THE UNCERTAINTY OF LIFE.
Josiah Martin was a young man of whom any mother might have been proud. He was an only child, and had been the support of his widowed mother for five years; though at the time when we first knew him he was not twenty.
And this was not all. He was so frugal, and industrious, that he was able, besides providing for himself and mother, to contribute largely toward the support of his aunt Eleanor and her daughter, who were very poor, and without his help, might have suffered oftentimes for want of the necessaries of life.
In return for his care, he had a wealth of love bestowed upon him by mother, aunt and cousin, who often said, and often felt in their hearts, that Josiah was as good a boy as ever lived. He enjoyed perfect health, and had naturally a merry heart, so that every day of his life, he was as happy as the birds. He expected to continue so, through many long years: and never thought of dying until he got to be an old man.
One pleasant summer morning, he rose early and prepared to leave home to be absent a week. He had agreed to go and help Mr. Brown about harvesting, and the farm being five miles from where his mother lived, he could not come home before Saturday night. He bade his mother an affectionate good morning, and started cheerily on his way. The road ran by aunt Eleanor's door, so he thought he would just peep in, and see how she was and tell her that he should not see her again for several days.
The old lady did not seem as well as usual, and "wished heartily," she said, that Josiah wasn't going away.
"Why, I shall be back," said he "in six days, and can come sooner, if any of you need me."
"You should not speak so positive about it," said aunt Eleanor, "you may never come back again."
"Oh fye, auntie, you've got the blues this morning! I shall be back just as sure as Saturday night comes."
"Don't be too certain my boy; life and death are not in our hands; you may be called any hour."
"Now auntie, don't get gloomy about such a hale stout boy as I am; who never saw a sick day in his life, and don't know what pain is. Why see how strong I am," and laughingly he bent down, and lifting his cousin with one arm and his great dog with the other, he tripped lightly over the threshold. "There, auntie," he cried, "I could carry off your whole establishment, almost as easy as Samson did the gates of Gaza."
Though the old lady smiled at the moment the cloud came back again to her face, and through the open door she watched him as long as her misty eyes could distinguish him in the distance.
As merry, as strong, and as full of life as ever, the young man went to his work that morning. Arrived at the harvest field, he took off his coat and went in among the laborers, saying that he thought he could outwork them all that day, he felt so vigorous. The sun was exceeding hot, the air sultry and close, and the laborers, in spite of their determination and strength, grew very weary when the sun was high in the heavens. About eleven o'clock, a boy came from the house and brought them a jug of cold water. Josiah took it first, and drank of it until they all called to him to stop. He did not heed them, but being very thirsty, drank until he was satisfied; then stooped to set the jug on the ground, and fell down beside it a corpse.
Thus suddenly, in the prime of his young life, was he called into eternity. In a moment from perfect health, he passed to death.
I seem to hear you saying, little reader, "This was very sudden; but surely such unexpected deaths are rare, I shall not die in that way." That you cannot tell, you must go in the time that God appoints, it may be before another sunset. But whether it be sooner or later that you are called home to heaven, would you not love to leave with your friends the memory of as good a life as this of which you have been reading. On the neat white slab that shows where Josiah sleeps it says, "Here lies a good boy, who blessed the world while he lived in it." Go ye little readers and do likewise.
'Tis well to walk with a cheerful heart
Wherever our fortunes call,
With a friendly glance, an open hand,
And a gentle word for all.
Since life is a thorny and difficult path
Where toil is the portion of man,
We all should endeavor, while passing along,
To make it us smooth as we can.