Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1853-07-13
THE SISTERS.
pYw. JASPER BLACKBURN.
A SKETCH

Every man has stored in his memofy's affection
some chosen spot or scene, which from associa-
ton, or some cause no matter how trivial, is held
specially sacred and dear.
Those scenes which witness the first trials of
the virgin soul in its legitimate pursuit of happ-
ness and bring the heart sensby for the first time
to realize the selfshness of the world, are the
spots Of earth which claim and possess in the
memory of man the most sacred resting place.
remember a scene that is thus hallowed and
sacred-a chosen spot of earth that in my heart
rests secure, uneffaced and undisturbed by the
change of time, of season, or of place. To this
scene my mind is wont oft and many times to re-
turn, with aspirations still holy and pure, when
surrounded with many allurements and tempta-
tons; aad in night-dreams the soul goes back and
dwells there in all the heavenly glow of youth and
early manhood, "when my bosom was young,
and I knew not, nor cared to know, the wies, and
treachery, and heart-brea of ripper years; and in
those pleasing mystic dreams, the spirit drinks
sweets that are not known to the waking hours
of life; taste joys that light up the way to happier
associations than are the enduring lot of man be-
low, and give glad token of what must be the in-'
heritance of the pure in heart when time shall be
no more.
Violet and Lindora were sisters. There home
was near the banks of a clear limpid streams whose
plains are tinted with wild flowers of varied hue,
and perfumed with the healthful breezes that watt
in soft strains the welcome odor of their own
tive sweets where clustering vines weave bow
ers bespangled with wild vintage fruit, in the
midst of which bird and bee oft hold sweet, har-
monious revelry, and all the earth around is made
IL a.,
there first beheld the two sisters-Violet and
Lindora-fair, gay, and happy, wrappedin all the
sweet charms of maiden innocence, and surround
ed by friends and carressed and worshpped by
fond and doting parents.
None knew them but to love them-and know
ing them as did, loved them and was beloved
in return and in their sweetest days and happiest
hours, it was my happy lot to be their close friend
and intimate companion in all the joys and sports
of youthful glee and frolie. Hence, the land of
their young days, and the scenes of their child
hHod, though not unassociated with the severance
of ties so sacred nevertheless rest in the mind
sacred-pleasant and mournful to the soul, even
as the music of Carryl, or the memory of joys
that are gone; mixed with sorrow, too.
g Yes Violet and Lindora were happy sisters, and
votion-a love that 5unites soul to SOUL and seeks
no reward save the holy incense of its own sweet
ness and purity; and each was lovely and beauti-
full and happy, beautiful as morning." The rose
of health tinted their cheeks, and they were fair
2 as the lily of their own woodland valeys-and
their pure hearts had never known sorrow.
Butathe hour of their dark fate had come. The
western horizon was quickly curtained in thick
blaskness. Breathless silence reigned. The
lightenings played in spangled streaks across the
firmanent; scarcely leaf moved, and the distant
cedar-crowned heights of the wilderness looked
'hoar and sad," as the strange shade of the gath
ering tempest fell upon their rich verdure; and
then ever and anon deep-toned echoes were
heard, and the earth was felt to give way.
3 Violet and Lindora were in the WILDWOOD
Their playful feet had wandered too far from
home. Twas the lovely spring-tme, and they
had been gathering wild flowers, and listening to
the songs of birds; and thus, in the thoughtless-
ness of innocence, harm overlook and encircled
them. 1919 @s-
q The storm came and passed away, and the sun
shone out and marked the tints Of the rainbow,
and the birds sang as sweetly as before, and the
flowers blushed as freshly; but Violet and Lindora
returned not. ~
And now there was sorrow in the fathers house,
such as had never been before. Twas mourn
: full and sad dtime-and the hearts of many grew
faint, and hope was buried.
The sisters were looked for-and found Lin
dora still 1ived but Violet was cold and spoke not
The bowling storm had hurried her pure spirit
to rest where lightnings harm not; and Lindora,
as she lowered oyer her dead sister, uttered
strange murmuring, and when asked many ques-
tfons, answered with wild gestures, and pointed
to heaven. >'' ' ss@