The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1843-04-22
TIE BEREAVED SISTER.
BY G d. PRENTICE.

South with gentleman who had remov-
ed from England to this country, with two
small children, the one boy of ten, the
other girl Of nine years ofage. These
children were the most lovely beings
ever saw. Their extreme beauty, their
deep and arlless affection, and their fire.
quenl bursts of innocent and childish
mlrth made them as dear to me as if had
! been The companion of their infancy
They were happy in themselves, happy in
each other, and IN the whole world of life
and nature around them. had known
the family but few months, when my
friend Was compelled to take sudden and
unexpected voyage to South America
Ills feelings were embittered by the
thought %! leaving his moherless children
behind him, and as was Oh the point If
embarklng for Liverpool, promised TO
take them to their relations.
My departure was delayed two weeks.
During that period, lived under the same
roof with the liliie ones who had been
consigned TO my charge. For few days
they were penslve ard made frequent in
qulries for their absent la,her-but their
sorrows were easily assuaged, and regret
for his absence changed into pleasing an
ticipation of his return. The ordinary
sorrows of childhood are but dew upon
, lhe'eag les plumage, which vanish at the
moment when the proud bird springs up
wards into the air to WOO the fist beautl
fill flashes of the morning.
The Iav If orr Jrp,rturr ot laSt arriy
ed, and we set sail on quiet afternoon
of summer. 1t was scene Of beauty,
and my heart nuttered as wildly and joy
, ously as the wing Of young bird in
: spring time. 1t seemed in truth, as if
''man's control had stepped with the
shore" that was retreating behind us, and
left the world of waters to give back the
blue of the upper skies as purely and
= peacefully as at the first holy Sabbath of
: creation. The distant hills bent their pale
!, blue tops to the waters, and lhe'great Sun
like the image o: his Creator, sunk in the
west, successive shadows of gold, Grim
son and purple came floating over the
waves, like barks from the fairy land
My Young companions gazed on these
scenes silently and steadily, and, when
the last tint of the dim shore was melting
!, into shadow, they took each other hands
. and few natural tears gushed forth as all
|, adieu to the land they had loved.
: Soon after sunset persuaded my little
= friends TO let me lead them into the cabin
!, and then returned to look out again upon
d the ocean. In about half an hour, as
i was standing musingly apart, felt my
5 hand gently pressed, and turning round
= saw that the girl had stolen alone to my
if side. In few moments the evening star
= began TO twinkle from the edging of Il
Y violet cloud. AT first it cleaned family
Il and al intervals, bat anon it came bright
:. ly out, and shone like a holy thing upon
: the brow Of evening. The girl at my
r side gazcd upon ii, and hailed it with 4
!; tone which told that thought of rapture
d was at her heart. She inquired, with
h simplicity and eagerness, whether in the
) lar land 10 which we were going thai
h same bright star would be visible, and
n seemed to regard it as another friend tina
was to be with her in her long and lonely
:, journey.
c The first week of our voyage was unat.
y tended by any important incident. The
!. sea. at times wild and stormy, but again il
J. would sink to repose, and spread Itself
d out in beauty to the verge of the distant
It ho. lion. On the eighth day the boy a.
+ rose, pale and detected, aud complained
Of indisposiiion. On the following morn
II ing he was confined by fever to his bed
aud mach doubt was expressed as to his
;. fate, by the physician of the vessel.
t, can never forget the visible agony, the
e look of utter wo, that appeared upon the
C face of the little gll, when the conviction
of her brothers danger came slowly home
upon her thoughts. She wept not-she
complained not--but hour after hour, she
set by The young suferer--an image OF
grief and duliGul affection. The boy be-
came daily more feeble and emaciated.-
lie could not return the long and burn
: ing kisses of his sister, and al last the faint
Y heaving of his breast, snd tender elo.
q quencc of his half closed eye, and flush
Y at intervals, upon his wasted cheek like
d, the first violet tint OF morning cloud
). where all that told that he had not pass
S ed the first dark day Of II ,thlngess.'
o The twelfth evening of our absence from
y land was the most beautiful had ever
known, and persuaded the girl to 60 for
o a shor, lime uron deck. tina! her own few
II cred brow might be famed by tn" twi-
a light breeze. The sun had goEo down
e in glory, and the traces of his boodred
r setting were still visible upon the western
:. waters. Slowly, but brilliantly, the many
t stars were gathering themselves together
It above, and another sky swelled but in
e soltened beauty beneath, and the foam u
i pom the crests of the waves was lighted
!, up like wrealhs of SNOW. There was
4 | music in eyeru ,ynun and lis Wild sWeei