tion that the extremity of his case
could possibly suggest, but all to no avail.

But why dwell upon the fearful scene? We have seen the little child
contending with the strong arm of the destroyer, and felt it was a
fearful thing for it to yield up its little life and pass forever away
from earth. But when we see the strong man cut suddenly down, the man
who has scarcely passed the meridian of life, we "feel how dreadful
'tis to die." The love of life is strengthened by years. There are
cords of association binding him to it, the rolling, restless tide of
business, with its fluctuations and its cares, sweeps over him, and
seems binding him to earth. The love of children, for whose welfare a
kind father has so long been mindful, and all the fond endearments of
home and kindred, are so many sacred ties binding him to life. But all
must be severed before the ruthless tyrant who conquers conquerers,
and has justly been styled, "the king of terrors."

And so it was in this case. Nature yielded reluctantly every advantage
gained by the fearful foe, 'till her energies were exhausted, and
sinking down in quiet slumber, she yielded the contest without a
struggle.

About eight o'clock on Thursday evening, a heavy stupor came over him,
and the fearful death-rattle warned us of the approach of the grim
messenger. We watched his failing breath with agonizing emotions. But
we turned from him one little moment, and when we turned again, the
lamp of life was extinguished. O, the fearful agonizing cry that arose
by that death bed, when we realized that the husband and father had
passed away, forever away. But while we wept and mourned, he slept on
unheeding. Death made little change in his countenance, and when he
was dressed in his accustomed clothing, and laid in his coffin, he
looked like a weary man taking rest in sleep.

It was a pleasant day in mid April that we bore him to his grave, and
laid him down beneath the green branches of the arbor vitae tree. How
many mournful thoughts pressed upon the heart, almost crushing out the
very life, as the mournful train followed him to that sacred spot. Who
that has looked into an open grave, and seen the coffin of the dearly
loved lowered into it, but has felt an indiscribable agony filling the
heart, and blotting out all the prospect of future earthly happiness?
And who that listens to the sound of the heavy, damp earth as it falls
upon the coffin, but will say, "oh, has earth another