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Wharton, Edith, 1862-1937

"Summer"


"Man that is born of woman hath but a short time to live and is full
of misery.... He cometh up and is cut down... he fleeth as it were a
shadow.... Yet, O Lord God most holy, O Lord most mighty, O holy and
merciful Saviour, deliver us not into the bitter pains of eternal
death...."
"Easy there... is she down?" piped the claimant to the stove; and the
young man called over his shoulder: "Lift the light there, can't you?"
There was a pause, during which the light floated uncertainly over the
open grave. Someone bent over and pulled out Mr. Miles's coat----("No,
no--leave the handkerchief," he interposed)--and then Liff Hyatt, coming
forward with a spade, began to shovel in the earth.
"Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of His great mercy to take
unto Himself the soul of our dear sister here departed, we therefore
commit her body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to
dust..." Liff's gaunt shoulders rose and bent in the lantern light as he
dashed the clods of earth into the grave.


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