Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1853-08-10
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE FIRST MARRIAGE IN THE FAMILY.
BY MARY IRVING.

sAs4 Home !" How that little word strikes upon
J the heart strings, awakening all the sweet nelo-
dies that had slept in memories chamber !! Our
home was a sspearl Of price'' among homes not
for its ARCHITECTURAL elegance-for it was only
four-gabled brown country house, shaded by two
antedluvion oak trees; nor was its interior crow
ded with the luxuries that charm every cline
It's furniture had grown old with us for we remem-
'bered no other; and though polished as highly as
furniture could be, by daily scrubbng was some-
what the worst for wear, it must be confessed.
Bot neither the house or its furnishing makes
The home; and the charms of ours lay in the sym
pathy that linked the nine who called it "home"
to one another. Father, Mother, and seven chill
1ren-fye of them gay-hearted girls, and two boys,
petted just enough not to be spoiled-not one link
had ever been dropped from the chain of love, or
5one corroding drop fallen upon its brightness.
Zone star differeth from another star in glory
even ia the frmament of home. Thus-theugh
we could not have told a stranger which sister or
brother was dearest-from our gentle "eldest, -
an invalid herself, but the comforter and counsel
Tor Of all beside, to the curly-haired boy, who
romped and rejoiced in the appellation of "baby,"
given five years before-still observing eye
would soon have singled out sister Ellen as the
sunbeam of our heaven, the ssmorning STARE of our
little constellation.
She was the second in age, but tie first in the
inheritance of that load of responsibility which,
in such household, falls naturally upon the old
est daughter. Eliza, as have said, i'll from
early girlhood; and Ellen had shouldered all her
burden of care and kindness, with light heart
and lighter step. Up stairs and down cellar
in the parlor, nursery, or kitchen-at the piano
the wash-tub-with pen, pencil, needle or ladle-
sister Ellen was always busy, always with smile
on her cheek, and warble on her lip.
: Quietly, happily, the months and years went
bv. VS. pever realized that change was to come
over our band. To be sure, when mother would
look ip upon us, seated together, with our books.
paintings, and needle-work, and say, in her gentle
way, with only half sigh, "Ah, girls, you are
living your happiest days!'' we would glance into
each others eyes and wonder who woatld go first.
!, But it was wonder that passed away with the
hour. and rufednot the surface of our sister
" hearts. It could not be always so-and the
cha.oe came at last!
Sister Ellen was to be married
II was like the crash of thunder-bolt in clear
summer sky! Sister Elen--the fairy of the hearth
stone. the darling of every hcart--which of us
could spare her! Who had been so presumptuous
as to find out her worth! For the first moment
this question burst from each surprised, half-angry
sister of the blushing, fearful Ellen! It was on
for q moment; for our hearts told her that nobod!
could help loving her, who had ever looked through
her loving blue eyes, into the clear well-sprlng
the heart beneath. So we threw our arms aroun
her, land hid faces on her shoulder and lap, an
robbed, without word!
as We knew very we'll that the young clergyman
whose Sabbath sermons and gentle admoniton
had won all our hearts, had been, for months,
>. weekly visiter to our freside circle. With bah
Georges on his knee, and Georges brother an
sister clustered around him, he had sat throug
a many an evening, charming the hours away, unit
=, the clock startled us with its unwelcomed nil
) o'clock warning; and the softly-spoken reminde
"Girls, it Ia bed timer woke more than one stiff
sigh of regret. Then, sister Ellen must alwa