Mysterious death! who in a single
Life's gold can so
And by thy art
Change mortal weakness to immortal power!
Bending beneath the weight of eighty
Spent with the noble strifeof a victorious
We watched her fading heavenward, through our tears.
But ere the sense of loss our hearts had wrungA miracle was wrought;
And swift as happy
She lived again — brave, beautiful, and young.
Age, pain, and sorrow dropped the veils they
And showed the tender
Of angels in disguise,
Whose discipline so patiently she bore.
The past years brought their harvest rich and fair;
While memory and love,
Together, fondly woveA golden garland for the silver hair.
How could we mourn like those who are bereft,
When every pang of grieffound balm for its
In counting up the treasures she had left?—Faith that withstood the shocks of toil and time;
Hope that defied despair;
Patience that conquered care;
And loyalty, whose courage was sublime;
The great deep heart that was a home for all—Just, eloquent, and
In protest against wrong;
Wide charity, that knew no sin, no fall;
The spartan spirit that made life so grand,
Mating poor daily
With high, heroic deeds,
That wrested happiness from Fate's hard hand.
We thought to weep, but sing for joy instead,
Full of the grateful
That follows her release;
For nothing but the weary dust lies dead.
Oh, noble woman! never more a
Than in the laying
Of sceptre and of
To win a greater kingdom, yet unseen;
Teaching us how to seek the highest goal,
To earn the true success —To live, to love, to bless —And make death proud to take a royal soul.
