New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-12-14

Paints--G, G. Bocsnr & Co., So Camp street
Wines, Liquors W. e. LErERIcH g. Co., "a Old
sEwELL 7. TAYLOR, Is Royal street.
r. W. CoELER, Common street, opposite the st.
Charles Hotel.
The First Marriage in the Family.
BY MARY IRVING
g Home'' How that little word strikes |
upon the heart-strings, awakening all the sweet /
memories that had slept in Memory's chamber. |
Our home was sspearl of price, among homes |
not for its architectural elegance, for it was only
q four r-gabled, brown, country house, shaded by
two antedilu7ian oak trees; nor wasits interior |
crowned with luxuries that charm every sense
and come from every cline. Its furniture had
grown old with use, for We remembered no other, |
though polished as highly as furniture could be,
by daily scrubbing, was somewhat the worse for
wear, it must be confessed. But neither the
house nor its furnishing makes the home; and
the charm Of ours lay in the sympathy that
linked the nine that called it home" to one
another. Father, mother and seven children;
five Of them gsy-hearted girls, and two boys,
petted just enough to be spoiled; not one link
had ever dropped from the chain of love, or one
corroding drop fallen upon its brightness.
s'One star differeth from another in glory"
even in the armament of home. Thus, though,
we could not have told stranger which sister
~
est" an invalid herself, but the comforter and
counsellor of all beside, to the curly haired boy
who romped and rejoiced in the appellati0n OF
baby" given i've years before; still, an OBJ
serving eye would soon have singled out sister
Ellen as the sunbeam of our heaven, the ssmorn-
ing star" Of our constellation. She was the
second in age, but the first in the Inheritance
of that load Of responsibility which, in such q
household falls naturally upon the eldest daugh-
ter. Eliza, as have said. was ill from early
girlhood, and Ellen had shouldered all her bur
den of care and kindness with light heart and
lighter step. Up stairs and down cellar; in
the parlor, nursery, or kitchen; at the piano,
or the washtub; with pen, pencil, needle, or
ladle, sister Ellen was always busy, always with
a smile on her cheek, and warble on her lip.
Quietly, happily, the months and years went
by. We never realized that change was to come
over our band. To be sure, when mother would
look in upon us, seated together with our books,
painting and needle work, and say in her gentle
way, with only half sigh: 't All, girls, you are
living your happiest days!" we would glance
into each others eyes, and wonder who would
go first. But it was wonder that passed away
with the hour, and ruffled not even the surface
our sisterly hearts. 1t could not be always so !;
and the change came at last. - Z
Sister Ellen was to be married!
| It was like the crash of thunderbolt in 3
clear summer sky Sister Ellen, the fairy of
| the hearthstone, the darling Of every heart,
| which of us could spare her Who had been SO
presumptuons as to find out her worth For
| the first moment this question burst from each
surprised, half angry sister of the blushing,
fearful Ellen. 1t was only for moment; for
our hearts told us that nobody could help loving
her, who looked through her loving blue eyes
into the clear well-spring of the heart beneath.
So we ,shrew our arms around her, and sobbed
without word. i
We knew very well that the young clergy
man, whose Sunday sermons and gentle admo-
nitions had won all hearts, had been for months
| a weekly visitor to our freside circle. with
baby George on his knee, and Georges brother
and sisters clustering about him, he had sat
through m any an evening, charming the hours
away, until the clock startled us with its unwel,
come nine o'clock warning, and the soft-spoken
reminder, Girls, it is bed time,'' woke more
/ than one sigh Of reg ret Then sister Ellen musi
| go with us to lay George in his little bed; te
| hear him and Anne tie repeat the evening prayer
and hymn her lips had taught them. to CONT
the long brown br aids of Emily's head; to rot
Arthur of the story book, over which he woult
have squandered. the midnight oil; and tx
breathe kiss and blessing over the pillow
! each other sister, as she tucked the warm blan
| .Sets around them.
i We did not know how often of late she ha'
| stolen down again from these slsterly duties
aft IT our sisters were locked in sleep; or II ou
/ ewes and ears had ever been open to the fact
we c. 9uld never have suspected the minister to .
i guilt of such plot against our peace, Tina
name was associated in our minds with all tna
was q uperhuman. The gray haired pastor Wh
had o, me to his grave six months previous, ha
sat as frequently in that oaken arm chair, an
talked with us, We had loved him as a fathe
and fir lend, and had almost worshipped him
the EN- bodiment of all attainable goodness; an
; when \ fr. Neville came among us. with MS mig
pale forehead and soul -kindled eyes, we ms
thought his face also the &c face OF an angel, q
h glorious for the print of human passion. ESP
cially, after, in answer to an earnes. cail ny
# the people among whom he was laboring, he nj
n frankly told them that his purpose was not
4 remain among them, ,or any where on his natl
q shore; that he only waited the guidance
ie Providence to home in foreign CLINE. All
I; this much bewailed disclosure OF his plans
placed our favorite pre- acher on the higher pr
u ciple of saintship.
ID But sister Ellen was to be married-and ms
3, ried to Mr. Neville. And then, On, sister,
"a; are going away to lndla!' burst from our
rs; rs; with fresh gush OF sobs ,,,,z
ors I was the first that looked up into Ellie
go troubled face. 1t was heaving with emot
that ruf1ed its calmness as the tide-water ruti
t. the sea, Her lips were firmly compressed, ]
- ewes were fixed on some distant dream, glas
les with two tears that stood still in their chaie
aye forbidden to fall. ] almost trembled as
and caught her glance.
.hssr .hsr Sisters Agnes, Emilyl" she exclaimed
J b a husky whisper, q Hush! be calm! Dc
|: .:a. 70 break nv heart! Do love him less than
isve The effort was too much the words died
e, her lips. We lifted her to bed. frightened
10 foreetfulness of our own grief. We soothed
until she toe wept freely and passionately,
"a in weeping grew strong for the sacrifice Tor WI
= he had pledged her heart
We never spoke another word OF remonstra
ex - her tender heart, though often in the
!. W. W. nths that fitted by US together, we used
= l aha ke with sobbing in some speech that hiI
Ior ofV " + ne coming separation, and hurry from
/. ,rsss nee to cry alone.
~ IN, mother had told US the tidings with "
w. ,;ns tn at quivered tenderly and sadly. No
~. - 40 NJ iformly unselfsh as . mothers sur
for sor tho ugh she leaned on Ellen as the ST
III s,aff Of h, sr declining years, she sorrowed NJ
ws did th. 1t she was going. She too vas h'
%. IN the tho, tght that her child had found
q nearl Of Ga seat price" in cold and evil VI
70 a true, noble, loving heart to guide and pr
9; / Father sat silent in the chimney corner,