The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-10-09

! Housc W Sel d small DunQle OF clothes winch
he had concealed the day before, his hearl
beat with unusual violence, and for few mo-
ments faintness came over him at the thot
ofleaving mother and sister, the only OBJ
jects on earth whom he had ever truly loved.
He stopped for moment, as if meditating a
better resolution, and then proceeded to the
gate, which he opened and went out. Here
he again paused d-looked-lingered
-hesitated-and even put his hand again on
the latchet, half resolved to creep once more
to his little bedroom. But at that moment
the low call of Thornton, at some distance,
reached his ear-he had fingered longer than
he was aware, and now the moment had ar
rived when he must go, if at all-with sort
of desperation of feeling he fastened away,
the tears trickling down his cheeks as he babe
adieu to the humble cottage which contained
all he loved on earth. His bundle was still
under his arm, and in that bundle am glad
to say, was "a mothers gift the pocket Bible.
Charles felt that he could not 90 without that,
and perhaps he felt that the discovery that he
had taken it,migh serve somewhat to assuage
a mothers sorrow.
Before morning the young sailors were a
long way towards the sea port whence they
expected to SAIL and couple of days brought
them quite there. The ship, it so happened,
was ready, and Charles having been accepted
on the recommendation of Thornton, took up
his line Of duty before the mast. Shortly af-
ter, the ship weighed anchor and stretched
forth on far distant voyage.
i must leave my readers to imagine, if
they are able, the surprise and even conster-
nation of Mrs. Grant and Alice, the morning
! following Charles departure, at not finding
| him in the house, nor about the premises
What could it mean !-what errand could
have called him away AT what hour did he
leave !-what accident could have befallen
him!
Search was made for him by the increasing
ly anxious and terrified mother and sister
for an hour and more before they veniured
to make known their solicitude to their neigh
bors. My own residence was not far distant;
and before had finished my breakfast, "a mes
senger in haste made known the truly distress
ing situation of Mrs. Grant and Alice. has
tened to the Householder friends at no dis
tant hour were there-inquiries were institu-
ted-messengers were despatched around the
town, but not the slightest tidings could be
obtained, and even mcclure was bafiied-
At length, however, Mrs. Grant made the dis
covery that his better suit was gone, and
there was transcient CLEAN of joy on her
face as she announced that his pocket Bible
was also not in his chest. Some days passed,
long days, and long and gloomy nights, be-
fore any satisfactory intelligence was received,
and then the amount of that intelligence was
in short and affectionate letter from Charles
himself, Just then on the eve Of sailing for the
Pacific ocean. Itruns thus:
My DEAR MoTHER,-Can you, will you
| forgive me this step / have taken without
your knowledge or consent? My heart has
smote me every hour since | left you. ! am
at--and on board the ship, which
sails in an hour for the Pacific ocean. Fond
est-best Of mothers-do not grieve, / will
one day return to bless and comfort you and
my dear Alice. / must do something for you
and her. Kiss her for me. Mother, / can
write no more, only that | hope / shall have
your prayers. have got my pocket Bible,
and shall keep it next my heart Farewell
Your affectiopate Son.
p. S. i have somewhere read, what | am
| sure will prove true in my own case:
'Where'er rove-whatever realms see,
My heart untravell'd, fondly turns to thee
| By some means the letter did not reach the
post office as soon as it should have done land
the uncertainty bore heavily on the heart of
| mother and sister. The postmaster on its
arrival kindly sent it TO me; and, hoping it
contained tidings the lost child | ventured
TO break the seal. The truth sorrowful as it
was-was great relief, and was felt TO be so
by Mrs. Grant and Alice. Yet, for a season
and who can marvel their hearts were
filled with sadness which scarcely admitted Of
alleviation-it was a dark and mysterious
providence; and when friends called in, as
they often did, to mingle their tears with the
weeping, and to administer consolation, the
most they could do was to weep and 10 say,
His ways are in the sea, and his judgments
past finding out
1 But time does neutrality-suspicious. does
more. By degrees these sorrowful ones were
able to pray, and as the christian poet says,
| Prayer makes the darkest cloud withdraw
So it did for them. They did not, indeed,
recover their wonted cheerfulness, but they
were calm and subdued. No murmur escap-
ed the mothers lips, and even Alice seemed
to have imbibed the spirit Of holy resignation,
Father, thy will be DONE
But there were days of keen and bitter an
guish, and in those nights, when the storm
swept its angry blast across their humble
dwelling and rocked their bed, it was impos-
sble for mothers heart not to tremble for
! hOi Seliioi-DOy, oi upOh ocean,
and perhaps suffering the perils of the bill
lowy tempest. But even at such times she
was enabled to commit herself and her wan
dering child to the care and grace of cove
nant-keeping God-uttering the language of
holy confidence, His faithfulness is as the
everlasting mountains Though he STAY
me, vet will trust in him.
Four years elapsed, land nothing was heard
| of Charles Grant. Sometime during the Sec
ond year of his absence rumor reached us
that a ship, supposed TO be the -, which
sailed from -, and on board of which
Charles was supposed to be, was burned at
sea, and that but two or three only were saw
ed, and among them was young man named
Grant. But the rumor, though not contra
dicted, was not confirmed, and another period
of uncertainty and anxiety fell to the lot of
the long-stricken and heart-saddened mother
and sister of the absent boy. .-.....
At length the friends of Mrs. Grant per-
ceived visible change in her health. The
indications Of that too fatal maledy-con-
sumption, were too apparent to be mistaken.
Its approach was indeed slow and insiduous,