Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-10-08
Part TT

Part II
1 had not long TO wait 1 had nc
sooner come to The grea! open lawn OF
the old house, which seemed to stand
sideways to the sea, after the manner
of many houses on the coast, than ]
was recognized by an acquaintance
who said to me, You have just ar
rived. This is a sad Gay. Let me in
troduce you to my friend Congressman
Grant. He has come down from Provi-
dence. Mr.. Grant, DR.. Brown, our
new physician.
A tall man, with restless eyes and a
nervous palor, bowed. I saw at a
glance that the face was not a happy
one; l saw also that the man was suf-
fering from want Of sleep.
Well" said -4e, eur friend Placide
has gone and left u.s.
| analysed this cheap, make-shift
provincial sentence. Placide had nct
been my friend, nor had Grant been q
true friend to Plaeide.
"Our friend Placider' The words, l
fancied, somehow pictured his soul, and
they struck me Unfavorably
81 am not feeling we'll today he
continued, Il have lot slept we'll of
late. I go to bed and close my eyes,
but my thoughts go Gil. / wish that l
could get one nights sleep. I must.
l cannot live in this way Can you
help me, doctor?"
Here was patient at once, my first
patient, ano he congressman. |
glanced at his face-there was a set
tied shadow on it; it recalled the mys-
ferrous words of Luther, the undertaken
And it was night
Il am studying to be a specialist in
nervous troubles I answered, land |
have new remedies that I think might
help you. I will speak to you about
it later if you wish l.
A solemn voice rose on the dreamy,
sunny air.
"a man that is born of woman is
of few days and full of trouble
1t was the minister. The old clock
had struck one IN the still, crowded
rooms. The Clergyman, a tall man
with white hair AMI a well nigh celes-
tial face, had moved 10 the open door,
and was speaking 60 that the congre-
cation within AMI without might hear.
Like a clear bell The voice rose again,
after a solemn pause.
Lord, thou hast been QUIZ dwelling
place in ell generations. Of old thou
hast laid the foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of thy
hands. They shall perish, but thou
shalt endure.
There was the same reverent silence
during the slow utterance of these
majestic words of the Hebrew poets.
The wind from the bay scarce stirred
the leaves of the trees, or the flowers
in the open windows. There followed
long pause, when suddenly an Incl
dent changed the scene.
The undertaken had arrived, and had
brought before the view of the
"Whoar'
To me the exclamation following the
lofty strains of Hebrew poetry, was
comlcal. But it had not so impressed
the audience. The rooms suddenly
became white with handkerchiefs.
The horse stamped his feet. Men,
strong men, bowed down and cried,
knew not how it was, but 1 found
tears coming into my eyes. The
horse stopped. Stopped! there was a
parable in it. Stoppedi
The old minister cleared his throat
to speak again
81 have seen the flower blooming on
it's stalk, but"
There was a tremendous sound OF
weeping in the still air of the rooms.
He paused. The crushed balm beds
under the windows filled the place
with fragrance. The wings Of the
purple swifts in the ancient chimney
brought to mind the familiar associa-
ton of happy summers in vanished
years.
81 cannot preach a funeral sermon
today" said the old pastor, "a mans
life is his true funeral sermon, and
words to that are as empty as air
My friends, you all knew the heart Of
Placide. To die is to be blest. Let us
pray
Every one is weeping. l was never
in such an atmosphere of simple and
unaffected grief. l turned to stud!
the face of Congressman Grant.
It was not that of a mourner, it wa:
that of a stone, save that his eyes
seemed moving like shuttles. Th'
/ spirit OF the simple affecting scene
was in my view gnawing at his hear
and burning into his brain. I said tt
myself that that man one day would
/ become insane, and that his insanit.
would take some strange form of reve
| lation as is usually the case when tn
conscience unsettles the brain through
the Imagination.
The prayer ended but no on