Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-01-08
by MRS. II. N. TRACY,

ered cheekS OF Nhe Olu behueliiahi ON' "
arc the guestsi"
Old Mr.. RAYMOND looked up with faint smile,
but tear found its way TO his eyes the next mo-
ment as he replied, "'Tis true, Nina, they are all
gone but YOU. Once gathered twelve OF my |
Children round tho table to parlake of the rich
feast spread by the hands of your grandmother
and our dear daughters, but they are all scattered,
all gone but YOU, my child, and sometimes have
trenbed lest YOU too should leave me, darling, and
should have to be ministered to by strangers"
"Not while Heaven spares me, dear gandla- |
ther," said Nina, in a voice eloquent with emo
ton; and bending, she imprinted kiss on his
shriyeled brow. "But whom shall we invite for
tomorrow You know we do not want to spend
the evening alone"
"True, my child, that would seem selfish, as
we'll as lone. Well, suppose you invite the good
minister and his lady, Esq. P, and Col. NJ, with
their families; and if you want more, there is my
old and valued friend, Judge H., with his family,
and-let us see-Eenry Welland and his sister
Jane. That will do, will it not, Nina!"
81 wish TO have you pleased, dear grandfather,
but had not thought of inviting single guest
that you have named"
"How is thatl" inquired the old man in evident
surprise. "Whom do you wish TO invite!
thought you looked upon them all as friends"
81 do, and esteem them highly, every one; and
so do others regard them. Consequently they
will all find friends enough who will be glad to
share their society,""
"Well, Nina, where shall we find our guessl
cannot think it would be pleasant 10 spend the
day with strangers, because it seems so much
home festival"
Nina made no reply, but taking down the Bible,
opened TO the fourteenth chapter of Luke, and
read, commencing with the twelfth verse: "Then
said he also to him that bade him, when thou ma
kest dinner or supper, call not thy friends, nor
thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich
neghbors; lest they also bid thee again, and re-
compense be made thee. But when thou makest
feast, call the poor the MANNED, the blind; and
thou shalt be blessed: for they cannot recon.
pense thee; for thou shalt be recompensed at the
resurrection of the just"
Nina replaced the Bible, and turned look Of
inquiry towards her grandfather.
"You are right, Nina, the guests are all around
US; seethat they are invited. Letus see. There
is old Mr.. Dale and his wife, poor as we could
desire. Our poordecrepid friend Perry, who lost
his right hand and his left foot in the Revolution
would we'll like to sup with US, and hsame daugh'
ter Peggy would almost forget her rheumatism il
dear Nina were to bid her come. Then there is
the old blind ffer and his poor daughter-in-aw
and her half-fed children would be quite crazy
with Joy at the sight Of we'll filled table. Viii
they make party TO suit you, my chidi"
"They are the ones would invite, and if /
were your pleasure Iwould add a few more to th'
number"
"What other poor ones have we, child? Ina
med all could remember"
"Mrs. Wells, and poor Rose Harper whom she
has kindly sheltered" returned Nina rather smid
ly.
A shadowy look Of sternness passed over tn
oldgentleman's brow at the mention of Rose Har
per, and Nina read in it the exclamation, "Ca
my pure hearted Nina receive as her guest tn
fallen Rose!"
Without waiting for him to express the feelin
in words, Nina laid her hand in his, and lookln
upin beseeching earnestness she said, "Do nc
deny me, entreat you, Rose has now none t
bid her welcome when such festivals arrive. An
yet it was not any fault in poor Rose that sh
was the most beautiful girl that we ever behelC
nor that her heart was as gentle and unsuspectin
as her face and form were faultless. Nor shoul
we blame her that she was early left an orphan
and that her education and moral training wer
left those who had no correct views of life"
"Not for any of these, my child" replied ol
Mr.. Raymond, shut for guilt and shame. You
own wide mantle of charity cannot surely cove
up the fact that she has greatly erred, and til,
her errors are of such character as to exclud
her from the society Of the virtuous."
"She has erred, dear grandfather, grievousl
erred" returned Nina "bul we should rememb
that we are all sinners in the sight of God, ar
that he sent His son to seek and save the ost.-
And in his sight, perhaps, the sin of Rose is NJ
greater than many which we pass by almost III
needed. She not only sinned, she was bitter
slnned against. The man who betrayed he
promised before Heaven to love and protect he
If she trusted his word, il was not very srang
for we all believed him honorable. Would n
you have trusted his promise in any pecunia
matterl" The old man nodded assent. "Then
continued Nina, "should we blame too severe
ahe confidence Of one who had surrendered h
heart 10 the keeping of man she believed inc
pable of wronging her!'
"Perhaps not" replied Mr. Raymond, though
fully, "but still | cannot feel that it is right
you to associate with her. Let her bear the pu
ishmens that her error merits"
al am afraid that it is not quite right is it, gran
fatherl If she is entirely cast off by her form
associates, will she not despair, and in the end
driven to the society of the vile! You remer
Der of whom it was said, A bruised reed will
not break; and you know too that He did n
spurn the weeping Mary, when she kissed his fe
and washed them with her tears"
"Again my teacher, Nina. Act uptoyour ov
convictions of duty; see that my worldly vi
dom is foolishness in the sight of God"
Nina threw on her cloak and hood, and with
light step and still lighter heart hastened to inv
her guests, while old Mr.. Raymond took do,
the sacred volume and sought to become more
miliar with its holy precepts. He had been
man Of the world during the forty years of {
tive life which he had devoted to the accumu