The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1854-12-22
TIE FIRST MARRIAGE IN THE FAMILY.
A BEAUTIFUL STORY.
"HomeP' How that little word strikes

"Homep' How that little word strikes
upon the heart-strings, awakening all the
sweet memories that have sleptin memory's
chamberl urhome was a pearl of price"
among homes; not for its architectural ele-
gance, for it was only a four gabled, brown
country house, Shaded by two antediluyian
oak trees; nor was its interior crowded with
luxuries that charm every sense, and come
from every cline. Its furniture had grown
old with us, for we remember no other,
and though polished as highly as furniture
could be by daily scrubbing, was some.
what the worse for wear, it must be con-
fessed But neither the house nor its fur
niture makes the home; and the charm of
ours lay in the sympathy that linked the
nine that called it "home'' to one another.
Father, motherand seven children-Gve of
them gay hearted girls, and two boys, pet
ted Just enough to be spoiled one link
had ever dropped from the chain of love, or
one corroding drop fallen upon its bright
ness.
"One star differed from another in glo-
ry, even in the firmanent of home. Thus
though we could not have told stran-
ger which sister or brother was the dearest
from our gentlest eldest an invalid her
self, but the comforter aad counsellor of
all beside, to the curly haired boy who
romped and rejoiced in the appelation of
"baby," given FIVE years before still an
unobserving eye would soon have singled
out our sister Ellen as the sunbeam Of our
heaven, the morning star" of our con-
stellation. She was the second in age, but
the first in the inheritance of that load of
responsibility, which in such household
falls naturally upon the eldest daughter
The eldest, as have said, was i'll from ear
ly girlhood, and Ellen had shouldered all
her burden of care and kindness, with a
light heart and a lighter step. Up stairs
and down cellar--in the parlor, nursery,
or kitehen-at the piano or the wash tub
with pen. pencil, needle or ladle-sistel
Ellen was always busy, always with o
smile on her cheek, and a warble on ner lip
Quickly, happily the months and year:
wentb Wenever realized that change
was to come over our band. 70 be sure
when mother would look in upon us, sea
ted together, with our books, painting and
needle work, and say, in her gentle way
with only half a sigh. q" girls, you arr
living your happiest dsys!" we would
glance in each others eyes, and wonder
who would 60 first. But it was a wonder
that passed away with the hour, that raj
lied moi the surface of our sisterly hearts
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 thunderbolt il
aclear skyl Sister Ellen-the fairy of tn
hearthstone, the darling of every hear
which of us could spare her? Who ha'
been SO presumptuous as to find out he
worth? For the first moment, this ques
1ion burst from each surprised, half-angr
sister Of the blushing fearful Ellen,
was only for moment; for our hearts tol
us that nobody could help loving her, VIII
look through her loving blue eyes into th
clear well-spring of the heart beneath
So we threw our arms around her, an
sobbed wlthout.a word.
We knew very well that the clergyman
whose Sunday sermons and gentle admoI
lions had won all our hearts, has been f
monts weekly visitor to our freside ci
Gle. With baby George on his knee, an
Georges brothers and sisters clustere
around him, be had sat through many 8
evening, charming the house away, un
the clock startled us with its unwelcon
nine o'clock warning, and the softly sp
ken reminder, "Girls il is bed time" vol
more than one stilled sigh of regret. TIL,
sister must 60 with US to lay George
his little bed; to hear him and Annette r
peat the evening prayer and hym her Ii
had taughtthem: to comb the brown brai
ofEmily IS head; to rob Arthur of the sto
book, over which he would have squande
ed the midnight oil and to breathe ki
and blessing over the pillow of each OF
or sister, as she tucked the warm blanks
tenderly around them.
We did not know how often of late s
had stolen down again, from these sister
duties, after our sisters were lockedin slee
or if our eyes and ears had ever been op
to the fact, we could never had suspect
the minister to be guilty of such p
against our peace. That name was as!
ciated in our minds with all that was sup,
human. The gray haired pastor, who h
gone to his grave six months previous, h
sat as frequently in that oaken agm-ch
and talked with us. We had loved him
% father and had almost worshipped him
the embodiment OF all attainable goodne
And when Mr.. Neville came among us w
soul-kindled eye, we had thought his Fl
also, 'the face Of an angel"--too gloric
for the point Of mortal passion! Especi
ly, after in answer to an urgent call fir
among the people with whom he was lab
ing, he had frankly told them that his p,
pose was not to remain among them
anywhere on his native shore that be
ly waited the guidance Of Providence il
a foreign cline. After this much bew,
ed disclosure Of his plans, we placed
fayorite preacher on higher principle
saintship.
But sister Ellen was to be married.
married to Mr. Neville. All. then, q
sister, you are going away to Indiap' bt
from our lips, with fresh gush Of sob
was the first that looked up into Ellie
troubled face. 1t was beavinr with or