The Southern herald., 1883-07-21

50 s1dasnly afon he onea haFFy nomfi ne
hasty uhispsF ana startled lsok With uhieh
y0a ere greeted si he doori in The silent
pressure q lhs bia5. The mufisd fall Of lhs
isoi. yea rseognizs bsi lee veil The presence
81 he. dread messenger. snd koOw that the
Cat Of 0nbiPolsnes. Uslo dusl sbali thea
return" hss addsd another sleeper to The
silsai city Of lhs dead. This lime Azrasl
bss laid his band upon husband and father,
s'ss Wky shOald these little children Be rObsd
il garments Of such sombrs bus. OF Why
does The wife sii hoaF after hour 10 her silent
shsmbsF. a mortal sgOny looking ont from
Der tsarlsss eyes, that causes youf Own heart
to weep iOr hsr suffering. yet freezes upon
your lips The words Of consolation that
sympathy bids yoa utter. You might point
to the blessed promises that are craven uPOu
the shining walls Of the New Jerusalem
to the peace and unulssrabls joy which His
believing children fud beyond the grave )
to the streets Of gold. the streams Of living
waters, the spoilers robes and erOwus Of
sssrusl glory; but those stony eyes wilI'nOt
turn from the vacant chair, that widowed
heart is as dead to your pleading as that other
heart mOuldsFiOg to decay 10 its tomb. The
songs Of rejoicing angels. as they welcome
the soul redeemed, may be borne to your ears
On the wings Of faith aud hope, but sbs listens
oaIy to the rush Of the waters that have swal'
lowed up her hearts idol, she hears Ihs rattle
Of the slOds as they seem to mock at hsr grief
aud = darkness akin to despair falls like q
pail over hsr soul. The light Of her life has
gone out, snd the present. once bright, has
changed to gloomy night which The future
may never cheer with one ray Of hope OI
one promise Of rest. And the dead ! He
who has been called from that home, from
, that woman whose heart lies moaning in at
seOny Of blood more terrible than tears
from those tender babes, but hall conscious
ol their lOssi
Across the silent river, standing upon ih'
} Invisible shore, the dead man is waiting, ant
: waiting fOrevsrmOre.
Ashes. TO ashes-Draw nearsr,fOr the grav,
!, Is but little dent in the bosom Of the earth
: and that tiny easkst must contain the form
/; Of tender babe. The Reaper who did no
!, spars the man 10 the pride Of bis streugtl
and vigOr. has plueksd the tender flower tha
4 bloomsd 10 helplsssuess and innocence al bi
!, feet. The man struggled and fought will
the waters that swept him into the unknown
!, world but silently and peacefully, like th
passing Of q pleasant dream, the little bab
was borne from it's mothers arms to ih
bosom Of Him who was grisvsd on earth ths
little children were forbidden His presence
How the mother yesrns for her lost treasure
the strong heart Of the falher is melted I
tears, aud the voice Of the minister, repeatin
the solemn service, trsmbleS with an smOtiO
he cannot suppress. It Is the time for tear'
Let them flow 10 upon the stricken hearts
aud heal the bleeding wounds. Throw th
= damp earth upon that tender form; raise th
tiny mound that flowers may bloom upon il
:. summit; mark the sacred spot with a marbl
It slab; guard II with loving care, for unde
q that mound and those flowers lies purit
B. that the earth cannot tsrDish, that Oulrival
of the wbitsness Of the memorial stone, an
,s which is not excellsd even by the angels I
is Heaven. The household pet bas flown, an
ls the little cradle is empty; the mother an
r, father sit musing BY the hearihstoue au
Sigh for the innocent praitle that will new
make music 10 their hearts again; the so
r. garments that once clothed The tender liml
IL are laid carefully awsy-aud the babe :
a Across the silent river, standing upon II
te invisible shore the dead child is Waitin
:" and waiting torsvermore.
o. And The spirit to God who gave it-FOI
is the cold hands msekly over the gentle brsas
e close the soft eyes from which the lOveligl
70 has forever faded smooth back the iaugl'
masses Of hair from the spOlless brow; uI
"a clasp the sliffened fingers and lay with
b them fragrant white roses fit emblems Of Il
~ pure 10 heart. All there is sorrow 10 th
i household. indeed. The cry for mothe
1e mother" that issues from the lips Of Il
II frightened children, falls unhssded upon Il
=, solemn stiffness Of the room 10 which deal
bs is the king the husband in bis sgOp
~ reaches out bis band toward the still forr
q bat no answering clasp meets him 10 tOk'
:, Of love. The voice that never Tell upon b
h ear save 10 accents Of tenderness ia hushl
= in death. aud the heart that once beat 7
spOnsivs 10 bis own, hes ceased its pulsatiOI
forever. Other friends msy gather abO
n him, bat there will be none to take the pla
as Of the dead. Other hands may seek
"a