Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1853-09-10
Iilisrrllanrou 8.
The FIRST Marriage in the Family.
by MARY IRVING,

"Home!" How that little word strikes
upon tue heart strings, awakening ali the
the sweet melodies that had slept IN memory's
chamber Our home was pearl Of price"
among homes not for its architectural ele-
gance for it was only four-gabled, brown
country house, shaded by two antedlluvian
oak trees; nor was its interior crowded with
ahe luxules that charm every cllme.-lts
furniture had grown old with us for we re-
membered no other; and though polished as
highly as furniture could be, by daily scrub
5ing, was somewhat the worst Tor weal, 1t
must be confessed.
But neither the house nor its furnishing
makes the home; and the charms of ours lay
in the sympathy that lluked the nine VIII"
called il "hume" tuOnc tthei. Father,
Mother, and seven cbidrcn-fve of them gay.
hearted girls, and two boys, petled just
enough not to be- spoIled-Eot one link mad
ever been dropped from the chain OF love, or
one corroding drop fallen upon It's brightness
'One star dItferelh from another star in
glor, ;" even in the hrmament of home. Thus
though We could noI have sold stranger
which sister or brother was dearest-from
our gentle "eldest," an invalid herself, but
/ the comforter and counsellor of all beside, to
the curly haired boy, who lcmpcd and rejpi-
ced in the appelialun Of "babH' given live
years before-si II, an observing eye would
soon have singled out sister Ellen as the sun.
beam OF our heaven, the morning STAR Of
our little constellation
She was the the second in age, hut the
first in the inheritance Of that load of reSpon
sbilty which, H. such a household. falls nat
uraIly upon the uhlcst daughter Eliza, rs
have said, was i'll from emfy girhood; anc
| Ellen had shouldered all her burden of care
aud kindness, with light heart and light
step. Up stairs and dow cellar-in the par
IoE nursery or kilchen-at the piano or wash
lub- with pen, pencil, needle, or lade-sis
tel Elm was always busy, alway
with smile on her cheek, and a warble ol
her lip.
| Happily, the months and years wen
by. We never realized that change was t
come over our band. To be sure, when moth
er locked in upon US, seated together with on
books, paintings, and necdc-work, and say, 1
her gentle way, with only half sight, "Ah
girls, you are living your happiest days!" w
would glance into each others eyes, and won
der who would so first. But it was won
der that passed away with the hour and rui
fled not even the surface of our sisterly heart.
1t could not always be so-and the chang
came at last
Sister Ellen was to be married!
1t was like the crash of a thundeT-bolt in
clear summer sky! Sister Ellen--ihe fair
Of the hearlh-stone. the darling of every heaI
IS which Of US could spare her: WHO ha
! L. Es.I hs
!. worth2 For the first moment This questU
), burst from each surprised, half.angry sistt
= of the blushng, fearful Ellen! 1t was oni
y for moment; for our hearts told us that ne
e body could help loving her, who had eve
looked through her loving blue eyes, into ii
d clear vel-spring of the heart beneath.
we threw our arms around her, and hid OF
faces on her shoulder and lap, and sobbe
without a word
We knew very well that the young clerg,
man, whose Sabbath sermons and gentle al
monitions had won all our hearts, had bee
for months. weekly visiter to our 6resd
circle. With baby George on his knee. an
Georgie's brother and sister clustered arour
him. he bad sat through many an eveno
: charming the hours away, until the cioC
, S'uTlltu us WIN lis unWelCoIne nlnc U CIot
warning; and the softly spoken eminde
"Glrls, il is bed time! r. woke more than OF
stliled sigh Of regret. Then sister Ellen mu
always go with US, to lay Georgie in his liz!
bed; to hear him and Annette repeat Il
evening prayer and hymn her lips had taugl
them; To comb OFT the long brown brads
,. Eniiiy's head; to rob Arthur of the story boz
y over " hich he would have squandered al
e midnight o;" and to breathe = kiss and
A blessing over the pillow OF each other siste
d as she tucked the warm blankets tended
e about them. We did not know how often,
e late she had stolen down again. from thes
= sistelly duties, alter our senses were Iocke
rs in sleep Or, il our eyes or ears had eve
I been open to the fact, we Guild never hav
. suspected the Minister to be guilty of such
y ploI against our peace! That name was a
d sociated in our minds, with all that was 81
perhuman. The gray-haired pastor, who ha
% gone to his grave six months previous, ha
sat as frequently on that same oaken arm
chair, and talked as kindly with us, We ha