Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-10-08

the imagination.
The prayer ended. but no one
moved. could feel the deathless
atmosphere OF the reluctant-to-part
fondness and love: tho unwillingness
to break away from that endeared and
enthrailed association of a vanished
life.
The bell begn 70 toll. Still no one
moved At last the uEdcrtaher lifted
the reins and there was sound OF
wheels. The horse stood before the
door, waiting for plrc.5e Tor the last
time
shall never cease to see that
strange ride to the grave. was
asked to so in the carriage with Com
gresham Grant, but assembled to the
seat with the uiLertaker, and
promised to return TO the town with
Mr.. Grant after the burial.
The road bewsen Warren and 9ris-
toll with its great trees, and its views
of the mount and OF the bay Is one OF
the most lovely in southern New Eng
land.
Through this we were to pass. The
procession formed, and moved slowly
away, but long after the bell had
tolled the years of the deceased.
There was little schoolhouse just
over the Bristol line. Placide had
once taken a great interest in the
school here and the children loved
him. Here the horse stopped. The
hearse being at the head OF the process
sion arrested the carriages. The bear
ers who were in the carriage behind
the hearse got ont, and tried to urge
the horse forward, but the animal
would not move.
He thinks 2lac.de is stopping
here, said the undertaken. | will get
down, go to the school house and re-
turn. Then he will go"
The undertaken cid So as soon as
he mounted his seat again the horse
moved forward.
The locusts We're singing in the tall
green trees. On the home meadows
there were great tests of ospreys
The white sails dipped on the blue
bay. The procession moved on in ST.
lence. Suddenly The horse turned in
to byway towards ruined cottage
buried in vines
The poor animal" said the under
taker. He thinks he is carrying
Placide to visit the Widow Fales
Placide used to 20 there, and carry
things that she needed in her old age
She is dead now" The procession
stopped and the lcrse stood still be-
fore the cottage.
Il Will have TO get down again, -
said the undertake., "and go to the
door. Then he will go on.
The procession presently was moving
again, but at every house that Placide
had been accustomed to visit the horse
would not 80 on until the driver had
gone to the door
We came TO he old grave yard in
the town at last 1t was near the
place where Jesse Lee had preached in
the times OF the New Lights The grave
lay open in the sun.
| got down from the seat and stood
by that new grave, opposite to Mr.
Grant, the congressman. The coffin
was opened and revealed the face of
Placide--it was visior-a revelation
beautiful, beautiful!
THE angel has fowll away from that
form; out of that lovely face, said the
old minister, Let us not weep for the
dead but pity the LIVING; to die is TO
be blest!"
Ny heart echoed "but pity the liv-
ing
They lowered the body. The bearers,
after the Rhode Island custom, took
each handful Of earth and dropped
1t upon the coffin in the grave. while
the old minister said Dust to dust.
The widow heard the earth fall on
the coffin. She lifted her veil, and
looked into the face OF Congressman
Grant.
1T was not defeat that killed him.
she exclaimed ut was that cruel,
cruel story! He was thin glass but
clear. Oh, my boy, my darling boy !.
am all alone In the world now; help
less, and my arms are empty Oh, my
friends, yau cannot tell how | feel
not many Of you know how mother
feels over the grave Of her boyl ] had
him in the cradle, and the earth era
dies him now in his last long sleep.
How he suffered--suffered withered,
withered!"
She sank down 70 the earth. and
lifted her hand, and cried-"The man
who told | pity the man who told!
pity the soul of the man who told. 1t
would be better Tor him to find the
silence of this grave-how can anyone
injure another in this hard world
Who was 1t? Who was the man that
told?"
The question seemed to rise In the
air with a spirit Of its own, to echo
among the trees. 1t repeated itself in
/ all hearts an ears.
/ A gentle girl moved through the 81
lent company, and touched the widow
on the shoulder.
Come Auntie, come awayit is all
right--there was nothing to be told.
| How thankful we ought to be that
there was nohing TO be told He has
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