Year: 1863

Yes the wife you loved so foucdiy, cner>
ished so tenderly is dead. She lies in the
shady room she loved so wei! but she
heeds not now where they Place her. You
go in and look on thee and sweet face
marble like in its repose-no smile beams
there on on your approach. The warm
blood mounts no longer TO the soft cheek.
You press your lips wildly 10 hers, that for
the first time gave back no answering
pressure You take the little pale hand in
yours, but the slender fingers clasp around
yours no longer. You breathe the name
that has ever been the dearest TO you in the
wide world, but she hears your voice no
more she is DEAD They robe her in a
snowy shroud and lay her In narrow coffin.
Oh ! can you live while she is 'prisoned
there, you wildly ask. The minister of
God says a few solemn words-weeping
friends gather round to take a last farewell,
and when turned away ron stand by her
but for the last time. Can il be you must
par, with her forever that you look for the
last time on that deer ce,-press the last
kiss to her cold lips bar no tears come 10
your relief, and friends draw you away but
you watch the undertaken as he folds The
muslin over that face, and turns the coffin
lid closely down. You feel as if you would
suffocate, He does not heed, but puts the
screws in qpickely, tightly and you follow
to the grave nat yawns 20 receive the form
cIasped so many times to your heart. You
see them lower her in, and hear the clods
with dull hollow sound upon her coffin
Oh !methinks there is no sound on earth
that brings such feelings to tha heart, as
the sound of earth as il falls. covering the
forms OF those we love. You seek your
darkened home, but no white arms are
clasped round your neck no sweet voice
bids you welcome; no blue eyes look into
yours speaking the love the lips do not
always uller.


Here is where she used to sit close by
your side here the books she read there
her piano stands open with your favorite
song spread ont but she will sit by your
side, read for you, play for you, no more
forever. You stand by the window look
out into The garden the flowers she planted
are blossomiDg as brightly as if her hand
had trained them up this very morning,
but off beyond the garden you see the
quaint church spire, and there close by, she
slumbers. You turn away and sit down
with ali this agony at your hear., and
memory takes you back to the long ago, TO
the first hour of your acquaintance with
her, and you ieel you loved her :hen and
love her now better than you can love any
one on earth. And you are right she
will ever be nearest and dearest You re-
member talking with her long ago, of death
and OF her saying she would wish TO go first
for she could never part with you on earth;
and she has gone first; but can you live
without HER You read The letters she
penned TO you in your absence-you look
on tress of sunny bair severed after death,
~ith grief at your heart which will not
be hushed.


Years pass on, and another may bright
en- your home, but as you listen to her
merry words and Joyous laugh, when the
dark eyes look in your own, when her hand
is warmly closed in yours, the memory OF
she loved and lost will sweep. over your
own heart until you forget the loving one
by your side. Sometimes yos see face or
form that resembles hers, or hear a voice
low and soft as hers used TO be and you
find the young heart mouldering in the
grave is as dear to you as ever; though an
other fills her place by your side, and you
thought for a lime you had given her up.
But no she comes often to you as you sit
by your cheerful fireside; you feel the
arms circling round yonr neck, the soft
lips pressed TO your brow see the eyes so
mild and loving, looking down through
yours into your soul +; you hear the low
tones telling you again how dear you are,
but you start up neryously and look around
on those gathered about you trying to shake
off the illusion as you remember how long
she has been sleeping. All, the FIRST true
love OF the heart never will, never can die
out. Ii may be silent for time, but it will
rise up like ghost TO haunt the hours that
might otherwise be happy. The heart,
thank God, is locked away from all human
eyes.