The Valentine Democrat. [volume] (Valentine, Cherry Co., Neb.) 1896-1898, 1898-01-20
WHAT HE SAW IN HEAVEN \
Nan Once Dead Describes Beauties OF
Life Beyond the Grave.

Nan Once Dead Describes Beauties OF
Life Beyond the Grave.
With dull. listless eyes that shine at
intervals with strange light OF expect
ancy, William Graham lies at his poor
seaside home at Santa Monica, gasping
away his life, yet anxious to see the
end that will take all care and the pain
Of the consumption that has been slow
ly killing him.
Death has no terrors for him, for Gra-
ham has already been caught In its
clutches, and it brought to him such
peace, beatific happiness as comes to
only those who have passed over, Dur
ing the brief period that Graham was
one Of deaths victims he visited heaY-
en- and enjoyed such delight that he
lies eager for the cold embrace OF the
dark angel to settle upon him and re-
store him once again TO happiness OF
which he had no conception before his
first death.
''Oh, what brought me back2 Why
did you do it? 1t was all so beautiful"
he family gasped, when he was re-
stored to life through the embraces and
exertions of his child-wife.
1t was 6 o'clock Saturday evening
when the watchers at the bedside or
young Graham saw that the end was
near. His breath came in short gasps
that grew shorter and sharper, and at
last died away. They seemed to hear,
too, the death rattle in his throat and
see the death damp upon his brow
His wife was led shrieking from the
room, and the despalring father, hop
ing that his son still lived, felt for
the heart beat, but all was still. Gra-
ham had passed to better world.
When l left this carth," he explain
ed to friends afterward, Il awoke to-
find myself in n beautiful country, q
land of rich, glorious verdure, where
the air, the sky and all seemed more
beautiful than | had ever imagined or
heard of before. | seemed to be stand
ing in a wide, smooth avenue, lined
with trees, tall and straight. Thg
foliage was OF the richest and most
brilliant description, and each leaf
seemed to be of 4 soft, delicate variety
such as | had never seen before. L
saw others like that where | stood, and
all were equally as lovely. There
seemed to be the gentlest, mildest
breeze, which bowed the tops Of the
trees slowly to and fro. Around these
lovely groves of trees were fields where
the grass seemed of the richest green,
"As l stood there gazing around me,
my delight mingled with surprise, L
seemed to know the sweetest repOse
that L believe could possibly come.
There was an entire relief from care
or pain, and it seemed as If had never
known what was meant by suffering
My sensations were such as to pass all
description. L cannot convey to any
one the heavenly feeling that took pos
session of Inc while there. No wonder
that L asked why they had brought me
back from such a place. Then, too,
L heard soft music, which appeared to.
come from afar and from out Of tnk
air, music that was of wonderful
sweetness and blending in such har4
monies as mortal ear had never before
listened to. l gazed about me- too Ge--
lighted even to stir, and soon I saw
that l was not alone in this land.
Il saw my father approaching me,
and l went to meet him, and caught
him by the hand. Together we walked
down the avenue and talked of the
glories of the new land, where we
We're so happy. But my father was
to stay with me but short time. for
suddenly he appeared to stop and draw
away from me, and gradually disaD-
pear amid the trees. He was the only
one of my family that l saw. MY
mother, who is dead, did not come to-
me. L saw God" Upon this point.
though, Mr.. Graham ventured no de-
sc1pton. 1t was beyond his powers.
Il saw other people 1 know i'm life.
but my happiness was not to last for
long. Family a voice seemed to be
calling me from behind. At first I
could not distinguish it, but soon it
grew more distinct, and finally recog-
nized the voice of my wife calling me-
to come book. l did not want to leave
the beautiful Land, but her entreatfes
became more earnest, and L was un-
able to resist them, and found myself
passing along the avenue where L had
walked. The trees glided past me, and
soon everything disappeared, that COM
plete repOse left me and / awoke to-
find myself in my earthly bed of sick,
ness. New York Journal.
Cost Of TbiD1s II, fosa -