As the procession approached the grave, and the coffin was
lowered to its final resting-place, the little boy sobbed bitterly as he
begged of Mr. Humphrey not to allow them to bury his mamma in the
ground. Mr. Humphrey took the child in his arms, and endeavored to quiet
him by many kind and soothing words, explaining to him, so far as the
child was able to comprehend his meaning, that the soul of his mamma was
now in Heaven, but that it was necessary that her dead body should be
buried in the grave; and that although he would see her no more in this
world he would, if he were a good boy, meet her one day in Heaven. The
child still continued to weep, though less bitterly than before,--and
when the grave had been filled up he quietly allowed Mr. Humphrey to
lead him from the church-yard.
In order that the reader may understand the event above narrated, it is
necessary that I should go back a little in my story.
A few weeks previous to the circumstance related at the opening of this
chapter a pale weary-looking woman, leading by the hand a little boy,
might have been seen walking one evening along the principal street of
the small village of Walden. Although her dress was extremely plain, yet
there was a certain air of refinement about her which informed the
observer that she had once occupied a position very different from what
was indicated by her present appearance.
Pages:
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350