Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1843-04-13
wooDsTock, VIRGINIA: APRIL 10, 1878


year Of their marriage. For they both
felt very grateful to him. and much in
clined to be charitable to, and to bear
with commendabIe patience, his frequent
opposition to their manners and habits OF
life, and his ridicu!e of their Difference to
prevailing modes in which was no princi-
1 pie of moral life.
/ During the second year of their mar
riase. sweet babe came to bless their
/ household with blessing of innocence
and delight. For this. no heart. not even
the mothers, was more thankful than
4 that Of Uncle Peter.
Now said the old man to himself,
as he sat smiling in tears, upon learning
! the news, and that Cecilia was safely
through the pains and pefils of child birth
SHOW there is hope for my deal girl,
for, surely, ia loving and ministcring to
4 her own sweet babe, will the young
mothers heart find pleasures far more
observation-disclosures far more exquisite
than those offered by the hollow forms
and courfesles Of fashionable life. Now
she will be won away from thege.''
mistaken oa bis first visit, two days after
the birth Of her child, he fohBd ttat a
wet-nurse had been engaged, and saw,
,the. FIRST time his eye rested upon it. the
helpless innocent which had been sent to
bless his niece, laid upon the bosom of a
stranger,
This was painful shock to the old
mans feelings. Owing to the weak con-
dition Of Cecilia, he could not remon-
stratc with her upon SO unnatural an act,
much as he desired to do so. Still, he
could not help saying, as he stopped
down to kiss her; on rising to go away,
Cecilia, take that babe to your own
( bosom. 1t will be a thousand times
dearer to you.'
MY constitution would not bear it,
Cecilia replied, in a feeble voice-but
the feebleness was mainly an atfectaton.
Uncle Peter knew that it was not the
time to urge the matter, and so he de-
ferred what he strongly desired to say,
/ for some two weeks, when he thought
that she could more easily bear Iistl
excitement of mind.
| For the purpose OF having some plain
talk, he called in, one morning, about the
end OF that time. lie had visited Cecil
ia the day before, as he had done regu-
iarfy very day. since the birth of her
babe. But since his last visit, there has
been change. He found her sitting ii
lone, in her chamber, with every thing
arranged 10 the most perfect order. and
no indication whatever to be seen that she
was now mother. The old man looked
areund in surprize for moment or two,
and then asked for little Cecilia.
Nurse and the babe have been remov-
ed to their own apartment was the quiz
ct, dignifed reply of Mr.. Merlin.
To Their own apartment exclaimed
Uncle Peter, in tone of surprize.-
And pray, madam. where is that?'
'In the nuery. to be sure!' Cecilia re-
piled. You didn't suppose, surely.
that was going to keep themin my own
chamber
4sRemoved to the nursery, and two
weeks old!' Uncle Peter said, in low
voice Of surprize and displeasure. Gee
ella, you are more unnatural than dumb
animals. They always nurse and take
care OF their own young
1T is a shame for you to talk to ME in
that way. Ucse Peter!n Cecilia replied,
in an offended tone.
do YOU take me fer cows
81 would have you initiate at least, the
natural feelings Of a. COW in regard to
your own ohspring.' the, old man said
Like her, nature has supplied you with
the means Of nourishing YOUR own child,
but there the parallel ceases. She heark-
ems to the call Of nature, and obeys lis
prompting impulses. But you do not
More unnatural are you than the animal
you have named. And not only more
! unnatural than that harmless creature,
but more unnatural than even the fierce
lioness, whose love for her young rebukes
your heartless abandonment Of yours
Pardon my plainness 81 speech. must
speak what / think
I This had the effect Of bringing forth a
gush Of tears. But that argument weigh
ed but little with Uncle Peter, whose
pure and unselfsh love prompted him to
speak out the truth with unmlstakable
tplainness. AS soon as that demonstra-
ton had subsidized, he said In soothing,
persuasive tune,
Do think better of it, Cecilia, and take
that dear little babe, to your bosom, be-
fore it Is too late-befure the fountain
which nature has opened there be made
utterly dry. Do not, LET me beg of you,
suffer he flrst, best, innocent affections
to entwine themselves around any one
but her own mother
But think Of my health, Uncle?'
How do you know that it will iniure
your healthss'
why every body says that it Will
4 Whom 90 you mean by every body p
! why all the ladies' that | know. There
lis Mrs. Melrose, who says that she never
thinks ofnursing one Of her children now.
| She did try it at FIRST, but had TO give it