CHAPTER VI.
SAD NEWS.
It was a hot Saturday in August, when Henry Hamilton left school to go
home and spend the Sabbath with his mother. This he frequently did, as
it was but ten miles distant, and such a walk was only pastime to the
vigorous youth, now glowing with health and strength in every vein. On
this day however, the walk appeared unusually long to him; and he sat
down twice by the road-side to rest himself. This was very uncommon;
but he said nothing of fatigue when he reached home about sunset. He met
them with his usual cheerful smile, and had a laugh and pleasant words
for the children as they crowded round him. Of all Mrs. Hamilton's
children, Henry was the most sanguine and light-hearted, and when at
home, he was always the life of the family circle. He was sincerely
desirous of gaining a thorough education, and of doing credit to his
patrons and friends, and he hoped to be permitted to accomplish much
good in the world, when he had acquired his profession. There was much
enthusiasm in his character, and much of generous impulse; yet they were
modified by Christian principle. Henry was a sincere Christian. There
was little of noisy pretension, or loud profession; but in his soul was
a deep and abiding sense of obligation to God; a supreme desire to do
his will, and a fervent love to his fellow-men. To a remarkably fine
person, was added an intellect of uncommon quickness and discrimination,
and his teachers spoke in high commendation of his progress. We have
said he was the favorite son of his mother; and if a thrill of pride
passed through her heart as she gazed on his beaming face, if she
garnered up in her inmost soul many precious dreams of a brilliant
future, who can wonder? Who shall blame her?
It is now many years since "the dust fell on that sunny brow," but I
well remember Henry Hamilton--"handsome Henry Hamilton"--and seldom
indeed since have I seen a more striking form and face. There was a
frank, joyous expression beaming forth from his dark eyes, and his mouth
had always a sweet smile playing about it; there was a high intellectual
forehead, indicating thought, though it was half hidden by the sunny,
brown curls which clustered about it, and gave a youthful look to even
this portion of his face. His tall, well-developed figure was the
perfection of manly symmetry, and his musical laugh was ever ringing out
freely and unconsciously. His temperament was just the reverse of
Arthur's. Bold, courageous, self-relying, he hoped all things, and
feared nothing that man could do; by nature too, he was quick and
passionate, yet full of affection and all generous impulses. Such was
Henry Hamilton, now eighteen years of age--the pride of his family--the
favorite of all who knew him.
The night of his return home, he became violently ill, and no remedies
appeared to relieve his sufferings. I will not pain my young readers
with a recital of his agonies. They were most intense; and on the third
day after he was attacked, at six o'clock in the afternoon, he went from
an earthly to a heavenly home; from the bosom of his mother, to the
bosom of his God! There were few intervals of sufficient ease, to allow
of conversation. During these, he expressed entire confidence in the
Saviour, and perfect submission to the will of God, though death then
was most unexpected to him. He also expressed regret that he had done
so little for God, and besought a friend who stood by his bedside, to be
faithful to his Christian vows.
The last struggle was a fearful one; but his mother supported him in her
arms to the last; and to her his last look was given,--a look of sweet
affection, trust, and gratitude.
