Year: 1859

In the obituary department of the Jour
nal, published at Palmer, Mass, we find
the following announcement:


"DIED-Mary, aged 20, wife Of De Witt
Clinton Packard, of Providence, II. L."


In the editorial column there is sad and
touching story, relating to the announce
mcnt, which we annex below. 1t is a les
son from the tomb, to the young and
thoughtless, and told so eloquently that
it cannot fail to make an impression for
good on readers of every age. 1t says:


"ln another column we record the death
of young lady who died Of broken heart
We do not like to trespass upon the sa-
credncss of domestic grief, to unfold the
DEATHS of her sad story; but. when the
privacy of afiliction become public feeling,
it is not improper for the Press to place
the events on record. 1t is not necessary
to repeat names or relate minute partcu-
lars 1t is enough that we draw the out
lines ofa picture for the reader to paint
with appropriate colors. Many months
ago, in the neighboring town of BelohSr-
town. young man sought and received
the promise OF the hand of a young lady,
whose home was in the lap of luxury,
whose mental and personal attractions
made all pleasant around her. Like too
many confding ones of her sex, she trusted
mans uAhallowed promise and yielded
all to him. From that hour he estranged
himself from her, and removed to dis
tant State When it became evident that
he had exposed himself to the penalty of
Il l. Al. L. \
returned to her to fulfill the vows he had
long before made They were married in
one of those hasty. unceremonious ways,
which occupy but little time or attention.
Late in the evening they returned to her
fathers house, where he left her in the
street, promising to return in short time.
But that promise was never fulfilled
She wrote to him, and received encourage
ment that he would soon provide home
for her, but delay followed delay, till her
letters and entreatics were unheeded and
unanswered. At lenght pledge of wo-
mans love for her husband came into the
world 10 open new fountains OF affection to
/ the young wife. Still the husband and
7 father came not. at


The mother recovered from confn,-
ment; but after repeated letters 10 her hus-
band found no answer, the idea that she
was descrtee-by him forced itself upon her,
and she gave way to dcspondcncy and des-
pair. The child, partaking of its mother s
grief, soon died. There was nothing that
she could live for now, and though suf-
fering from no disease, .he sank upon a
dying bed. Then the swift wing of light
ming bore to the distant husband the intel
ligcnce that she was dying. He still hcsi-
tated, but at length set out to meet his cx-
piring wife. Conscious that her hours
were few, she only wished to live long
enough to see her husband; he was still
all to her. Her last words to her friends
were: Tell him that | still love him-that
died for him. When evening shadowe,l
the earth the husband came. AS he ap-
preached the bedside of his injured wife he
was recognized, and the words. Hes come.
burst from her lips. Already had the
wing of the death. angel cast its shadow
over that dwelling. she was entering the
dimness of the dark valley. Next morn
ing, in that room, lay the corpse of beau
tiful young wife, on which the husband had
looked for the last time and departed.


Last Sabbath afternoon the funeral OF
the young wife took place under her father
roof. Her ncighbors and friends to the
number of five hundred were present: but
the husband who bad left her to die for
him was not there. A deeply affecting
address was made by her former pastor.
and just as thesun was sinking behind the
western hills, four young ladies of her ac-
quaintance. clad in garments of white, bore
her to grave in the garden, where the green
turf was laid gently over her. Snch is the
story of one who died broken heartcd.-
The grave is quiet place for the injured
wife. but where in AL the world can there
be peace for him who would thus bring sor-
row and death upon her? The story has
its moral. but we viii leave the reader to
apply il; it is full iofwariiing. and we leave
the young to heed it.vhlaf "a