St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-11-05

be any praise, think on these things"
AS guides and teachers that father and
that mother repeated the picture OF the
good pastor that Goldsmith has drawn
in "The Deserted Vilage:"-
"And, as bird each fond endearment tries,
To tempt it's new-fedged offspring to the
He tried each art, reproved each dull delay,
Allured to brighter worlds, andled the way"
Bows grew to be men and entered the
arena Of life. The estate was sold, and
father and mother were enabled to rest
for time from their over-busy lives, and
in the poets words,
ITO husband out lifes taper at the close,
And keep the flame from wasting by repose."
But these last years were the busiest
years. Selfimprovement was the watch
word. Making their home in college
town, they became the rallying center of
the most intelligent and high-minded
students in that college.
The father soon died, but the sincere
lamentations that arose from the ranks
of his Young student friends showed that
though "he rested from his abors, his
works still followed him."
Then the beauty and force of the
mothers character appeared as never
before. Her rooms became the chosen
resort of students who studied and read
and conversed with her, and went away
from her presence better men. She took
up the study of French and German, and
such was the discipline that her mind had
received from her early study, while as
busy as the busiest among her farmhouse
duties and growing children, that she
achieved signal proficiency in these studies
when over sixty years OF age.
Then came failing sight, which had
long threatened, and to anticipate which
she had, with almost fevered eagerness,
striven to store her mind with gems of
the best literature, sacred and secular.
The shadows closed about her; but,
though the sun was darkened, her soul
was bright and unclouded,-no shadow
dwelt therein. Her souls habitation was
no prison-house. She would sit for
hours,-alone, yet never lonely-for she
had within that soul the society of the
great and good of all ages, and in her
well.stored memory had friends that she
had "grappled to her soul with hoops Of
steel" Never was there Ener llluStI d
ton of the poetslines;
"For age is opportunity no less
Than youth, though in another dress;
: And, as the evening twilight fades away.
The sky is filled with stars invisible by day.
And when the great heart was stiled
forever, the February storm ragged wildly
without, but within was peace. About
her was gathered group of men, hel
sons, from whose hearts arose the words
"They shall arise and call her blessed,
for in their earliest thought her life hat
been il closest sympathy and contact
with their own, and they could truly say
what we have and are is thou ant
!, thine"
Pardon me for dwelling so long upor
this history. 1t is the record OF one wht
. had been my first, my last, my best, m,
wisest teacher. was one of that groul
, of men, gathered about her on that wilC
February day. Twas at her knee tina
| l had learned to say, "Our Father" He
f life was an inspiration, her death bene
, diction; her memory will ever be rio
= legacy; in her day and generation sh
: met and filled the greatest OF educationa
needs.