Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-04-21
LITERARY MISCELLANY.
For tho National Era.
A BROTHERS. REC0LLECrIONs or AN ONLY
SIaTER.
CHAP. XII.
BY MARY IRVING.

Steadily, under the mbdsummers eye vi hro,
were we beating up tho River OF the West. No
welcome awaited us, ut city or cottage oi the
almost deserted coast ~ for hailing from the
region of infection, our boat was summed ~
plague freightad No passenger joined our
little number no passef by fingered near the
forsaken heaps OF wood and coal, over against
which we from time to time mO0red We were
q world to Ourselves shut out from all Others.
Among the lady passengers was brawny
bustling little woman, with a kind eye and
yolubIe tongue who on the second day OF our
voyage, mado some remark which indicated
that she had been for some weeks nurse in
the Charity Hospital ut M. Worn out.
with labor, she was journeying to rcjcin her
friends in Missouri
"When those who had nurscd the sick from
the first, said she, were themselves taken
off it became too terrible for me to endure
Poor yonng .Liyingston! he was the last ~
Euialie had been lying upon couch at my
side, with veil thrown over her face to shut
ont the sunlight, whose gladness and beauty
Knocked the anxiety that hung upon her heart
She started up, with white lips and dilating
eyes but held her firmly.
IL ever mortal deserved crown in heaven,
il was he!" went on the unconscious bearer OF
the cruel tidings
"Was he alive when you left M-?n
hastily asked, trembling for my poor, speech
less sister.
aAlive! No, indeed, air; these hands clot ed
his eyes -
With scarcely audible moan, tho poor girl
fell back nlon the cushions. The blow had
hung too long suspended to crnsh at once. |
took her hand, and tried to speak to her. She
caught it from me, and, with gesture of utter
despair, buried her face from my sight for
hours.
When that face was again lifted, it WAS
flushed with the fever whose poison must have
been lurking in her veins for days Perhaps
it was better SO
The fever mounted rapidly to it's crisis
Once, only, and that during tho night Of in
tensest doubt, did the mist Of delirium clear
from her mind She looked up into the fase
Of the nurse, and smiled
"You closed his cyca and Won will close
mine, tool Thank God 1t is best to die with
the dearest one He ever gave me!
Many years after, in the bitterest hour Life
ever brought me, those words came TO me like
q prophecy: 1t is best to die with the dear
est Not then, sweet sister not then. Thy
mission beneath the clouds was not 90 soon
over!
Wan and light as a snow wreath seemed the
form that | carried from the deck of that
steamer mt the end Of our voyage Fearing to
leave her, and unable to take her inland, | sent
for Mary and the children to join us NV DO.
itical destinics pointed out a change of real
dencc and our homo in prairie-land was bro
ken up.
] found more than one invalid under my
charge, Cor Mafy's checks seemed to have been
daily growing paler and thinner during the
few weeks OF my absence. | lost no time in
transporting both to the Saratoga waters.
Gradually, as Time and Religion wrought
their healing work, q healthfnl reaction came
TO the body and spirit of tho younger The
steadily failing health Of Mary created a de-
mand on her energies which they soon burned
to answer. Man, driven out from Eden, was
morcifully sentenced to toll in the sweat of
his brow lt is well for the sorrowing to lie
heavily talked
During all those clouded years. TO which
look back only to rccall the one sunbeam that
lighted their gloom, when the wife and mother
lay ON bed Of languishing, too often deserted
by one whom public cares had, at her wish,
made their slave, Eulalie was the life and bless.
iog OF the chastened household. How soon the
little ones learned to share their griePs and
joys with "Aunt Lulie,n and shed on her
bosom the tears mother was too i'll to wipe
away. How the racked heart Of brother
rested on her, as no reluctantly tore himself
from that chamber Of cheerful helplessnesa,
and hom those twining childish arms that
chung to bis being like tendrils! Oh, sister a
weak staff indeed, may lend the strong man
strength
The heart which has suffered it's utmost
bears talisman against hfe's lesser ills Ia
either year,, trihc had clouded my sisters
sensitive garit now, trials light or weiehty
were alike powerless TO shadow her quiet cheer
fulne~ At times, indeed, a shadow of the
past would come over her clear face but il
was mover suffered to rest there In tho lone
" night watches, the plying angels came to
her with dreams that won her from these
heartrending memories. A little incident rc-
vealed 70 me this new phase Of her sinner
EfeD
a terrific storm had swept our coast, strew-
Ing ocean with wrecks, and land with mourn
era A family e our acquaintance bad been
kereayed in a manner most distressing, and
their grief bad called FORTH the sympathy Of
all who know them.
Take this paper Ralph - exclaimed Mary
ono morning as entered her sick room Tears
were binding her eyes az she spoke al want
70 hear you read that little poen,--please 2" {
commenced ms desired
1.-THE LOST AT SEA
The night was wild and fearful
And slecpIess Dyes we're tearfal
Watching the ,noonless sky
Pleading with One on high
For ono Mt sea,
The storm had ceased its riot n
The winds and were quiet;
Through tho home Swallowing tree
Swept sound mournfuIly-
Lost--lost at sea-
oh God 10 take The idol
just ere the hour Of bridal
Thy lingering life stay. mother
Sister thine only brother
Lost--lost nj sea,
Only 10 weep above him,
Twevc bss 10 those that love him
But the cold, pfiess deep
Tells not where any sleep,
Lost lost ut soa