The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-07-15
For tho National Era.
OUR MINISTER'S SECOND WIFE.
CHAPTER i.
BY MARY IRVING.

Our minister had gone South" 1t was tn
first time he had left us within fifteen years
for so long had he been pastor of the villag
church | say the church for our village, IN
like many othersyhad only one heaven-pointn
steeple True there were few little school
houses in the outskirts of the town. where tn
Methodists and Baptists met to worship Coz
according to the dictates-af their c0nsciences
But in the very centre Of the village stood thu
church, u white, massive building-curtainet
| off from the common world neither by waving
| trees nor green lawn-yet separate and sol
emn, towering above all, and marking off the
hours OF the children of men with its silent
clock finger, or warning them by its deep, hid
den voice, that those hours were numbered in
heaven.
| Our minister seemed to have grown almost
one with the church before disease came to
separate him from it for while We should
as soon have thought of exchanging its white
angular walls for the turrcted stone of Gothic
architecture, OF it's mammoth pulpit cushion
for Il leaning desk Of modern manufacture,
~ Of putting any one else, permanently, in the
place Of good Pastor Young Not that we
worshipped him our villagers were not slower
than others TO spy out mortal iailings, and
Pastor Young was by no means perfect. But
| though they melted out due measure of gossip
ing disapprobation to the faults, as they term
ed them, into which too mpulsye tempera-
ment sometimes beguiled our minister, still, in
the depth Of their hearts, they perhaps loved
him all the better for these for they did not
look up to him as All unapproachable pattern
of perfection, an angel incarnate-but sat with
him, talked with him, on their hearths and at
their tables, az fellow mortal, treading ruth
them the road Of this pilgrimage Of life yet
| gifted with wisdom from above 10 guide their
feet aright--for Parson Youngs very failings
had cleaning to virtues side" His impulses
were as warm and generous ~ they were
quick aud burning and never a hasty reproof
dropped from his lips uncalled for by some act
or word of meanness in some OF his fellow
beings.
But these words made deep wounds some
times, as hasty words are likely IL do, She
who was always ready 10 pour the balm OF
winning gentleness into these wounds was his
meeker half the matrOnly :" wife OF his youth,
whose unerring Judgment, tireless energy, and
impartial kindness, made her indeed dearly
beloved mother" to our villagers, old and
young.
We had rcioiced with them had wept with
them too-ior they had seen much affection.
They had laid down in the graveyard one af-
ter another Of the blossoms Heaven drops upon
a mothers breast. until six little mounds side
by side, had grown green in the PARENTS tears.
| The fathers heart had bled under these re-
pcated strokes, until the life of its youth SEEM
ed TO have oozed away His once upright form
began To bend earthward, AZ though lac were
seeking his chidreD's graves. Ills checks lost
all heaIthful color his high forehead grew
cavernous: and the thick locks that overhung
il blanched prematurely to almost the white
ness of an old mans hair.
Still he boreup and chcerlully moved among
p, until she on whom he leaned for all earthly
support sunk away from beneath him. The
mother went TO her band OF little chcrub ohIl-
dren, almost at an hours warning, and left
our minister alone .,
How much of the life Of the soul friend
of friends takes TO another world, be only
can know who has (et The void Our minis
ter felt it not less in body than in soul. The
doctors shook their heads over him, and talked
of unsound lungs for they knew no remedy
for o bruised heart. However, they did the
best that could be done. They ordered him TO
20 South-a better remedy for his actual dis
ease than for the one under which they sup
posed him laboring There Is nothing Ike
change OF scene and change OF companions 70
make an uprooted heart cast out IT. hbres
afresh.
40 news came back 10 us every month, that
our GOOD Mr.. Young was gaining nesh and spir-