Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-05-30

am to do. 1t has been lately sign6ed that
sign would be given when the way was O.
pened, and to night when heard thy propo-
siton TO give the house and land to whoever
would occupy it, felt at once that thy
words were the promised sign
Her parents, having always taught their
children to attend to inward revealings,
were afraid TO oppose what she so strongly
felt to be duty. Her mother, with slight
trembling in her voice, asked If she had re-
fiected well on all the difficulties Of the un-
dertakng, and how arduous task it was
Tor young woman to manage farm of UNI
broken land in a new country.
Elizabeth replied, Young women have
governed kingdoms, and surely it requires
less wisdom to manage farm. But let not
that trouble US, dear mother He that feed
eth the ravens will guide me in the work
whereunto he has called me. Ii is not 10
cultivate the farm but to be friend and
physician to the people in that region that
am called
Her father answered, Doubt not my
child, that we shall be willing to give thee
up TO the Lords dsposings, however hard
the trial may be. But when thou vert a
very little girl thy Imagination was much
excited concerning America therefore, thou
must be very careful that no desire for new
adventures, founded in the will of the crea-
ture, mslead thee form the true light in this
matter. | advise thee for three months 10
make it subject of solid meditation and
prayer. Then, if our lives be spared, we
will talk farther concerning it,
During the prescribed time no allusion
was made TO the subject, though il was in
the thoughts of all /; for this highly eonsc-
entious family were unwilling 10 confuse in
ward perceptions by any expression Of feel
ing or opinion. With simple undoubtng
faith, they sought merely to ascertain wheth-
or the Lord required this sacrifice That
their daughters views remained the same
they partly judged by her increased tender
ness toward all the family not sad, but
thoughtful and ever-wakeful, as toward
friends from whom she was about 10 separ-
ate. Ii was likewise observable that she
redoubled her diligence in obtaining knowl-
edge of household affairs, of agriculture,
and the cure Of common diseases. When
the three months had expired, she declared
that the light shone with undiminished clear
ness, and she felt more strongly than ever
that it was her appointed mission to CON-
fort and strengthen the Lords people in the
New World.
Accordingly, early in the spring of 100,
arrangements were made for her departure,
aud all things were provided that the abund-
ance of wealth or the ingenuity of affection
could devise. poor widow of good sense
and discretion accompanied her as friend
and housekeeper, and two trusty men SER
wants, members of the Society Of Friends
Among the many singular manifestations of
strong faith and religious zeal connected
with the settlement of this country, few are
more remarkable than the voluntary separa-
ton Of this girl of eighteen years old from
wealthy home and all the pleasant associa-
tons of childhood, TO go TO distant and
thinly inhabited country, 10 fulfil what she
considered religious duty And the hum
BILE, selfsacriic;ng faith of the parents, in
giving up their beloved child, with such
reverent tenderness for the promptings OF
her own conscience, has in it something
sublimely beautiful if we look at il in its own
pure light. The parting took place with
more love than words can express, and yet
without tear on either side. Even during
the long and tedious voyage Elizabeth never
wept. She preserved a martyr-like cheer
fulness and serenity TO the end.
The house prepared for her reception
stood in clearing Of the forest, three miles
from any other dwelling. She arrived in
June, when the landscape was smiling in
youthful beauty and it seemed to her as if
the arch of heaven was never before SO clear
and bright, the carpet of the earth never so
verdant As she sat at her window and
saw evening close in upon her in that broad
forest home, and heard for the first time the
mournful notes Of the whippo-wil and the
harsh scream ofthe jay in the distant woods
she was oppressed with sense Of vastness,
Of nfnity, which she never before expert
enced, not even on the ocean. She remain
ed long in prayer, and when she lay down
to sleep beside her matron friend, no words
were spoken between them. The elder,
overcome with fatigue, soon sunk into a
peaceful slumber, but the young enthusiast
ic spirit lay long awake, listening TO the
lone voice of the whippo-wil complaining to
the night Yet notwithstanding this pro-
longed wakefulness, she rose carly and
looked out upon the lovely landscape. The
rising sun pointed TO the talIest trees with
his golden finger, and was welcomed with a
gush Of song from thousand warblers. The
poetry in Elizabeths sonl, repressed by the
severe plamness of her education. gushed
up like fountain. She dropped on her
knees and with an ouiburst of prayer ex-
claimed fervently, oh, father, very beautiful
hast thou made this eartli How beautiful
are thy gifts, o Lord !
To spirit less meek and brave, the dark
err shades Of the picture would have obscur-