When Mrs. Adair had retired to her own chamber, on the night of her
daughter's decease, and was reflecting upon the awful event of the
morning, her attention was drawn from the subject by a low whispering
sound. Aware that the teachers and servants were retired to rest, she
could not account for the circumstance; she now heard doors slowly
opening, and was persuaded that different persons were passing her room.
Alarmed, but at the same time collected, she cautiously opened her own
door; and perceiving a glimmering light proceed from the chamber where
her daughter's remains were laid, resolved to be satisfied, and with
light, slow steps, advanced to the spot. There, with surprise, she
beheld several of her pupils. At the head of the bed stood Miss Arden,
with eyes mournfully bent upon the face of the departed; Miss Damer
stooped to kiss the corpse, and then burst into a violent flood of
tears. "That smile," said Miss Cotton, "proves that the soul is
rejoicing in heaven. Where shall we again behold upon earth one so
amiable or so lovely?"
"O, that I may be equally prepared, when my hour comes," cried Miss
Arden.
"Hush! hush!" cried Isabella Vincent, in a tone of terror, "did you not
hear some one breathe? O, do hide me." She now covered her face with her
frock.
Miss Grey took her passive hand, and tried to comfort her. "Look at Miss
Jane, and then you will not be frightened; now do look--it is so simple
to be afraid; she appears only as if she were asleep. There is not any
thing terrible in death, only to wicked people; I am sure I should not
be afraid to die to-night."
"I dare not look! indeed I dare not! do take me to my own room."
"You must look at Miss Jane, or you will always be frightened at being
alone. You know I am but a little girl as well as yourself; but I should
not be afraid to sleep here to-night. Think how good she was! living or
dead, she would never injure us."
"O, take me away: I don't know what you are saying; why does not some
one speak? O, do somebody speak, or I shall be frightened to death."
Miss Grey whispered to her companion that Mrs. Adair was come into the
room.
"Is she? O how glad I am! Now I don't mind." Saying this, she uncovered
her face, and crept quietly to Mrs. Adair; who was asking why they had
assembled in the chamber at so improper an hour.
"We should have been miserable, ma'am," said Miss Cotton, "unless we had
seen Miss Jane to-night; and as we shall never behold her again, we
thought, ma'am, you would pardon us. I could not have slept; and the
other ladies declared the same."
"But wherefore did you come, Isabella?"
"O, ma'am, because I dared not to be alone."
"But why are you afraid to look at my daughter?"
"O, I am not afraid now; I will look at Miss Jane," said Isabella with
assumed courage; "but do let me take hold of your hand, ma'am; then I
know I shall be safe."
"You have better protection than mine, my little girl, or you would be
poorly defended. He who made you, he alone can guard you: but there is
not any thing to fear from the dead."
Mrs. Adair led her pupil to the head of the bed.
"Look, my dear, how happy and composed she appears; as quiet and sound
as your little brother, when he is asleep."
By degrees, Isabella ventured to turn her eyes upon the corpse; "I am
not afraid, I am not afraid indeed," said she, almost gasping for
breath. At length her eyes were fixed upon the face of the deceased:
"She can't be dead--she must be asleep! But hush! I do not hear her
breathe! Where is Miss Jane's breath now, ma'am?" As she said this, she
timidly stretched forth her hand, and lightly touched the face of the
departed; then hastily starting back, cried; "must we all be so cold--as
cold as marble?"
"We must all be so, indeed! There is no warmth, my little girl, when the
soul is fled."
"But what is the soul, ma'am? and where is it?" asked Miss Bruce.
"Your question is beyond my power to answer. The vital spirit, which we
call the soul, is given by God, to direct us to do that which is right;
and, from childhood to the grave, is our faithful friend. My daughter,
whose lifeless remains you are now contemplating, was in all her ways
actuated by this spirit, to obedience, and to goodness; and in a state
of glory she will again exist, with a mind purified and exalted. What
would be the use of life, and of the wonderful powers with which we are
gifted, were we to lie down in the grave, as the beasts that perish?"
"But how will Miss Jane rise again, ma'am?" asked Miss Bruce. "It is in
the Bible, that at the last day we shall be 'raised in the twinkling of
an eye.' O, that I could behold Miss Jane rise now; then I should never
die!"
"We read," said Mrs. Adair, "that the seed is cast into the earth, and
rises up wheat, or any other grain: but we do not know how this comes to
pass. The seed, that looks so insignificant in our eyes, after it has
been in the earth the appointed time, gradually breaks forth in all its
glory. We likewise shall be put into the earth; no longer valued, but by
the remembrance of our worth; there we shall moulder and decay, and in
time be forgotten by all the inhabitants upon earth. But the season of
the resurrection will come: the soul will resume her influence; we shall
burst the fetters of the tomb, and appear before the Judge of nations,
to answer for our deeds upon earth. Be good, then, my dear young
friends; and, you will then neither have cause to fear death, or future
judgment. And now take your leave--your final leave of one, who was in
all things worthy of imitation; and learn with equal ease, to sleep or
die."