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From Newberry Transcribe
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you who accompanied Aunt on her tedious journey. It was Mr. Mansfield, a partner of Uncle Paige's. He came on to visit his family, and Uncle Paige thought it would be an excellent opportunity for Aunt S. to return with him. He felt perfectly sage to trust Aunt S. with him as he had travelled the route several times. Aunt Sarah wrote that he took the best of care of David when he had his fit, and that he had treated them all in a very gentlemanly manner, for which she should always respect him. Charles was very happy and in good spirits, she writes, which is certainly cheering news for us as we expected he would be entirely disheartened, and homesick. I have spoken only of these friends who have left us in the expectation of returning; but there is one who has left us never to return; it is my aged Grandfather. He passed away very gently on Saturday the 12th of June, about 20 minutes past nine in the evening. We had been here but one week when he died. We moved here for the purpose of taking care of him, but he did not want our care long. He was confined to his bed but three days previous to his death, although he ought to have been there several weeks before he was, but he seemed very ambitious to keep up as long as it was possible for him to rise. Uncle John came here and took care of him six weeks, and he was obliged to carry him as if he had been a child. The night before his death, mother & Aunt Sarah watched with him, and he would frequently say though with great effort, "The Shadow of Death". We thought he might have been thinking of the passage of Scripture, where it speaks of passing through the dark valley of the shadow of death. The afternoon of his death, he thought he should like some honey. I went into the city to procure some for him, but before I returned with it, he was dying, and not able to take any. I then went directly back for Uncle John; but he was unable to return with me, as his business was such that he could not leave then. When I returned his eyes were closed, but I think he knew I was there, as his hearing returned before he died. While I had gone for Uncle John, he took his last farewell of his friends. When father entered the room he took his hand (being unable to speak) and gave it a firm pressure, he then took the hand of mother, and pressed it to his lips several times; when he took Aunt Sarah's hand he retained it for some time. He looked at each of the children and then closed his eyes upon this world forever. I regret very much that I was not present at the time. But never shall I forget the scene that presented itself to my view, when I entered the room, after my return. There he lay gasping for breath, with the hand of my mother upon his forehead, the hand of Aunt Sarah within his own, and the children standing around, weeping as if their little hearts would break. O! it was such a sad scene indeed, and I cannot refrain from weeping whenever I recall that scene. I knew that he is far happier than he could be here but I should have been pleased, could he have been spared to us a little longer. I cannot realize that he has gone from us forever, it seems as though he must return again. His remains were conveyed to Concord, and deposited in Uncle Stewart's tomb. He looked very natural after he died; Mother thought he resembled Aunt Emily very much, as he lay in his coffin.