The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-06-19
IN THE SHADOW OF DEATH.


The Approach of the Black Rider
Does Not Incite Fear.
As Sir Walter Scott lay dying he
summoned bis great friend to his side
by a motion of his hand and whis-
pered: 'Lockhart, l may have but a
minute to speak TO you. My dear, be
a good man. Be virtuous, be religious
be a good man. Nothing else will
give you any comfort when you come
to lie here"
Nelson In the midst of his grateful
ness for having died VIGOROUSLY for
England thought for a flashing mo-
ment of his early record in its relation
to the life after DEATH Doctor" he
said to the surgeon, 81 have not been
a great sinner"
On the other hand, there are innu-
merabie instances In the records of BIZ
ography pointing to the fact that men
die without thought of the world be-
yond. Charles II. died thinking of
poor Nell" Sir Richard Grenville
died with his mouth full of oaths, curs-
ing the traitors and dogs" who had
surrendered his little Revenge to the
6paniards History Is full of such In
stances.
Indeed, 1t is a memorable subject
for consideration" says Stevenson,
with what unconcern and gayety
mankind runs on along the valley Of
the shadow Of death. The whole way
L. one wilderness Of snares, and the
end Of 1t for those who fear the last
pinch Is irrevocable ruin. And yet we
90 spinning through 1t all, like party
for the Derby"
A doctor tells me that in very long
hospital experience he has never known
Of a sensational deathbed The ap-
proach of death Is, as a rule, doubted,
and up TO the last moment of con-
seriousness the passing soul retains Its
conviction In the endurance of earthly
things.
Soldiers tell the same story. To die
TESTING seems the last act of courage
possible to a fighting man, and he
makes the most of 1t. Endless are the
stories of soldiers dying in action with
q shout of humor on their lips.
Even more wonderful is the cold
bloodedness OF men going to the scat
fold To feel the edge of the ak was
something of jest In old days, and
there is the story of the felOn going to
Tyburn who blew the froth from his
last mug Of beer because it always
gave bin indigestioni
And yet 1t is only in brief moments
that the true horror of death sweeps
over the soul We do not think about
IT, We put 1t away from us. Human
tty has made up its mind not to be
frightened. Death indeed Is even pre-
fsrred before life. A hopeless infatua-
ton for a painted doll will drive For
tunatus to suicide. Money troubles
will fling a man under a passing ex-
press. and dyspepsia has loaded many
a revolver. Life may be uncomfortable,
but death Is not to be feared. Into the
unthinkable mysteries of the universe
soul casts itself In petulance and
tae waters Of death close over it with
out sound.
What has become of that souI7
Where is that consciousness gone
that personality, that individual force
which differed the man from every
other who ever hved7
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 well worn threads of their |
existence, and getting of food monop-
olizes all their thoughts.
Fear death? They fear nothing In |
the world They are not even afraid
Of themselves.-Chicago Inter Ocean.