Clemmer, Frances Delilah 1859 - 1862

CLEMMER

Posted By: Janice Sowers (email)
Date: 4/10/2005 at 19:46:26

Source: New Oregon Plain Dealer Apr. 4, 1862

DIED-In New Oregon, Iowa, April 1st, 1862, Frances Delilah, of croup, only child of Dr. J. J. and Phebe A. Clemmer, aged two years, eight months, and twenty-three days.

A Little angel, clad in clay,
Came through the shining clouds, one day,
Down to the earth-sphere, pure and bright,
Then hid her wings from our dull sight.
Down to our home she softly came,
We gave to her an earthly name--
She seemed content to dwell on earth,
Forgetful of her native birth.
And thus she daily grew and smiled,
A gay and laughing angel-child;
But all too fair and bright to stay
Long from her Eden home away.
And as the sweet strains of song
Steal in our hearts in raptured throng,
And make them better for their power,
Though reigning there but one brief hour,
So twined this angel-child around
Our hearts, as gently as the sound,
The low, sweet sound of harp or lute
Wafted on evening zephyrs mute.

Two Summers rolled their flowery wheels
Around the earth, and set the seals
Of death upon that baby-brow,
All wreathed in dimpling smiles till now.
E'en while with tiny feet she roved
Among the very flowers she loved--
Ere e'en the flowers she plucked had drooped,
The angel death came down, and stooped
To kiss the temples traced with blue,
And left, alas! death's leaden hue.
And she grew sick; and coldly, now,
The death-dew gathered on her brow;
And, in deep thraldom, the hushed brain
Was deadened with its weight of pain.
The life-breath came with stifled moan,
And hushed was every joyous tone;
And feet moved noislessly about,
And daylight from the room shut out--
And hearts with agony beat low,
And hours seemed lenden-paced and slow.
But when the day was filled with light,
And seemed so joyous and so bright,
She waved once more those wings long hid
And from our sight Heavenward she fled--
And, in each calm and tranquil night,
Since her fair form-winged from our sight,
In the deep haze of Heaven's blue,
One brilliant star seems lit anew.

Miss E. N. Campbell

Reprinted in Twice-A-Week Plain Dealer Nov. 25, 1902, LP, C6

DIED-In New Oregon, Iowa, April 1st, 1862, Frances Delilah, of croup, only child of Dr. J. J. and Phebe A. Clemmer, aged two years, eight months, and twenty-three days.