The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-09-03
NU M BER 33.

longer reasoned, feit, and giving way to the
happiness Of being guided by the heart alone
placed my hand upon the child 5 head, and
in a fervid and solemn tone, exclaimed, 81 call
Heaven to witness, that here, in thy mothers
| presence, i do swear to be to thee as a fatherl
| and never daughter was more tenderly loved,
than Twill love thee, my child?" All! / could
| wish you had seen the mother when she heard
these words, Her eyes appeared to CLEAN
with light, her features were radiant with Joy,
her breast heaved convulsively, and she tried
to speak, but there was no sound, not a word
could she utter. The physician was alarmed,
and we feared she would actually die of Joy.
But joy seldom kills-she soon breathed more
freely, and tears came to her aid. "Brother,"
said she 81 have wronged you, she added
much more which | would not hear. believe
(lleaVen pardon mG,) she would have asked
forgiveness for my brutality towards her--it
would have overwhelmed me with remorse.--
] interrupted her thanks by saying that in her
feeble state, she ought to avoid the exertion of
talking. The physician, who was of my opin-
ion, eDJoined silence and quiet, and after giv-
ing some directions, was about to take leave
of his patient, when | called him aside, and
handing him my purse, desired him to take
Unnecessary measures for her immediate re-
moval, knew no person i'll MaTseilles, and
the worthy man took upon himself the task Of
finding a suitable residence. Though said
nc, i rear Sn6 Will UOJ Ueeu IL lOuR. II
but for q day., said ], it will be one day
snatched from years Of misery That very
evening everything was accomplished, and the
next day found us in the occupancy of small
house, beautifully situated in the midst Of
trees and flowers, and near the sea- shore.
There, during three minths, clung to the
hope thatmy sister law might regain her
health, and for time had good reason to in.
dulge in the expectation. She was ever calm
md tpon cha er,iln tlNr 1
would forget my fifty years, my grey hairs,
and become child again, to please the being
had sworn to love and cherish; but alasl my
hope was not to be realiZed-her struggle with
poverty and disease had been of too long dura-
tion; the sources Of life were exhausted, and
medical science, with the tenderest care could
not avail. She well knew that her life was
drawing to its close, and she contemplated the
melancholy certainty with holy resignation,
ii sherarely spa'sa Of her approaching end ita
was TO spare our tears.
The fatal hour arrived but too soon. II
was one of those moonlight nights, so beautiful
in that climate, when the mild sea air,
THAT coOIs the twilight OF the sultry air."
came gently into the room. Seated between
her dear child and myself, she seemed to en-
10y the freshness of the breeze, when her hand
convulsively grasped mine, and | turned
quickly towards her. Her face was white as
marble. Looking first at the child and then
at me, with calm serenity in her counte-
nance, she said, Your kindness, dear brother,
has made the close of my life happy. die
without a paug, for you will love my child
She ceased speaking, and soon was no more.
| Shall l avow it? Her death to me had moth
ing Of the terrible-of the appalling? In her
last words, in her calm serenity, in the ray
of hope frightening her features as she passed
away, there was a mysterious, an unseen
power, which seemed to say, / go to better
| u0rid,-it was not the eternal sleep succeed
ing. iys's .figHk fecer, but the dawning of a
| joyful day.
From that hour my brothers. child has
been mine, our Joys and sorrows are inter-
! mingled, and to her happiness have devoted
my life. Her beauty and lOveliness have in
creased from year to year. The joyous smile
aud the words of sweet welcome which ever
await my return to my once lonely dwelling,
are now more dear to me than all the world
beside.
"Like the dew-drop which falls upon the
bud and expands the flower, that precious
TEAR has opened my heart to claims of kin
dred and Of man upon his fellow man; and
the flinty- hearted and grasping miser Of for
mer days is no longer the degraded being who
would have bartered his very soul for bag
Of gold.'