LOVE BEYOND THE GRAVE. 69 



Let no one talk of disappointment in schemes of earthly ag- 

 grandizement, — of failing hopes, — of blighted prospects. This 

 only is utter disappointment, — this only is entire crushing of 

 earthly hope, — to look upon the face of one whom we love, and 

 know — aye — know, that the shadow of the grave already dark- 

 ens over it ; — to watch beside the pillow of the beautiful and 

 the good while death keeps sentry at the threshold ; or, worse 

 far worse : to part from the beloved and cherished, with smiles 

 on her lip, gladness in her heart, and health in every vein, and 

 to meet her again, only when the fearful stroke of an unlooked- 

 for and awful calamity has crushed that fragile form into dust 

 and ashes ! 



Beautiful wert thou in thy calm maidenhood, sweet Lilian ! 

 Lofty wert thou in thy aspirations, yet meek in the holiness of 

 thy saint-like spirit ! Thou wert indeed meet for the kingdom of 

 Heaven ; yet would we fain have kept thee to minister in all 

 pure and good influences to the hearts that were ever swayed 

 at thy mild bidding. 



Yet it is better thus ; for art thou not ever nigh to those 

 whom thou didst love so well upon earth ? When the evil 

 thought dies within the soul ere it frames to itself a voice, — 

 when the evil deed remains only in the tempted fancy, — when 

 the foot is withdrawn unconsciously, and the single step which 

 remained between us and ruin is still untrodden, — when the 

 hand falls powerless at the very instant when it would fain have 

 set its seal to the soul's destruction, — when such things are, 

 and we know not why, may we not trace them to the invisible 



