The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1850-09-19
NJ rs ELL a NEo Us
THE YANKEE GEEL.
BY MRS. 6. I. MARTTS.

..Seest thou yon lonely cottage the grove
With little garden neatly planned before;
Its roof deep shaded by the elms above!
Go lift the willing latch-the scene explore
Sweet peace. and love and JOY thou there shalt
find
For there Religion dwells; whose sacred lore
Leaves the proud wisdom of the world behind,
And pours heavenly ray on every humble
mind" HUNTINGDON.
The long winter evening was drawing
10 a close-the books and work had been
put blythe ''big ha' bible reYe ntiy
deposited in its accustomed place at the
close of family worship, and the cheerful
circle that surrounded the 6reside of farm
er Lee, after an af1ectionatc good night,
had retired 10 their respective apartments.
The farmer himself rose from his chair,
and carefully covering up the glowing
Goals which sent fitful light through the
now darkcned room, was about 10 retire,
when sudden rush of emotions seemed
10 overpower him, and throwing himself
on the wooden settle which occupied one
corner of the huge chimney, he covered
his face with his hands, and wept aloud.
Father said soft voice at his side
.sdear father, you are not well. What can
| do for you?'' ''How is this, Grace?" he
answered almost sternly-"I thought you
wsre all gone, why are you still up at this
late hourE'
~B.cause | could not go to rest while
know tha. you are suffering. Father,
she contained. 81 have watched you and
mother all dav, AM | know you have
some sorrow of heart which you are hiul,ig
from us, while it is sinking yIu ~ ,'ie
eartn. May | not know what It Is llia'
if cannot assist, may at least have lhe
privilege of bearing it with you?'
While she spoke, Grace Lee had seated
herself on low bench at her fathers feet.
and clasping her hands upon his knee,
looked up in his face with an expression
of earnest entreaty that might have moved
a heart of stone. But farmer Lees heart
was made of no such material. Ii was full
of the milk of human kindness; besides,
he dearly loved the sweet girl whose blue
eyes were gazing so tenderly into his, and
had sometimes been tempted to feel a little
proud of his "wild flower" as the good
minister once called her. He cleared his
throat, therefore, and fondly passing his
hard and bony hand over her shining hair,
said mildly, 'syou are good girl, Grace,
and comfort 10 your parents, but this Is
a matter beyond your ability to manage,
out meeting it half way"
"Oh, do not say so, dear father-l am
almost eighteen, and you must not look
upon me any longer as a child to be petted
and cared for, but a woman, who is both
able and willing to take her share of the
burdens ii may please God TO lay upon
YOU. Tell me what it is that afflicts you,
and do not fear that it will make me un
happy; can bear anything but to see you
miserable, while l am ignorant Of the
cause"
Child, you know moi what you ask
are YOU preparedsto hear that your father
is a beggar-that we must leave the old
homes!ead-where you were all born, and
where we have been so happy!" cho-
king sensation prevented farmer Lee from
proceeding, and Grace slowly repeated, as
If mechanically the old home
stead, and for what! Why must we go?
You were a child" her father an
swered, land do not remember your uncle
Barker. He in trouble, and l trieo
TO help him out, but in some way, before
the business was ended, | was obliged to
mortgage my farm for small sum which
could be raised in no other way. The
interest has oeen regularly paid until
within the last lOuT years, anu nave dl-
ways hoped to get together enough TO pay
the principal, but somehow or other. in
stead of this, have got behind hand, and
now the man who holds the mortgage
threatens to foreclose, unless the interest,
which amounts to more than two hundred
dollars, is raised immeG;;;::Se..., ai::i this Is
impossible, as even you must know
'But your brother-uncle Thomas
said Grace, eagerly, she has money
enough, will he not help you in such
case as this?''
"Perhaps he might, but he would want
better security than can give him; and,
moreover, If L cannot now pay the money
on the bond, what reason is their to sup |
pose that l could raise it any better next
year TO repay your uncle! No, no, Grace, |
there is no help for it, and we must bear
IT as well as we can, but the hardest part !
of all, is the thought of poor Philip, who !
is doing SO well in his college studes.-
Poor fellow, / can do nothing more for
ham now, and he must come back and try
what he can do for the rest of you, by
keeping school, or in some other way"