Hannibal journal and western union. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1851-1852, 1851-12-25


wife, and, with this firm resolve, she turned {,
her birds and flowers, and dreamed Of a futur,
as bright and clOudless as the past and present
But clouds were gathering in her sky, although
she saw them not; and, belore8slie had passeC
her nineteenth summer, the sun of worldly pros.
perity was shining on her way no more. One
OF those sudden .convulsions which sometime,
shake the Commercial world, DESTROYED hel
fathers fortune in a day. Everything was swept
from them; their beautiful house passed into tho
hands Of strangers, and they found themselves
dependent upon theirVyI exertions torzipport,
llt was atessible hlqsv. .asil, dc FIRST, seemed
more than they could bear; and, but for Aunt
Hetty, a sister Of Mrs. Mason, who had shared
their prosperity and still clung to them in ad.
versity, they might have sunk into homeless
poverty. Her cheering words rounsed, first the
parents, and then Ella, from their stupor; and a
. little exertion procured Mr. Mason clerksbip,
which would secure them at least from absolute
want; while his daughter sought, and, byothe as
slstance of her friends, obtained a situation as
governess in the family of clergyman in a
neighboring city.
1t was sad trialto the young girl " leave
those whom she loved so dearly, and to 90 out
among strangers; but she knew it to be neces-
sary, and encouraged by Aunt Hetty and sup
ported by the hope of contributing to the com
Tort oil her parents, she went cheerfully And.
Though she wept long and bitterly through the
frst nights passed away from home she became
gradually reconciled to the change, and, after a
time, warmly attaced tothe little ones under her
charge and to the parents who had confded them
to her.
Mr.. and Mrs. Grant, into whose family she
had entered, were still young, and they soon
learned to regard Ella rather as sister thana
stranger, and she sometimes forgot, for little
while, that she was not at home. To the child
rem she gave the warm affection of an elder sis
ter, scarcely second to that bestowed upon her
own; their mother filled place in her heart
never before satisfied, kind and thoughtful as
her mother and Aunt Hetty, yet so near her own
age as to render her intercourse perfectly fami-
liar and ssterlike; while to Mr.. Grant, she soon
learned to look up as something almost more
than human. He was, indeed, a rare character
IN purity OF life and calm dignity of manner;
gust what we imagine minister Of the gospel
should be, yet gentle and cheerful, and in the,
family circle, alIectionately joining in every
lplan that could give pleasure to the humblest
member of his household, with as much appar-
ent interest as in the lofter duties which claimed
his first attention.
And here Ella, for the first time saw the
beauties of religion, and the charm which it can
cast over even the everyday transactions Of life,
and was led TO seek and find PARTICIPATION in
lts blessings. No wonder that she loved those
who had been the means Of leading her to
happiness of which, in the brightest days Of
prosperity, she had never dreamed
But, holy as seemed the happiness Of that little
household, it was not destined to last Mrs.
Grants health, always delicate, began to decline;
and though no means were left untried which
the most devoted affection could suggest she
sank, after many weeks Of suffering into an early
grave.
1t was but few hours before her death, that
rousing from heavy sumber, or rather lethargy
into which she had fallen, she desired her child
ren to be brought to her. They soon gathered at
her side, the youngest, babe of six months old,
nesting in Elias bosom; while next in age,
lovely boy of three years old, his fathers image
and namesake, clung round her, frightened by
the darkened room and the abored breathing of
his dying parent. The others, old enough to an-
derstand something of the scene, turned, sobbing,
to their father for the comfort which he sorelv
needed for himself. He drew them to their
mothers couch, and, taking their little hands in |
hers, already cold and clammy with the dew of
death, she spoke few brief words of counsel (
and Of blessing. Then, motioning for Ella to
come closer to her side, she whispered, in tones :
now scarcely audible
promise me that you will not leave them
" hen | am gone" o0
II will never leave them--never" and bend /
ns; her head over the infant in her arms, yielded |
% fresh burst of tears.
Il am satisfied" murmured the sufferer,
faintly. and her face was bright with holy |
faith; God will take care of them, and you will .
not forsake them. Lift them up, Henry, that / ,
may kiss them once more"
The father raised the oldest ones to receive
the parting embrace; but the baby lay ON Elias |.
bosom, and, as she bent down to place il for an !
instant in its mothers arms, Mrs. Grant, raising
herslf with sudden energy, clasped both the |
child and her who held il to her breast.
''You will never leave it, Ella" she repeated;
you will never forsake my child?"
"Never, as l hope to meet you in better |
world!' answered the weeping girl.
God bless you, dearest and give you |
strength TO perform your promise;H and releas-
ing her, she pressed her cold and quivering lips /
upon her infant brow, and sank back exhausted /
iata hex husbands arms. of
Ella hurried with the children to the nursery, /
and returned to watch beside her dying friend. |
A brief period closed heT earthly existence; but
not till she had again, almost unconscious of /
having done so before, asked and received Elias /
never to leave her little ones while they
needed her care.
And the vow made at that sad hour Of part /
ing and again renewed as she stood beside that |
cold form Other who had been'to her as a dear
sister, was faithfully kept.
A year has passed since the death Of Mrs !
Grant, and Ella, or Miss Mason, as every one
but the children called her, was still the presid-
inc genius of the bcrcaved family. She had
never left them Tor a day, scarcely for en- hour.
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