Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1846-07-09
From the Iris and Odd Fellows Mirror.
MY GRANDPARENTS
WEDDING.
BY MORCIANNA.

"A SOCIAL parry were aSSetHoleu AZ
farmhouse to enjoy the evening
Twas Saturday. The labors of the
week were ended; peace and plenty
blessed the farmers rural cot, and Joy
and gladness beamed from every face.
The tea things being removed, it was
! proposed that farmer Jones should re-
late story Of the olden time, for the
amusement of the company, and the
evenings entertainment. The farmer
desired that it should be put to vote,
lest some might think him trespassing
on their time and patience. A vote
was therefore taken, and the story a.
greed on by large majority. It was
| as follows: it,
81 was but FIVE years old, when I
lost my father. My mother, | have no
recollection Of; she having died several
years before. l was consigned to the
care of my grand parents; they well
supplied the place of those | had lost.
| My dear old grand mother-the memo
ny of her untiring kindness, hangs a.
round me yet. Methinks | see her as
she used to sit in her old armchair,
emptying her pockets Of the sundry
| nuts, cakes and candies deposited there
for my own use; or leading the way to
the pantry, where l was Toasted with
slices of pudding, pie, custard, or
something of the kind, until my very
stomach, was ready to cry for mercy.
But childhood cannot last always; nei-
ther can grand mothers. Mine did not;
she was called to pay the debt of ma
ture-a debt that all must pay once in
the course oflife. How my little heart
was grieved, when l saw her / SO dear
ly loved, wrapt in deaths cold en-
brace: and then | saw them spread a
great pail over her and take her away;
and heard the clods rattle on her cof-
fin until the sound chilled my very
soul. l thought l would like to lie
beside the dear being, and 60 to the
bright world; they told me she would in
future inhabit-. But was arous-
ed from my reverie by the boisterous
sobs of my grandfather. He fingered
; over the grave, and refused to he COM
forted. He was at length taken away
by force; but day and night his grief a
bated not. And then thought l
must live to be prop to the declining
years Of the dear old man, whose home
had thus been made desolate. o,
how l longed to offer consolation to
that wounded heart.
Three months had passed gloomily
away since the funeral. Not sound
of mirth had been heard in our halls.
My grand father continued to take his
evening meal in silence; and then it
was his custom to takeme on his knee,
and pat my head and call me his dear
boy-his only comfort-the tears
meanwhile stealing down his aged
checks, latter which he would 60 with a
heavy sigh to bed. At this time a let
tercame to hand from one who had been
my grand fathers school-mate, invl-
ting him to come and spend some weeks
with him, in order to restore the tram
guilty of his mind. twas very kind
and thoughtfulin his old friend, and
my grandfather determined to 60 at
once, so l was arrayed in my mourning
suit to bear him company, as he could
not bear to live without me, his only joy.
We were kindly received, and desired
to make ourselves perfectly at home.
A desire that | took good care to com
ply with, to the noted dissatisfaction Of
4 the house dogs and pet cats, which il
was my delight to tease and worry.
!! The worthy friend who was so in
terested for the cherries situation Of
my grand father, had fail and bloom.
ing daughter Just home from boarding.
/. school; and Miss found it convenient
to fall in love-not with my grandfath-
er--but, with his handsome fortune.-
4 She became extremely attentive to all
the old gentleman'sS whims. If he
complain, she was at his side in a
twinkling, to recommend loil on the
couch, while she would adjust the pill
] low, and sit quietly by and brush away
a fly that might chance to intrude upon
/ the old mans slumbers; or if sleep did
4 not come to his relief, to read TO him
some amusing s,ory-always careful
to select one that suited her purpose.
Twas not long before she succeeded;
and my grandfather was fairly caught
I in the web, which they had so cunning
ly woven. So to make short work 0,