Du Buque visitor. [volume] (Dubuque, Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1836-1837, 1836-10-19
THE BEREAvED SISTER.

In the spring of 1924, contracted
an acquaintance in one of the cities of
the south, with a gentleman who had
removed from England to this coun-
try, with two small children, the one
a small boy Of ten years, the other a
girl of nine years of age. These chill
dren were the most lovely l ever saw.
Their extreme beauty, their deep and
artlesss affection, and their frequent
bursts of childish and innocent mirth,
made them as dear to me as if had
been the companion of their infancy.
They were happy in themselves, hap
Ply in each other, and in the whole
world of life and nature around them.
Ihad knownthe family but few months
when my friend was compelled to make
a sudden and unexpected voyage to S.
America. His feelings were embit-
tered by the thoughts of leaving his
motherless children behind him, and
was on the point Of embarking for Ii
verpool. | promised to take them to
their friends and relations.
The day of our departure was delay
ed two weeks. During that period 1
lived under the same roof with the lit
tie ones that he had consigned to my
care. For few days they were pen
sive, and made frequent inquiries for
their absent father; but their sorrows
were easily assuaged, and regret for
his absence changed into pleasant anti
cipations for his early return. The
ordinary sorrows of childhood are but
dews upon the eagles plumage, which
vanish at the moment the proud bird
springs upwards into the airto WOO the
beautiful flashes of the morning.
The day of our departure at last ar
rived, and we set sail on quiet after
noon of summer. 1t was scene of
beauty, and my heart Auttered as wild
ly and joyously as the wing of young
bird in spring time. It seemed as
mans control had stopped with the
shore, that was retreating behind, and
left the world of waters to give back
the blue Of the upper skies as purely
and peacefully as the first holy Sabbath
of creation. The distunt hills bent their
pale blue tops to the waters, and as the.
great sun, like the image of his crea-
tor, sunk down in the west, successive
shadows Of gold, and crimson, and
purple came floating over the waves,
like barques from fairy land. My
young companions gazed on the scenes
steadily and silently, when the last tints
of the dim shore were melting into
shadow, they took each others hands,
and a few natura! tears gushed forth as
an adieu to the land they had loved.
Soon after sunset, persuaded my lit
tie friends to let me lead them to the
cabin, and then returned again to look
out upon the ocean. In about half
hour, as was standing musingly apart,
l felt my hand gently pressed, and tur-
ming around, saw the girl had stolen a
long to my side. In few moments
the evening star began to twinkle from
the edge of violet cloud. At first it
cleaned family, and at intervals, but a.
non it came brightly out, and alone like
a holy thing upon the brow of theeyen-
ing. The girl at my side gazed upon
it, and hailed it with tone which told
that thought Of rapture was at her
heart. She inquired with simplicity
and eagerness whether in the fair land
to which we were going, that same
bright star would be visible, and SEEM
ed to regard it as another friend, that
was to be with her long and lonely
journey.
The first week of our voyage was
unattended by any important incident.
The sea was at times wild and stormy,
but again it would sink to repose, and
spread itself out in beauty to the verge
Of the horizon. On the eighth day the
boy arose pale and detected, and COM
planned of indisposition. On the fol-
lowing day he was confined by a fever
to his bed, and much doubt was ex-
pressed as to his fate by the physician
Of the vessel. l can never forget the
look Of agony, the look of utter woe
that appeared upon the face of the lit
tie girl when the conviction of her bro
theirs danger came slowly home upon
her thought. She wept not, she COM
planned not, but hour after hour she sat
by the bed Of the young sufferer-an
image of grief and beautiful affection.
The boy became daily more feeble and
He could not return the
long and burning kisses of his sister,
and at last faint heaving of the breast,
and the eloquence of his half-closed
Eye, and a flush at intervals, upon his
wasted HhnaL lilo tho fret ,,inlaf tint