The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-05-26

compare with your ownw With kind
ly pressure of the hand, and o gentle smile
oh so sweet, so pure and heavenly =
Julia Reay left me while / sat perfectly
awed-that is the only word l can use
with the revolution which she had made
both of her history and of her own grand
soul.
"Come with me to my study" said Mr..
Reay, entering the room; 81 have world
to talk to you about. You go tomorrow,
you say. / am sorry for it; but must
settle my business with you in time to day."
followed him mechanically, for l was
undergoing a mental castigation which
rather disturbed me. Indeed like young
tool-as eager in self reproach as in self
glorflcation-l was so occupied inv ardly
in calling myself hard names, that even
when my host gave me a commission for
my new picture, "The Return of Column
bus" at two hundred and fifty pounds, to-
gether with an order to paint himself, Mrs.
Reay, and half dozen of their children,
L confess it with shame, that received the
news like leadcn block, and felt neither
surprise nor joy-not though these few
words chased me from the gates Of the
Fleet, whittier l was fast Fastening, and
secured me both position and the daily
bread. The words of that beautiful girl
were still ringing in my ears, mixed up with
the bitterest selfaccusations and these to-
gether shut out all other sound, however.
pleasant. But that was always nv way.
went back to London, humbled and
strengthened, having learned more of
human nature and the value of events, in
one short fortnight, than had ever dream
ed of before. The first lessons of youth
generally come in hard shape. had
sense TO feel that I had learned mine
gently, and that l had cause to be thank
tul for the mildness of the teaching. From
boy, became a man, Judging more
accurately Of humanity than q years
ordinary experience would have enabled
me to do. And the moral which | drew
was this that under our most terrible
Affections, we may always gain some
spiritual good, if we suffer them to be
softening and purifying, rather than hard
cning influences over us. And also, that
while we are suffering the most acutely,
we may be sure that others are suffering
still more acutely and If we would but
sympathize with them more than with
ourselves-liye out of our own selves, and
in the wide world around us--we would
soon be healed while striving to heald
others. OF this / am convinced =: the Sc
cret of life, and of all its good is in love;
and while we preserve this, we can never
| an OF CvniUrt. The smoet waters will
always gush out over the sandicst de-
cnrfD " 1,.ne IL l. 4
without it-nay, not the merest weed of
of comfort or of virtue would grow under
the feet of angls. In this was the distinct
tion between Mrs. Arden and Julia Reay.
The one had hardened her heart under
her trials, and shut it up in itself; the
other had opened hers to the purest love
of man and love of God; and the re-
suit was to be seen in the despair of the
one, and in the holy peace of the other.
Full of these thoughts, l sought out my
poor lady, determined to do her real ben
eft i'll could. She received me very kind
ly, for had taken care to. provide myself
with a sufficient introduction, so as to set
all doubts of my social position at rest
and | knew how far this would 90 with
her. We soon became fast friends. She
seemed to rest on me much for sympathy
and comfort, and soon grew to regard me
with sort of motherly fondness that of
itself frightened her life. / paid her all
the attention which devoted son might
pay-humored her whims, soothed her
pains but insensibly led her mind out
from itself--frst in Kindness to me, and
then in love to her grandson.
| asked for him just before the midsum-
mer holidays, and with great difficulty
obtained an invitation for him TO spend
them with her. She resisted mp entreat-
les stoutly, but at last was obliged to yield,
not me nor to my powers of persuasion;
but to the holy truth of which / was then
the advocate. The child came, and I was
there also to receive him, and to enforce
by my presence-which / saw, without
vanity, had great influence fitting
reception. lie was pensive, clever, in
terestinG little fellow sensitive and affect
ionate, timid, gifted with wonderful powers,
and of great beauty, Thre was a shy
look in his eyes, which made me sme
that ne inherited much Of his lcveliness
from his mother; and when we were great
friends, he showed me n small portrait of
"Poor mammal" and saw at once the
most striking likeness between the two.
No human heart could withstand that boy,
certainly not my poor friends. She yielded,
fighting desperately against TIC and him,
and all the powers of love, which were
subduing her, but Yielding while she fought
and in short time the child had taken
his proper place in her affections which
he kept to the end Of her life. And she,
that desolate mother, even she, with her
seard soul and petriied heart, was brought
to the knowledge Of peace by the glorious
power Of love.
Prosperous, famous, happy, blessed in
home and hearth, this has become my
| fundamental creed Of life, the basis on
! which all good, wheeler of art 81 Of
morality, Is rested 80 art especial for
only by tender, reverent spirit can the