Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1843-02-09

she aCas lD5d0lo.
sAnd Tomorrow YOU are to be taker
into the firm as a partner This wa:
uttered by an, aged female. whs was sit
tins with one OF her withered hands elias
ped, in that Of her son, young man Of
two-a and twenty, who sat looking in hel
face. with eyes beaming with affectonate
interest. This fully repays me. my be.
loved son, for all have suffered
/ For moment the sons features ap.
peared cIouded with sorrow; he thought
what that suffering had been; of the wears
! long past, when the mother row sitting
beside him, so beloved, had submitted to
toll and privation, enduring all things for
his sake; his eyes glistened with tears,
till brushing them away hastily, smile
broke over his countenance.
True MOTHER he said; 'but let these
recoilections be forgotten now. The
memory Of the PAST we will bury in OBJ
Iiyion. and think only of the days
that are to Gomez
But You will not ALLOW prosperity to
harden your heart, William; you will not
let your good fortune make you high
minded. and forget Him, who has been
friend in the hour of trouble
No, mother, / will not forget that |
am the child of God-yet should temp
tation assaIl me, | have only to think of
your precepts and example, and they
would always deter me from dong wrong.
But think, mother,' he continued, "a
bright CLEAN lighting up every feature,
how happy \ shall be, to be enabled to
place you in that sphere Of life 20 which
your virtues entitle You. Ii you knew
how often busy fancy has pictured this
hour; how often have dwelt upon the
idea of one day being able to place You
in home equal to your merit, you would
! not wonder, that now. when see my
wishes on the eve of accomplishment, it
should thus subdue me-
Nor do |, nor 10 |, my son. the mo-
tier said with fearful eyes; 'but you think
mere favorahiy, my son. of your aged
mother than she deserves. / doubt not
many will think, and say. the old woman
has now more than she merits; and real
!y. though am proud of your advance
meht. ! should not murmur at never hav-
ing more comfortable home than the
present one you have provided me-
The night was ptchy dark. not star
being visible, while the wind blowing in
fitful gusts, portended storm of unusu-
al violence.
'fwill be stormy night. | fear,'
/ said the young man. rising and going to-
/ .t,or,c tl>o jon,. TO l.
is already swollen, and if the rain fails
as it did the other evening, | fear much
damage will ensue. You heard of the
poor fellow drowned in the canal last
night?' -
YES the mother replied. 4 hope he
had friends to care for him. 1t is dread
full death to de- she added musingly.
They say not said William; many
who have encountered it, assert that be
ing brought to is the most painful part
to endure a.
1t may be So the mother answered
'but ervently trust no one dear to ne
may ever be submitted to the expert
ment.'
A vivid fash ofiightning, followed by
the low, rumbilng thunder, caused VIM
to retire; and observing again that the
river would be very high, he closed the
door.
1t was now the ususual hour for family
worship. The mother seated herself in
a corifer of the Fireplace. with her fea-
lures settled into look of devotion.
while the son, with a corresponding gra-
witty. walked toward the stand on which
the family bible was placed. and opening
the sacred volume. began reading a chap
ter. Religion with them was not the
cold expression Of the lip alone. 1t was
the incense of the heart. 1t was a beau
! tful sight, that aged mother and her on
/ ly son bending their knees. and lifting
up their voices to the most high. Per-
haps the events of the day had given a
deeper tone to Williams voice and feel
ings; certain it was, he had never pray
ed more fervently than on that occasion;
and when they separated for the night,
the poor old woman looked forward to
the bright vista of the future, with full
confidence of its meeting her most san
guine expectations.
| The mother of William had been left a
widow while he was in his second year.
BY dint of hard labor she managed to
keep her boy at school, until he arrived
at his fifteenth year, when she obtained
situation for him with merchant. re-
siding at the furnishing town of Roches-
ter, in the state of New York. Williams
good conduct and steady application TO
business won him the favorable opinion
Of his employer. The merchant was a
man Of great benevolence he could ap-