Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1897-09-24

Lena, daughter of NJ. II. Davis, died
Thursday the 10th inst, after long i'll
ness with consumption, in her 2Sth year
Funeral services were held at her late
home last Saturday, conducted by Rev.
A. E. Atwater, at which there was a
large attendance. The floral offerings
were very fine. A friend is moved to the
following reflections by the sad event:
The earth is bathed in autumnal tears ;
but not tor the dying year. There is no con-
Sstent grief but that which comes from re-
morse. Nature has or gives little cause for
grief because the latter comes not So much
from causes which are decreed or things
which are to be as from the manner in which
mortalS distOrt conditions fixed by kind de-
signs. Natures teardrops bedew the earth
it is true but only to subdue and mellow the
productions OF the dying year. So should
ours be made only to relieve and refresh the
mind. In all things known is creation, de-
struction. growth and decay, life and death
Without them all infinite design, purpose and
progress would stop. In vegetable life the
loveliest, most tender and delicate pass away
first, Just stopping moment with delicious
calculations while the sturdy oak with
stands the storms OF many winters. So in
human life many strong men and women live
far into the winter while the delicate die
early. Does kind and sensible nature mourn
u
to which it is entirely indebted for its super
nal beauty is taken away? And shall NOR
tails in endeavoring to rise above nature sink
below it in mourning because one is called
early. one who it may be was just sent to
show how fair flower might bloom in par
adise?
They say she died of cruel disease and
was led away by a hattering and deceitful
conductor If it is not by design then it GER
tainly is by a chance that is beyond human
comprehension and credulity that compensa-
tons are sent to assist and comfort the dy
ing. Chief among them are hope and resig
nation. The alluring establishments of that
suave disease consumption, although Great
ing vain hopes they yet serve to furnish hope
and comfort without which sutferings might
end in deliriouS agony instead of almost al
ways buoying up the afflicted with effective
though false hope till near the end, then
bringing sudden reconciliation to death
lust as i'll tropical clmes the most invitin :
fruits conceal the most subtle poisons, the
shade of the most luxuriant tree kills, or as
the vampire surrounds its victim with per
fumed air while it gorges itself with lite
blood, so do all the beauties and comforts of
life conceal it's evils. And although they at
times invite to danger by false confidence it
is not so in the case of consumptivcs, for the
kind nurse though never so eredulous is not
deceived, even while the victim may be, by
brilliant flashes of almost superhuman
beauty in women or temporary exhibitions
OF intellect in men.
And she to whom tender tribute is now
due, always a kind, amiable and good
hearted girl, grew patient, hopeful, and was
inspired by a silent womanly heroism more
intense because silent and secluded. Buoyed
up and cast down alternately by hope and
gloomy anticipations she exhibited traits re-
markable by those within the range of lin
tied observation and which warmed into
affection those who did not know her COM
pletely till she was gone.
Hearts are very sad now. But when that
period of loneliness which always accom-
panies death shall have passed by, when rea-
son shall have pointed out all the consola-
tions along the last year OF her quiet, painless
yet exhaustive walk, when friends reflect on
the refining process through which she was
passing, and when they see her sinking SO
quietly as if to slunber, and then so beauti-
iul in death that kind hearts are moved to
deity array her as if for festival, although
they cannot call her happy because they
don't know about that. they can but see her
there so careless, peaceful, restful, ana SO
still that they would shudder II any hand
should rudely disturb single detail OF that
choice and sacred situation. Mature minds
are comtorted by such resttul conditions.
But there is q delicate feature in the scene
that does not coalesce with its surroundings,
one little heart too turbulent TO harmonize
with the repose of such an atmosphere. The
grief of little girl child comes IRON unbound
ed unapprecatcd and unalleviated sorrow,
M ore deep because unknown unnoticed and
neglected and more bitter because the suffer
err sees no cause While to others the object
of her childish sentiments was one of a class
having certain traits common to that class
and a common destiny to the little one, her
idol possessed them alone and bestowed
them all on her. To this one death brought
nothing she would accept by way of recon-
peuse. But even for such kind nature has
provided bountifully in the des patch with
which the sorro VS. of the young heal and in
blending the object of them with living asso-
Citations until ii becomes simply a rich pure
memory, passioness and idealized. d.