It was a beautiful June day, just at the sun's setting, when Julia
Easworth went to visit the resting place of a dear grandmother. While
she was in the grave-yard, meditating on the loss of one of her best
earthly friends, she saw a lady dressed in mourning busily engaged in
doing something near a rose bush that grew at the foot of a little
mound, at a short distance from where she stood. Julia walked along and
came near where she was, and laid her hand gently upon the woman and
said, "Madam, is this your little mound?"
"Oh, no, my child; it is my dear Elise's grave."
"And is it long since you laid her here, ma'am," said Julia.
"Only a few weeks," was the reply; "there were buds on this rose bush
when I brought it here."
"And was it her's," asked Julia, as she stooped down to inhale the rich
fragrance of the beautiful flower.
"Yes, my child, it was a dear treasure to her. My Elise was a good
child, she was my Idol, but my Heavenly Father has seen best to remove
her from me. I only cared to live that I might be useful to her in
giving her such instructions as might be a blessing to her. I almost
adored her, but she is gone from me, and I am alone. I know she is
happy, because she was good."
"And have you always lived here in our town," asked Julia.
"Oh, no! I am from Italy. When my child was but two years old, I left my
native shores, and with my only relative, my father, followed my young
husband, who is an American, to his own land. We settled in the State of
Virginia, and a short time ago he died and left me with a charge to take
care of our dear Elise. She had her father's hair and complexion, and
inherited his delicate constitution. We were poor and I labored hard,
but I cared not, if I could only make my child comfortable and happy.
She was not like me--her mind was full of thoughts of beauty--she would
often talk of things with which I could not sympathize--the world seemed
to her to be full of voices, and she would often say 'How beautiful
_heaven_ must be.' Her nature was purer and gentler than mine, and I
felt that she was a fit companion of the angels. But she is now gone to
be with them, and I hope soon to meet her."
Julia bid the lady good bye and went towards her home. As she walked
slowly along, she thought to herself, "Elise with the angels!" and she
dwelt on the theme till her mother, seeing her rather different in her
conduct, asked her the cause, when she replied, "Oh, mother! I want to
dwell with the angels."