Chapter XX. A Sweet Memory

yhourofabusyday,menlefttheiraffairs,womentheirhouseholds,youngpeopletheirstudiesandtheirplay,andgaveanhourtoshowtheiraffection,respect,andsympathyforthosewhohadlostsomuch. Thegirlshadtrimmedthechurchwithallthesweetestflowerstheycouldfind,andgarlandsofliliesofthevalleyrobbedthecasketofitsmournfullook.Theboyshadbroughtfreshboughstomakethegraveagreenbedfortheircomrade'slastsleep.Nowtheywereallgatheredtogether,anditwasatouchingsighttoseetherowsofyoungfacessoberedandsaddenedbytheirfirstlookatsorrow.Thegirlssobbed,andtheboyssettheirlipstightlyastheirglancesfellupontheliliesunderwhichthefamiliarfacelayfullofsolemnpeace.Tearsdimmedoldereyeswhenthehymnthedeadboylovedwassung,andthepastortoldwithhowmuchprideandpleasurehehadwatchedthegraciousgrowthofthisyoungparishionersincehefirstmettheladoftwelveandwasattractedbytheshiningface,thepleasantmanners.Dutifulandlovingreadytohelppatienttobearandforbeareagertoexcelfaithfultothesmallesttask,yetfullofhighambitionsand,betterstill,possessingthechildlikepietythatcantrustandbelieve,waitandhope.Goodandhappy—thetwothingswealllongforandsofewofustrulyare.Thishewas,andthissinglefactwasthebesteulogyhispastorcouldpronounceoverthebelovedyouthgonetoanoblermanhoodwhosepromiseleftsosweetamemorybehind. Astheyoungpeoplelooked,listened,andtookinthescene,theyfeltasifsomemysteriouspowerhadchangedtheirplaymatefromacreaturelikethemselvesintoasortofsaintorheroforthemtolookupto,andimitateiftheycould.“Whathashedone,tobesoloved,praised,andmourned?”theythought,withatendersortofwonderandtheanswerseemedtocometothemasneverbefore,forneverhadtheybeenbroughtsonearthesolemntruthoflifeanddeath.“Itwasnotwhathedidbutwhathewasthatmadehimsobeloved.Allthatwassweetandnobleinhimstilllivesforgoodnessistheonlythingwecantakewithuswhenwedie,theonlythingthatcancomfortthoseweleavebehind,andhelpustomeetagainhereafter.” Thisfeelingwasinmanyheartswhentheywentawaytolayhim,withprayerandmusic,underthebuddingoakthatleanedoverhisgrave,afitemblemoftheyounglifejustbeginningitsnewspring.Asthechildrendidtheirpart,thebeautyofthesummerdaysoothedtheirsorrow,andsomethingofthesoftbrightnessoftheJunesunshineseemedtogildtheirthoughts,asitgildedtheflower-strewnmoundtheyleftbehind.Thetrueandtouchingwordsspokencheeredaswellasimpressedthem,andmadethemfeelthattheirfriendwasnotlostbutgoneonintoahigherclassofthegreatschoolwhoseMasteriseternalloveandwisdom.Sothetearssoondried,andtheyoungfaceslookeduplikeflowersafterrain.Buttheheaven-sentshowersankintotheearth,andtheywerethestronger,sweeterforit,moreeagertomakelifebraveandbeautiful,becausedeathhadgentlyshownthemwhatitshouldbe. Whentheboyscamehometheyfoundtheirmotheralreadyreturned,andJillupontheparlorsofalisteningtoheraccountofthefuneralwiththesamequiet,hopefullookwhichtheirownfacesworeforsomehowthesadnessseemedtohavegone,andasortofSundaypeaceremained. “I'mgladitwasallsosweetandpleasant.Comeandrest,youlooksotired”andJillheldoutherhandstogreetthem—acrumpledhandkerchiefinoneandalittlebunchoffadingliliesintheother. Jacksatdowninthelowchairbesideherandleanedhisheadagainstthearmofthesofa,forhewastired.ButFrankwalkedslowlyupanddownthelongroomswithaseriousyetserenelookonhisface,forhefeltasifhehadlearnedsomethingthatday,andwouldalwaysbethebetterforit.Presentlyh