Litchfield enquirer., 1846-07-09
From the Christian Porlor Magazine.
Ell LEN GRAY:
The Flower Of our Village.

loVed hef, would be saying no more than
every body might say on whom the light of
her bright eye shone. Up there in the coun-
try where we lived, there was none of that
stiff tormality, and no rules of conventional
etiquette that govern society here in the city,
and the heart had full play in childhood
and youth. Our young people acted as they
Je"; and, as they were usually happy, they
seemed to enjoy themselves when they came
together for an evening visit, or set off on
winters sleigh-ride. But if there was one
more buoyant and joyous than the rest it
was Ellen. Her heart was always in her
face light: ardent, pure and blessed herself,
stream oil love and blessedness flowed ever
from her warm soul, as from a perennial
fountain.
ohe was ten years younger than ], and was
therefore little girl when Twas grown to
mans estate, and my heart was fixed before
Ellen came on the stage. But every body
loved Ellen Gray, and I loved her with the
fest-and why should I not? There was
no more harm in loving her than in loving
fairy or picture of an angel. The heart
would go out after one who loved everybody:
and hence the universal admiration which
this sweet girl received as she passed on
from Childhood among the years that are
known as the teens. Her father was dead,
and her mother was poor, and Ellen was an
only child and if slight emotion Of pity
was mingled with the feelings which moved
the heart when Ellen Gray was near you,
1t served only to deepen the attachment with
which this child was regarded. But before
the death ofher father, Ellen had enjoyed as
good opportunities for receiving instruction
as that region Of country afforded, and she
had improved them all. Quick, ready, and
ardent in pursuit of anything on which her
mind was set, she had made rapid and solid
advancement in learning, so that there was
no young lady Of her age who was equal to
| her.
Ellen.,s mother had struggled hard. after
she was left widow, TO provide the means
OF support for herself and her daughter.
How tenderly that mother and that child
loved! 1t was sight to bless the eye to
look in upon their cottage; you could not
say which was the most dependant; the
motherlived for the daughter, and the daugh
ter was happy only AS she was the solace
and support OF her on whose bre asst in infan-
| cy she leaned. And the sweet smile of the
daughter lighted that cottage as star thai
| never set The mother rejoiced in it, and
| felt a gratitude she could not speak in the
possession of treasure that no wealth in
her poverty, could buy.
But the mothers health was feeble, and
her labors were of course hardly sufficient
to maintain herself, and Elen's industry
must add to the common store. This was
checrfuly rendered; and for many years
past, even when Ellen was but a mere child,
| he hoH ira, cd IN bor zoe
and evenings in helping her mother-per-
forming those light domestic duties which
child may easily discharge, if so disposed,
and which Tighten the load of mothers
cares, and leave her more leisure and
strength for the more profitable cmploymcnts
on which she depended for daily bread Now
let not any refined and sensitive reader in
the city suppose that Ellen and her mother
were the less respectable, or the less respected
by the best society in the town of Lillinton,
because they worked for living. The fact
is, they would not have been esteemed had
they been willing to be dependent so long as
| they could take care of themselves. There
was not lady in Lillinton more beloved
than Mrs Gray. She was at the head of
many of the movements 10 the parish for the
promotion of this and that object CT Chris
lian benevolencc; she was often looked up
to for advice, and her example was as pow
erful as that Of any other lady, except the
minister's wife In the best circles that is
among the wealthieSl and most intelligent
people of the town-,Ellcn Gray was the
| brightest ornament; her company was
sought, and party was dull thatlacked the
light of Elen's smile and the ring of her Joy
Gus voice. 1t was her mothers wish that
Ellen should mingle much with her young
friends. Mrs Gray did not wish her daugh-
ter to be confined to her side continually !;
and she would urge her often, when Ellen
would prefer to stay with her, to go out and
be happy, and make Others happy, as she
shared the pleasures of society. But home
was the dearest spot to both mother and
daughter. Neither of them could have been
happy elsewhere, unless the separation was
the call of duty. 1t was therefore terrible
trial to faith and love, when the conviction
slowly pressed itself upon the minds of both
mother and daue liter that il was necessary
for Ellen to go abroad, and assume laborS
and responsibilities for which she seemed
unified. But it had often been suggested
to Ellen by those to whom she had looked
I for counsel that her education qualified her
to give instruction to others. and that as
teacher she could provide comfortable sup,
port for herself and mother, and relieve the
feeble Mrs. Gray from those labors to which
she felt she was now more and more made
quate. The thought of TINS contributing to
TO the comfort of her mother was enough to
rouse the soul of this ardent girl to any sac
riice.
She wonld undertake anything to make
iife's path smoother and life's load lighter
for the mother she loved; and the only in
quiry now to be made was, where to find
situation in which to engage as teacher
She first sought in her own neighborhood
for a school, but none could he found that
was not already supplied; and then the CT
ty was visited by the minister of the parish,
who took lively interest in the family, and
an effort was made to obtain employment in
one of the many schools in the great metroP-
oils. Nothing being met with that answer
ed the desired purpose, the worthy minister
was advised to advertise in the newspapers
for situation, and he yielded to the sugges-
ton.
1t was represented to him that there