Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1844-03-16

| IA he nppronched. The birds was clus
tered In those waving arches adding mel.
ody TO magnificent beauty, aud flashing
their bright wings here and there in the
streaming sunlight. Think you that we
fell not the grandeur Of the scene because
we were children of humble men2 Eve
ry soul was touched, every lip was silent
and every eye, mostened with insensbil
| ity, was raised to heaven, with expression
Of adora ion. What a glorious place. it
must be where He dwells who has bull
such beautiful hubitation for the chit
dren of sinful man, at length remarked
cousin Chloe, and the tears fell sparkling
| like diamonds from her deep blue eyes
Well, we entered the grove TO the left by
rude gate, aud pursued a mere path
amongsl the mighty oaks and chesnuts,
where the wild honey suckle shook incense
from its clustered bloom, and the white
jessamine gave silently its rich tribute to
God,
Our path brought US into little dell IN
which stood an old buildlnng, strange
antique structure, with wAdows OF small
diamond glass in eaden sashes; and hea-
w doors filled diamondlng with large
round-headed nails, from each of which
the sun and rain Of an hundred years had
caused black traces to descend along the
wood The house was built by follow
err Of Oliver Cromwell, and characters
tic of his strong stern times. The ground
which had once been under cultivation
was overgrown with young timber, ond
poisoning shrubs, except little garden
plot which was planted with culinary We
getable, while here and there grew a lux
urant blossom, or cluster OF aromatic
herbs. A clear cool spring at the foot Of
the garden lay uncovered in birch and
hazel, while its surplus waters stole 81
Iently away ministering life and beauty
to many lovely thing. | was enchant-
ed with the beauty oil this wild hermitage,
and as we approached the venerable edl-
fee, saw female form buslly attending
brood of young turkeys. Her garments
were Of the humblest description, and her
yellow hair combed smoothly up, and
fastened in knot, with an old fashioned
crystal set bodkin. She was more than
fifty years of age, yet her forehead was
unwrinkled, and her eye clear, mild, and
expressive Of heartfelt tranquility. She
invited US into her house with cheerful
cordiaity; and within, employed in COM
bing worsted, sat her sister, a poor Grip
pie, who although unable to walk, still
industrlously employed her hands to light.
en- Margaret's burden if it was only a
little. After short chat my cousins pre-
scented their little offering to the old la
dies, and we took our leave You see
that they were poor and desolate, living
10 house SO dilipidated that its owner
could no longer get over so trltllng a snm
for its use, and earning subsistence by
hard and constant labor. The world
knew them not, and the proud looked not
upon them, yet nober, more devote ed crea,
lures, never breathed the sweet air OF
heaven.
My aunt knew their history from their
childhood, and she repeated to me The
story of poor Margaret and Mary. They
we're left motheress IN their childhood
and the care of the house devolving up
on Margaret, as being the eldest, at an
age when other children dream not o!
care or sorrow. Her heart was an over
flowing fountain Of love, the sweet stream
of which had blessed ner mother IN her
weary decline, and which when she had
passed away to heaven, turned It's soolh-
/ ing influence upon her young and delicate
sister, whom her dying mother strongly
commended TO her fostering care. Many
deemed that but for Mary her heart
would have broken. Yet while she min
istered TO her, she felt as il performing Il
sacred duty 10 her mother, and that con
seriousness sustained her. Their Lather
possessed little property which with ia
dustry and economy supported his iamlly
in humble independence. Poor Mary
soon Showed symptoms OF diseased
spine, but as her aflliction came gradually
upon her, ii was not met by prompt med
ical treatment, and by exercising Marga-
ret's mind with alternate hopes and fears,
drew it from the contemplation OF her
bereayed condition. She had been pI-
GUS child from infancy, and now her
sense of utter helplessness, drew her cIo-
ser 10 Him who gives rest to the weary
and heavily laden. Many tervent
prayer did she pour from her loving heart
in behalf Of her suffering sister, whose
means drove sleep from her pillow all the
long night and agonizlngly did she en-
treat for her life, that she might not be
left utterly desoIate. The conviction that
the object Of her solicilude had become
hopelessly crippled, wrung her heart with
bitter agony, yet it only increased heI
love; and when the disease having done
its work, let its victim go, ard she found
ease and comparative health, how did the
moor Margaret bless God that he had lis.
tened TO prayers; and how sedulously did
she watch, lest some accident, or expo