The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-04-17

on Saturday Amy having extra "ors W uo, 'no
charge Of the baby devolved upon her. thus
passed the first week.
True to her promise, Mrs james patiently per-
severed for month in her efforts 70 secure 10
herself this fragment of her broken time, with
what success the weeks history can tell. With
its close, closed the month Of December. Being
particularly occupied on the last day OF the Old
year, in getting ready for the morrows fesuVai,
it was near the last hour Of the day when she
made her good -nights call in the nursery. She
went to the crib TO look at baby; there he lay,
fast asleep, in bis innocence and beauty. one
kissed his rosy cheek gently, and stroked softly
his golden hair. and. pressing his little dmpled
hands within hers she drew the warm covering
more closely around him, carefully tucklng 1t In ;
then, stealing one more kiss, she left him 10 MS
slumbers, and sat down on her daughters bed
She was also sweetly asleep, with her doll huggeu
close to her. Her mother smiled, put soon IL
seemed as if graver and sadder thoughts nlleo her
mind, as indeed they did. She was thinking OF
her disappointed plans. To her, not only tne
past month, but the past year, seemed 10 nave
been one of fruitless effort; it seemed to her
broken and disiointed; even her hours Of religious
meditation had been encrosched upon and dis
tracted. She had accomplished nothing that she
could see, but keep her house and family and, 10
her saddened thoughts even this seemed to have
been but indifferently done. Warnings for some
thing better than this, she was conscious or
What did she need, then? To see some OF the
results of her life-work? To be conscious OF
some unity of purpose, some weaving together OF
these life-threads, now so broken and singlei
She felt, she was quite sure, no desire to shrink
from duty, however humble; but she sighed Tor
some comforting assurance of what mas duty
Her pursuits, conflicting as they did with her
tastes, seemed to her frivolous. She felt there
was some better way Of living, which she had
failed of discovering As she leaned over her
child her tears now fell fast upon that young
brow.
How earnestly wished that mother that she
could shield her child from the Disappointment
and selfreproaches and mistakes from which she
was then suffering that the little one might take
up life where she could give it to her, mended by
all her own experience. 1t would have been
great comfort, could she have felt that she could
have fought the battle for both. Yet she knew
that it could not be so that we must all learn for
ourselves what are those things which make for
our peace. With tears still in her eyes, she gave
the goodnight to the child, and with soft step
entered the adjoining room, and there fairly
kissed out the old year on another chubby cheek
which nestled among the pillows; then she sought
her own rest
Soon she found herself in a singular place She
was traversing vast plain no trees were visible,
save those which skirted the distant horizon; on
their tops rested a wreath of golden clouds. Be-
fore her, travelling towards that distant light,
was female. Little children were about her,
in her arms and sometimes at her side.
AS she journeyed on, she busted herself caring
for them. Now she soothed them when weary
now she taught them how to travel, and again she
warned them Of the pitfalls and stumbling blocks
in the way. She helped them over the one, and
taught them to be wary of the other. She talked
to them of that golden light which she kept con-
stantly in view and towards which she seemed
Fastening with her little flock. But what was
most remarkable was, that, all unknown to her,
two golden clouds foated above her. on which re-
posed two angels Before each was golden book
and pen Of gold. One angel with mild and
loving eyes, peered constantly over the right
shoulder, and the other over the left; they fol-
lowed her from the rising to the setting of the
sun. They watched every word and look and
Iced, no matter how trivial. When it was good
the angel over the right shoulder, with glad
smile, wrote it down in his golden book; when
evil however trivial the angel over the left shout
Ter wrote it down in his book. Then he kept
MS sorrowful eyes on her, until he found peni-
.ence for the evil; upon which he dropped tear
upon his record and botted it out and both an
gels rejoiced. To the lookers-on it seemed as if
the traveller did little which was worthy of such
careful record.
Sometimes she did but battle the weary feet Of
her children, and the angel over the right shout
Ter wrote it down. Sometimes she did but wait
patiently to lure back some little trusnt who had
taken step in the wrong direction, and the angel
over the right shoulder wrote it down
C
horizon, she became 80 intent upon her own pro-
gress to let the little pilgrims at her side Ian
guish stray; then it the angel over the left
shoulder who lifted the golden pen and made the
entry, followed her with Borrowing eyes, seeking
to blot it out. IT, wishing to hasten on her Jour
ney, she left the little behind it was the sor-
rowing angel recorded her progress Now the OBJ
server felt as she looked on that this was faith
full record, and was to be kept to that journeys
end. Those strong clasps of gold on those golden
books also impressed her with the belief that they
were to be sealed for future opening Her sym
pathes were warmly excited for the traveller,
and, with beating heart, she quickened her steps
that she might overtake her, and tell her what
she had seen and entreat her to be watchful, and
faithful, and patient to the end in her lfes work,
for she had, herself seen that its results would ali
be known when those golden books should be un-
v,
which it fell in her way to do, trivial, for surely
there was an angel over her right shoulder or
one over her left, who would record it all.
Eager to warn her Of this, she gently touched
her. The traveller turned, and she recognised
or seemed to recognise, herself Startled and
alarmed she awoke, and found herself in tears
The gray light Of the morning struggled through
the half-open shutter, the door was 8 Jar and mer-
ry faces were peeping in
Wish you happy new year, mamma. Wish
you happy new year!O
She returned the merry greeting, heartily.
She seemed to have entered on a new existence
she had found her way through the mazes where
she had been entanged, and light was now about
her path. The angel ouer herigM Shoulder whom
she had seen in her dream had assured her that
her life-work was bound up in that golden book,
and its final results would be known had assured
her what was duty. Now she saw plainly enough,
what she had not seen before, that, while it was
right and important for her to cultivate as far as
she could, her own mind and heart, it was equally
right and equally important for her to perform,
faithfully, all those little household duties and
cares, on which the comfort or virtue of her fam-
ly depended.
They had acquired new dignity from the
records Of that golden pen--and they could not be
neglected without danger
Sad thoughts, and misgivings and ungratifed
longngs, seemed all to have taken their fight
with the old year; and it was with new resolu.
tion, cheerful hope and happy heart, that she
welcomed the new year