The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-04-26
Fragment Frotn d PnasralI set4ics.

II fN Inc environment was sym.
Pathetic. The sky was gray with sullen
clouds, and the bare trees, across. the
street caught the somber reflection.
Winter had here and there uncovered
the grass, which, dead, broYn-hued,
4 suggestive Of the streaming hair Of a
drowned woman. intensified thedepresss
ing effect of the. surroundings.
The great stone residence, spirited,
bright.s sattfactiye under the sunhght.
7 when the grass was green and the plants
in blossorn, now loUined up with the sad
ness of maapsolenmy Long STEAMERS of
! Grape on the door writhed in the chilling
winds Ike the serpent locks of Medtisa.
The 1somberl learses the fdark earaidges
scattered and waiting along the street,
/ the little groups whispering soleniriy as
| theyEstooa like statues in the grounds,
sb added detection to what was already
gloomy and funereal. ''ss @s4 sN9i1Pi
+ Within the house utfew had gath-
cred. Some curiosity hunters, those who
haunt funerals from the morbid prompt
ings 1cheerfess natures, some distant
4 acquaintances, were seated In the great
1 yestibnfe. In room to the left Some
womenlYeHe assemblies whose faces wore
Ian expression of conventional sorrow,
!. and who glanced fnrtively but decorousIy
at each others garmentsgn Through the
4 wide doorway between the vestibule and
the parlor there was q room, dffnly
lighted, in which,one sawthe cofinIwith
TEits raven wrappings and the dull CLEAN
4 of the metallic hanales.e About it were
seatedithree. or fQHg .naen, whitey lared, l
Il not relatives, Well-to-do in appearance,
come, 'iaslt were, to look on the faes of
thelyo man, and to figure for them-,
1aSelVes yet long extensienSsOf their lease
of life. because they were, of the old
stock, and not like this new generation.
/ which, effet6 and sapless, falls from the
branch long before maturity TheS gath
i cred nope from the dead face near them:
ladWeiafe of the olaen stock, that oakeil
fbered stock which claims a century as
4 its 81 are of time.' And the gray hairs
4 trenbled with the paralytic3 Satisfaction
which peryaded the soulsof these yenens
4 able men. No mourner. was in sight,
|; The fair yoHhg wife had hidden herself
and heriserrosv,1 Only those who aknews
tEeould recall dark-clad figure, which for
"a day and a hight had sat beside ! The
coffin, and, unmoYed asa statues with
head resting on hand, had never taken.
il her eyesfroin the face of the dead. e I
a tallp gsunt man; with priestlg lfDbes
4 and book OF prayers, came into the yesti-,
4 bule.t He was one Of the men whose
rugged faceindieates the beatingof many
storms. Stern, ,resolute, with clenehed
teeth. when in repose he seemed one who
would force the gates of heaven with a
llsledge-hammer rather than gain an en-
trance by humble eontrition and life
longs earnest solicitation .Thiektfunz
kehpt hair, sprinkled with gray, added
to the strength of his appearafiee..i He
IL did not seem at home there He did
not appear like one who could soften his
1 looks. and slbdue bis. expression to the
i gentleness iii harmony With the grief Of
an ordinary lbereas oHessaqgHsted
i a sinking steamer in, midsocean, the
i hurricane lashing the Sea, the shrieking
of men anaWomsn, ! and himself ftSnlas
a rock, updismayeds with, erect figure.
i and commanding voice that rose over
| the Storm commanding their sofas to
Heaven, as with uplifted hand he pointed
i to . place through and above the howl
| ing tempest. gas anls8iTgr nG 8s
He opened his book and commenced,
i reading the solemn service for the dead.
Hesread: :ess For a. man waIkethiin a vain
shadow. and disguieteth himself in vains
4 he heapeth up riches and cannot tell who
shallsigather thenk hAadDnew, Iofai
what is my hope?'n' At this, instant there
/ came great sob from the head Of thu
stairway that qiipered9 . thfo,1e4i G the
hearts of the ausdiencee,i A moment be-
fore there was an indifference. the tnexf
VeFkt
every pulsation was tremulous with SYM
Ipathy. He read on. and at brieEinter-
walls there came ths sQRbing mean Of the
Afiwife. like The antiphone of a choir, each
,resp6hss aceeh t1asifg aud emphasizing
the solemn word Of. the reader And. he,
read: 9 AbsolVe, O Lord, we beseech
Thee. the soul Of Thy sefyan6g thats dead
unto thesWoFld, it MAJ, ixs4pnto, Thee,
and whatsoever sins it hath committed
II through the weakness of the fiesh wash
n away by the, pardon of Thy -merciful
love- In place of the usual sob there
carhea solemn and prageifuI q 'sanenssi
from the, antiphope. that smoanedT and
sohbed from above; an amen so urgent
4 sopnadin9. soieEnphafie,e etli bat it seemed
\ l,freighted with all the hopes and fears of
! theliving one. and the destiny Of him that
4 was dead
itx4r6ever before was there aseryice if
!. which there came snehlWeirlh and pow
4 full effects. The Customary mass of
yhgfief Chat ehifvelops the coffin, and to
] which, the world has grown calfohsed;I
was absent. There was no expectation
y of , pafnfdf scene the btltss men bf' The
world whols olsatabent llaaconelndaa that
n Ia was to be cold ceremonial with. no.
4 ACCESSORIES of Grape and fearful pat attings.
4 Ii was while IN the very midst of this
/ feeling ti1at.IhesEnsmdl1hs nnoaa thrilled
I doWn from above. which, as it cams. at
Brief Intervals, soenip pIiasized TIE solemn
4 words, and soIeonse ped fghag4efGofs the
ndurner that pulses became trenulous
-1 and eyes filled With tears among men
wlioI Gfron Gpnstsaas contaeE With this
I world. had become indifferent. to. .eYery
Il ordinary phase of suffering ana grief. =
IA SfH,fcnuo Mems ps------zszr-
s1ig zYf9 aifI9 1n- gIsna1 -ssEod eli
sblf - Is, sssat 4 ~ gLI 10 Gss4I