M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1855-07-06


r her spirit might breathe its gentlenes.
/ forbearance, and wisdom to direct, int
: my heart, that Il might be discret
: counsellor, and faithful friead to dar
d ling Eddy. Ilabored faithfully, an
r felt rewarded by my brothers. affection
> ate regard'for my wishes. y Still, as h,
+ grew older, ] could see that he no long
er'depehded upon my guidance, an,
sometimes ventured to act Independent
Of my, advice, and after while, ceased
to counsel with me almost entirely.
was deeply grieyed, and thought that
20 longer, possessed an influence owe
him. Especially did | feel this, wher
he refused to listen to my enueaties, tina
he would finish his education, and grad
uate at ---- College. Efearsd that h,
was getting a taste for wandering, as |
\ listened to his visionary dreams of sea
life, and foreign lands; but was graft.
fled to note a growing attachment be-
tween him and a lovely girl,the daught.
er Of a quiet widow, who lived near US.
minnie, you have doubtless wonder.
ed that, Lille West chooses such Sc
cluded lite, and the. title, old Maid,
when she is possessed Of such personal
charms, and seems SO well fitted to
mingle 10 society," q ,,1s, ms,l ..-.
L'Yes, Auntie, it was but yesterday,
told Ned that I'D warrant she had in,
stilled her old. .maldish notions into her
pretty neice's head; and he bristled up,
and said that lille West was nonetie
worst for being an old maid, and that
SHE was really a charming companion,
and that she was more like, a, sister to
Fanny than an aunt; and ! was forced
to acknowledge, that | never met more
entertaining person than Miss, Lille,
sad as she seemed to be- spa,w ,o y.
n'Sad--yes, she does wear an express
sion OF sadness; aud my heart aches for
her, poor girl Once her prospects
were as bright as 'yoar own, Minnie;
and the pure love OF herinnocent heart
was lavished upon her FIRST lover, as
freely and as aFdenlly asyours,' Min
ME blushed the happy object OF
t6atlove was my darling bfolhet.? 'They
were both Young too y0ung 'toi wed;
but / iondly hoped that his affectionfor
her would keeplhim always near me,
Tor ! knew that Lille would never leave
her mother But the glowing descrip.
tions, the haiteTing accounts. Of, the
glorious, West, given by tray elers, and
published in all the journals, fired his
restless heart with newdreamsot wealth.
and a desire borrowing having long pos
sessed him, he talked of nothing ybui
specuIaliohs, government lahd, p rife
AMONG the Indians, and adventure. .---
| About this time, | was married, and
] Edward lived with US. Your uncle
was as kind as an own father could be
to him, and / believe, Edward loved
him almost as, well as he, loved me. -
Scarcely a day passed, without a cons
verSation with my brother, about leav-
ing US, and bitterly, did | lament my in
ability to influence him, l,think Ter
red ia speaking too frequently, at i'm,
proper times, and injudiciously.s He
| gre " weary OF my incessant sharping gs
upon the same old string,' as he termed
it, and in noevery4gehtle tones, bademe
say no more to him ON the subject
that his mind as made up, and he
should 60. I had noticed with pain,
that be, was contracting some bad ,hab.
| its, and thai he was quite scepiical.. In
yainI talked Of our early religious ed
ucatiOn, and, besoughthi to believe in
'hissmother's God. He obIy entered
into long arguments that could not
answer; and could only prayafor him,
and trust that the hand which had res
cued dear Henry and myself from the
'horible pit and miry clay,' would yet
lead our brother into paths OF pleasant
ness and peace ~ ''sd '''trs aat
He left, and for a while, we heard
from him occasionally, as hunter, re-
Ijoicing in wild life, among the child
rem of the forest. But his letters grad.
ually grew short, and unfrequent, til
at last they ceased entirely and It j;
many years since we heard from him
| A few months after his'departure, you
dear parents died; and in the love oI
their orphan children,I learned to bt
happy again. Edward was'seven, sue
you FIVE, when you came TO live will
us, since which time | have endeavor
ed to be as a mother to you; and in you
affection and dutilul behavior, | reap
f rich reward for all my care, ] know
mot what has become of my wander
ing brother; but, ! .teel sure, that he nev
er could forget his only darling sister
He may have broken away from my
influence, but at times, memory ha
brought back his boyhood'sa days ant
I the Instructions, the admonitions, the
gentle reproofs, which | gave him, hsv,
had some weight with Inn, / feel as
sured. Nightly have prayed for him
and 1 fully believe that my pray yers hav,
4 been or will be answered, and tltat Ed
ward won't be absent, when our re.uni
[ted family sits down TO the marriage
supper Of the Lamb o. sssa,ga
Mrs. Henderson ceased speaking; he