Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1843-04-13
Cecilia, that such a woman as Mrs Nell


rose Can Influence you in thing like
this-a mere butterfly, who sports and
finds existence in the sunshine Of fashion
able life. !. A woman WHO has sinoihered
every impulse OF nature. Shame on you
for hearkening moment to the evil sug-
lgestions of one like her!'
| 4 declare. Uncle Peter, it IS too bad.
+ the way you talk to me about myself and
my intimate friends, responded Cecilia
warmly. You used to love me'--her
voice s0ffening praise me,and call
me your dear little Cecilia. But now
can do nothing to please you!.'
A tear fell upon the young mothers
hand as she ceased speaking. Uncle
Peter waited moment, and then said.
1T is because | love you, Cecilia, that
talk to you so plainly. If | cared no
thing for you, should not, probably.
come near you, Or make the slightest eff
fort to save you from follies and wrong
habits of lille, that must, inevitably, end
in Your permanent unhappness. That
Holy Book, whose precepts are living
and immutable truths, declares that the
'Way Of transgressors IS hard You are
now :ranssressing law. Of nature; and
lit is because wish to save you from the
penalty which must certainly follow such
a trausgression. that now talk to you
with degree Of plainness that has woun
ded yoer feelings.'
Cecilia looked at her Uncle in silent
surprise-and he continued
lit is law Of nature that the mother
shall nourish her own offspring. Bewere
how yod violate that law. For tie way
Of the transgressor is hard
'But It is not now considered genteel
for lady to nurse her children urged
Cecilia. hot at all feeling the force Of
her uncle's remark. ss .s..e
Not genteel for mother 70 nurse her
own babel exclaimed the old man in sur
prise. BLESS me }! To what are we CO.
ming? But surely you cannot be in
earnest = .t-..s ....A
Indeed and am! Things are not nov
as they were when you were young. You
must remember that society is advancing
and that all improvements necessarily
bring changes in the domestic, as well as
in other relations of life. Mrs Melrose
says that
Don't talk to me about Mrs Melrose,
if you pleased interrupted Uncle Peter,
in voice that seemed harsh and angry
to his niece. She is a heartless may,
wicked wOman.'
Wicked? How can you say so? |
know her well, and know that she is
very kind, and good, and gentle.'
'Yes. very kind, and good, and gentle,
to Ell the head of a young thing like you
with the unnatural and wicked idea, that
it is wrong to nourish your own babe at
your own bosom. Shame on her! | say
Il am sure, Uncle, that can't see any
difference to little Cecilia whether nurse
or take the care of her. She will be
equally we'll attended-or rathersl should
say, better attended, as it. is now. than
if | were to attempt the task of minister
ing to her myself
Rough, eccentric and unpublished as
Uncle Peter was at times. the reader has
already discovered that he possessed a
discriminating mind, with the powers of
expressing clearly and in good language,
sound and healthy moral principles.
Are you willing to see the difference
to your bahe?' he asked as soon as Cecil
ia had made her last remark.
OF course | am, was the reply.
Then | will try to present it. Why,
ii, the first place, let me ask you, has
your babe been permitted to be born IN
TO this world3'
80 grow up and be happy, | suppose
and for that alone?'
81 don't know fer what else, particu
1arly.'
sThen I will try TO show you, if can,
for what other reason your babe was
born.'
well l should like to 'hear.' i.
: sShe has been. born to fill some partl-
cular place in the great social body, to
the end that sue may minister to the
happiness of others
And be miserable herself in doing So.
.No. my, child. But to be in filling
her true place, and in the active perfor-
nance of uses to others in that place,
happy beyond the highest conception of
those who seek only, and selhshly, their
own delight
Il must confess that I do not under
stand you, Uncle,' was Cecila's cold re-
ply.
For a few moments Uncle Peter sat
silent, and then resumed
AT some future. day trust that you
shall be able TO comprehend fully what |
have said, and much more that | wished
to say. Al present | must try to inffu-
encc you in regard to your babe by what
you can understand. Your child, you
think, was born to be happy
Certainly i do.'
sAnd so it was. Happy, I think, in
bestowing good to others, yoss. think, in
receiving 1t from others. But no matter.
Your child was born to be happy; and as
you are its mother, you are bound to Sc
cure by. all means, as far as in your
|