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Post subject: May 19, 1845 - Maria Pauline Thornton
From the Arkansas Banner,
OBITUARY.
Since the fatal fiat went forth - "dust thou art, and
unto dust-" which awful enunciation cast a deep gloom and
a melancholy shade over smiling Eden the relentless
executioner of the sentence has in all time, and in every
place, been marring the joys of earth, by the indiscriminate
execution of his work of devastation!
A more melancholy instance of death's disposition to prey upon
the brighter beings of earth, has not fallen under our
observation, than that of the fate of Maria Pauling Thornton,
daughter of Col. Abner E. Thornton, of this city, who was
stricken down in the bloom and beauty of life!
This interesting young lady, whose sad death we are called
upon to announce, to her friends in distant places, were born
in Clark county, Ark's., June 17th, 1830; where her parents
lived until they recently moved to Little Rock. She professed
religion, and attached herself to the M.E. Church, in
September, 1843, and departed this life, in this place, on the
20th April, 1845, after a very few days illness, in the 14th
year of her age.
The writer had the pleasure of a short acquaintance with her,
and he has rarely met with a more interesting young lady.
She was just entering upon the most interesting period of
female existence, the threshold of young womanhood, and
exhibited a sweetness of disposition, and a sprightliness of
intellect, which indicated a moral, social, and menial
organization of a very superior case, and a cultivation in
advance of her age. She was exceedingly dutiful, affectionate,
deeply pious, and manifested all those amiable and exulted
traits of character, which are the sure, and known results of
early teaching in the great principles of that sublime
religion which she professed.
She came smiling among us like a bright, innocent being from a
purer world, but was suddenly called away, to a home more
congenial with her spirit! She came, and briefly passed away,
like some tender, beautiful flower, that blooms in the beams
of early spring, but is nipped by a frosty breeze, yet
lingering in the traces of departing winter! She came and
passed away, like the mild, bright vision of a dream, from the
fancy of a startled sleeper, which leaves a sweet remembrance
of its appearance, and a sigh for its sudden departure!
But she left her friends not without consolation! And while
from the clouds of sorrow, the storms of grief pour down upon
life's stream, and almost overwhelm them in its distressing
agitation, the star of immortality from beyond the far off
coast of time, throws back its gilding beams in transcendent
radiance upon the troubled waters, and bids them hope and
rejoice in the assurance which it affords of a final, blissful
and perpetual re-union with the much loved and departed one!
Jun. En. |
