The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1854-01-14
WHOLE No. $50

arated. Little Agnes was very unhap.
py when parted from it, and It se-mcd
equally unhappy in its turn when part
ed from her. Sometimes they used TO
sit for hours together; she porius over
the wears antique mis.aI. which by this
time, she had learned to read, and the
lamb at her feet, looking up IN her lace
with its tender and beautiful eyes.
, Sometimes in the warm SPINNER days,
they went off together to the woods and
lanes; sometimes to the meadows here
tle daisies grew in tuf'ed grass; aud H..
tie Agnes was wont to braid them round
her brow. She said one day. on return.
ing, that she would soon wear a wreath
OF stars. AS regularly as the Sabbath
came, they went to the chapel together,
side by side. The sexton made a path
for them, as they walked up the broad
aisle, which was crowded with earn.
est and de.out listeners. Their accus.
TONED place was on the cushioned seat
that ran around the altar. When the
choir sang their anthems, the voice Of
the child was heard above the deep bass.
singers and the full-toned organ; yet it
was softer and sweeter than the voice
OF dove. When the vicar read the
morning and evening service, her re.
sponses fell on the hearts of all like dew.
and halo seemed to enclrcle her as she
listened to tn. words of life.
The people began to consider it mir.
acls.-Cock fighting and bull batting
tell into disreput-; drinking and gaming
to which the greater part of them had
been bred from childhood, lost caste as
amusements, and other vices declined in
proportion. 1t was evident that great
change was going on IN the hearts and
habits of all. Profane oaths and light
jests, which even the gentry condescen-
d-d to indulge in,-as they did in other
things better left to their INTERIORS
were banishcd from all society, even
that of travelling thinkers, time out OF
mind coarse set of fellows. F~uds
handed down from father to son wer.
dropped at once, and old enemies met
with kind greetings, and part-l friends.
Everybody seemed to prosper, and no.
body was the worse of it. Beggars be.
gan 10 lay aside their ta,ters, and wear
good substantial garments. There was
no longer any need to beg, for work
was plentiful. Cottage windows, once
stuffed with old hats, rejoicrd in the
possession OF new pan-s Of glass; and
NV cottages were being built every
where. and every body declared it was
the work e the white lamb
Spring melted into summer, and sum.
mer was now on the verge OF autumn.
The fields were full of harvesters, reap.
ing and binding up yellow sheavps, and
ba ms were open all day, and boys might
De seen within storing u? fruit for tn.
winter. Every day added some new
grace to the child; but those who were
experienced in such matters, mostly
mothers who had lost children, said she
was dying. Her bloom was too unearth.
ly, her eye too spiritual, to last.-She
was no longer able to run to the woods
and fields: walk to the little summer
house at the end of the wears garden.
only a stones throw from the door, was
sufficient to make her very weary. Nor
could she visit the chapel unless carried
th'ther, which was a source of great
grief to all the villagers.
Day by day she grew more lovely and
feeble, and the lamb grew more fond oil
her; they could not for moment sepa-
rate them. 1t clung to her day by dav.
as she sat in her little chair, l"anine on
pillows; and at night it cr-p, to her
feet, as she lay upon her conch dream
ing Of the angels Its white fleece seem.
ed to grow more white, and its ewes
more tender and beautiful. And it of.
ten looked at the fading child, and at the
far blue sky shining through th., lattice,
and ITS lance seemed to say, H-aveni il
waiting for this little slip of earth, and
it must soon go.
Autumn came at last, and che child
was dying. 1t was morning, and she
lay on her couch with halt the ,,u.
around her. Her ewes were f ,.s IS
the sky, and her arms were sntu;p"a
about the lamb, who la, with il, hssd
In IN, ner BOSOM The vicar knelt down
ana prayed. He Guild no, bear to los.
,"e ngn' OF MS household, though h.
sne" tr'at the, angels were waiting for
her on the Threshold Of heaven. When
nc arose she slept. Ages have passed
S,nce then, and she still sleeps, and will
SIZE ep till the heaven and the earth shalI
..ass"d away. The next day was the
Sabbath, and they bore her to the li,tls
churchvard where her mother was bur.
''d' Their graves were dug SIDE bv
de. III the children and maiden,.
fressed in white, followed her bier; and
alt the mothers in the village wept as
t she had been their own child; and the
lamb, looking whittier than ever, walked
in their midst. But when the service.
we're over, and the coffin lowered into
the rraxn IL lnnk Cd onnu M A.