South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1888-04-06

hard and her face wrinkled, Meth
er did they call to remembrance
that it was to her patient toiling
and self denial that they owed Ill
the advantages they had gained.
How many keartacbes she might
have been spared had they re-
warded her according to the sacri.
fees she had made on their be-
half. bot che was at rest now. And
it mattered not how weary and
foot core she had been dur1ng the
journey just completed; it WAS ov.
er and che was at home. safe 10
her Fathers Rouse. In mercy
her worn out body had not been
racked with 'torturing pain. and
the dreaded sgony Of q bitter par
ting from loved oiles had been
spared her., Yes che was 1t rost.
The tired expression on her f CO
bad given place to one Of peaceful
quiet while the poor drawn features
seemed rounded out into youthful
freshness and beauty. After years
of unrest and disquietude che had
fallen INTO sleep which awaited
no rude waking in the NOR ming.
The Gun would rise on The morrow
as it had cone thousands of times
before but the thought of the mo-
notonous rouhds that must be gone
over before it should set disturbed
not the sleeper, for with her II was
everlasting morning, and all her
cares and trials were ended. o
The remorseful tears of her hus.
band and the bitter self upbraiding
Of her children fell UNDECIDED upon
her closed ear. IF she only could
have heard the tender apprec,ative
words that dropped from their lips
or felt the warm teare that were
showered 80 plentifully upon her
cold face, how they would have
warmed aud cheered her frozen
heart but alas! they came to late,
she had gone out of life without
receiving any Of its sweet tender
ministries from those whe now
wept over her shrouded form.
For the fret time her heart did
not respond to the cries of her
children, nor her hand return their
pressure. She was at rest sleeping
the unbroken sleep that knows no
waking, but who could bring balm
to the broken hearted children who
gathered 80 disconsolately around
her bier? How all her love and
sacrifice rose up before them Low.
How could they have given pain
to one who lived and died in their
service? And wSo will cay that
the tears shed by the husband who
had snatched all flowers from the
path over which her weary feet
were forced to walk, were not
genuine? In his own way he had
loved her but until this hour he
had never realized how much of
life's sweetness he had shut away
from her, and all the flowers he
could heap upon her coffin were
utterly powcrless to atone tor the
kindness he had refused while she
travelled beneath bis shadows. He
may extol her virtues in fitting
eulogies, and chisel her good deeds
in imperishable maj BILE, but no ST.
ter love can bring back the shat
tered life whose best affections he
has sighted, or redeem the vows
80 heartlessly broken.
God pity the husband and chill
dren who, in addition to their crush.
ing sorrow. are compelled to bear
about with them the consciousness
Of having planted thorns in the
pathway of the stilled heart that
never throbbed bat in love for
them.
Oh! who is able to endure the
pangs of separation, with all the
heavy weight of unforgiven Nm.
kindness still pressing upon the
bleeding heart!-OBsERvsR.