced toward Il stout, florid-com-
pleXioned gentleman i'll the party,
and whispered to him, the words
being inaudible 10 the loOkers-on.
This gentleman was Col. Robert G..
Ingersoll, friend of the Millers,
who attended the funeral at their
request. lie shook his head when
the undertaken first addressed him,
and then said suddenly: "Does Mr..
Miller desire it" The undertaken
gave an affirmative nod, Mr.. Miller
looked appealingly towards the
noted orator, and Colonel lngersoll
advanced to the side of the grave,
made a motion denOting desire
for silence, and in voice of ex-
quisite cadence delivered one of his
characteristic eulOgies for the dead.
The scene was intensely dramatic.
A fine drilling rain was falling,
and every head was bent and every
ear turned to catch the words of
eloquence and hope that fell from
the lips of the distinguished speaker.
Colonel Ingersoll was unprotected
by either hat or umbrella, and his
invocation thrilled his hearers with
awe, each eye that had previously
been bcdimmed with tears bright
ening, and sobs becoming hushed.
COLONEL INGERsOLL's GRAFTON.
Colonel Ingersoll said:
"My friends, know how vain il
is to gid grief with words, and
yet | wish to take from every grave
its fear. Here in this world, where
life and death are equal kings, all
should be brave enough TO meet
what all the dead have met. The
future has been filled with fear
stained and polluted by the heart
less past. From the wondrous tree
of life the buds and blossoms fall
with ripened fruit. and in the COM
mon bed of earth the patriarchs and
babes sleep side by side. Why
should we fear that which will come
to all? That is, we cannot tell, we
do not know, which is the greater
blessing-life or death. We can
not say that death is not
a good condition. We do not
know whether the grave is the
end of this life or the door
of another; or, whether the
night here is not somewhere else q
dawn. Neither can we tell which
ing in his mothers arms before its
lips have learned to form word, or
he who Journeys all the length of
life's uneven road, painfully taking
the last slow steps with staff and
crutch. Every cradle asks us
Whence ? and every coffin =
'WhitherT The poor barbarian,
weeping er his dead, can answer
these questions as intelligently and
satisfactorily as the robed priest OF
the most authentic creed. The tear
full ignorance of the one is just as
consoling as the learned and I'M
meaning words of the other. No man,
standing where the horizon of life
has touched grave, has any right
to prophesy future filled with pain
and tears. Ii may be that death gives
all there is OF worth to life. If
those we press and strain against
our hearts could never die, perhaps
that love would wlther from the
earth. May be this common fate
treads from out the paths between
our hearts the weeds of seltishness
and hate, and / had rather live and
love where death is king than have
eternal life where love is not.
Another life is naught unless we
know and love again the ones who
love us here They who stand with
breaking hearts around this little
grave need have no fear. The larger
and nobler faith in all that is and is
to be, tells us that death, even at its
worst, is only perfect rest.
We know that through the COM
mon wants of life-the needs and
duties of each hour-their grief will
lesson day by day, until at last the
grave will be to them place Ofrest
and peace almost of joy. There is
for them this consolation-the dead
do not suffer. If they live again,
their lives will surely be as good as
ours, who have no fears. We are all