Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-07-21
IN THE SHADOW OF DEATH
The hppronch OF the Binck Rider
Docs Not ,Inrttc Fear.

Docs Not IncItc Fear.
As Sir Walter Scott lay dying he
summoned his great friend 10 his side
by II motion Of his hand and whiS
pnrcd: 'I.ockhart, | may have but
minute to speak 10 you. My dear. bu
Iooh man. BE virtuolS, he rcligiou
be good man. Nothing else will
givesyou any comfort when you come
to lie here
Nelson In the midst of his grateful
ness for having died VIGOROUSLY for
England thought for flashing mo.
mcnt Of his early rccor,, In It's relation
to the life after death. Doctor" lie
said to the surgeon, Il have not been
great sinner"
On the other hand. there are innu-
merable instances In the records OF hi.
ography pointing TO the fact that men
Tile without IL thought Of the world he.
You'd. Charles II. died thinking OF
Poor Nell" Sir Richard Grenviile
died with his mouth full of paths. ours
lug the traitors and dogs" who had
surrendered. his little Revenge to the
Spannrds. History Is full of such In.
stances.
Indeed. 1t Is II memorable subject
Tor consideration" says Stevenson,
with what uncouccrn and gaycty
mankind runs on along the valley OF
the shadow of death. The whole way
is one wilderness Of snnrcs. and tho
end of II for those who fear the last
pinch is irrevocahlc ruin. And yet we
70 spinning through It all, like party
for the Derby"
A doctor tells me that IN very long
hospital experience he has never known
Of sensational deathbcd. The M.
proach OF death .s. rs n rule. doubted,
md up to the last moment of con.
seriousness the passing soul retains its
conviction in the endurance OF earthly
things
Soldiers tel, the same story. To die
testing seems the last act OF courage
possible to figlting man, and he
makes the most of It, Endless arc the
stories OF soldiers dying In action with
shout Of humor on their lips.
Even moro wonderful is the cold
bloodedness or men going to the scnf.
fold. To feel the edge of the NIX was
something Of jest In old days. and
thnre Is the story OF the felon going to
Tyburn who blew the froth from his
last mug of beer because It always
gave him inMigcstion.
And yet II Is only in brief moments
Tint the true horror OF death sweeps
over the soul. We do not think about
1t. We put 1t away from us. Human.
Ity has made up It's mind not to bs
frightened. Death indeed Is even pre-.
forrcd before life. y hopeless infat,a.
ton for painted doll will drive For.
tunatus to suicide. Money troubles
Will fling n man under II passing ex-
press, and dyspepsia has loaded many
revolver. Life may he uncomfortable,
but death Is not 10 be feared. Into tha
unthinkable mysteries Of the universe
soul casts Itself In petuancc and
the waters Of death close over 1t WHO.
ont n sound.
Where Is that consciousness gone
that personality. that individual force
which differed the man from every
other who ever lived?
But the mob who watch the poor
drenched and bloated and horrible
body wheeled away to the mortuary
turn away without any realization of
death. They go TO their taverns and
their merchandise, take up the old
greasy and we'll worn threads OF their
existence, md getting of food monop.
olizes all their thoughts.
Fear death? They fear nothing In
the world They nro not even afraid
OF MISUNDERSTANDING Inter Ocean.