The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1843-12-02

"Lay down your golden offerings here
said the Stranger Sand your Saviour vii
accept the gilt, Have we not read tina
whoseyer presen.elh cup of cold wa.e
to one of The leas, Of His disciples in His
name, glvelh it unto Hing
The maiden wept, as she laid her Offer
ing in the Widows emacialed hand. Again
the beautcous stranger smiled.
n he tear Of pity" said she, sis the
br.ghtes, gem thou hast brought"
She led her iorlhinto tn e darkness once
more and held such sweet and heavenly
discourse, that the heart of the maiden
| melted within her bosom. They came to
dwelling whence strains of solemn music
issued, and as the light slreamed from the
arching windows, II was reflected with
ghos,Iy lu,tre on marble lomD-lones glea-
| ming without.
"l'hey breathe forth a requiem for the
Dead" said the stranger and she Ell tered
the gate lhro' willows that wept over the
path. The music ceased, and the low,
deep voice OF prayer asctndto
through the silence Of the night. The
lel. that she was not worthy &c enter into
the temple. -She hardly dared to lit her
trembling eyes to Heaven; but bending her
forehead to the dus!, and clasping her
hands on her breast, she c!aimcL "God,
be mercliul to me sinnerI'
THY Saviour will accept the Offering"
uttered the stranger IN her ear; "lhe pray
er of broken and contrite spirit is all
incense more precious 10 Him, than all
the odours of the East"
You shall see me again." said The
stranger, when she led the young maiden
to her own home, by the light of the
dswnIng day; "you shall see me again,
and we will walk together once more
but not among scenes of sorrow and death
for the y. shall all have fed away. Meth
er will we walk through the shades OF
midnight, for "there will be no night lheie.
There will be no moon nor stars to il
illuminate The place. "lnr the glory Of God
shall tighten it, and the Lamb be the light
tn, reof," FAREWELL may not dwell with
you, but ye shall come and abide with me,
if ye continue TO walk in the path where
have guided your steps"
Never more were the steps Of that
Young maiden seen in the hall Of mirth.
or the paths of sin. She went about
among the children Of sorrow and went
binding up the wounds of sorrow. and re-
levlng the ,,angs of want. She hung
over the dealhbed of the penilent, and
brealhed words of hope into he dull car
OF despair. Men looked upon her as she
passed along in her youthful beauty, as an
angel visilanl, and hey blessed her in her
wanderings. Her once com ianions turn
ed aside, shrinking from communion with
one whose eyes now spoke h"lier Ian
guage than tina, of earth. They felt that
! she was no longer enc of them, and after
wondering and speaking of her little
while, she was iorgostea by them in the
reveiries of pleasure.
At length she was no longer seen by
| those who watched for her daily admin
isrra,irns. Her place was vacant in The
temple of God The music OF her voice
was no more heard in prayer and praise.
On lowly couch in her own darkened
room, the young maiden was reclining
Her face was pa'id, her eyes dim, aud her
mother was weeping over her. Flowers
were strewed npon her pillow, whose
sweet breath stole loving over her faded
cheek; and as the curtains of the windows
waved softly in the night breeze, the noon
beams glided in and kissed her van brow.
The mother heard no step, but she fell
| the air par, near die couch, aud looking
up. she saw Il figure standing IN white
flowing robes by Der daughters SIDE; with
face of such mccarthy sweetness, thai
she rembled as she gazrd on her
"Maden," said she, al have come once
more. J told thee we should meet again.
and this is The appointed hour. Does til,
spirit welcome my coming"
'sMv soul has lhirsted for thee" an
swered the laintvoce of the maiden, "even
az the blossom lhirsts for The dew of The
morning; but may not follow now. 10,
my feeble feet bear me no longer over the
threshold of home"
"Thy feet shall be as the young roe on
the mountain" answered the whi,e-Iobed
s,ranger-'lhou shalt mount Oh the wings
of the eagle"
Then bending over the couch and breath
ing on the cheek of the maiden, its pale
hue changed to the whleness of marble.
and the hand which her mother held, turn
ed as cold as an icice.-Al the same mo-
ment the folds of the strangers robe float
ed from her shoulders, and wings of re-
splendent azure, softening iniog Id, futter
ed on the gaze. Divine perfumes filed
the atmosphere, and low sweet melody
like the slvery murmuring of distant wa
tiers, echoed through the chamber. Awe.
struck aud bewildered, the mother turned
from the breathless form of her child, to
the celestial figure of the stranger, when
she saw lgradually fading from her sight