The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1855-07-12

little group were crowded together in
most touching altitude of mortal grief
The aged mother with her trembling hand
clasped, her eyes closed, and her furrowet
features livid, as if in death, could onl,
exclaim, in agonized accents, "My pool
child ~ and sank back motionless upor
her chair. 1t was thus left them unno.
ticed. I doubted not Mr.. Morningtor
would make immediate preparation tc
leave by the train at IL P. NJ, and my
mind was relieved of a load of anxiety
Such duties, since then, have, alas! been
too frequent to affect me thus deeply; but
the performance of this was accompanied
by even deeper anxiety than the language
of my narrative might seem to indicate
l was like sailor boy, looking with awe
on the pillows he sees for the first time,
but which, afterwards, he rides without
the thought of their magnitude or danger
Instead of going direct to my lodgings
| returned to the Office to assure myself
that the machinery was carfully cut off
from connection with the wires outside,
in case of danger from lightning during
the night. This I found had neglected
to do when the business of the day had
closed, and l was surprised to notice, on
examining the magnet, that some distant
operator was endeavoring to call me, re-
lighting the gas, found the operator at
Wilmington assiduously endeavoring to
arouse me. Hopeless as must have been
his task, as evidence of this, here he was
iDdefatigably calling with patience char
acteristic of him, P, P, P, P, II. P, 2,
P, II. which the click of my register
brought to me with certain slowness of
sound, as if hope was beginning to wane
within him. These characters, be it
known, are the signals by which an Office
is called, and mean "Philadelphia Phil
adelphia! Philadelphia are you ready to
take message from mel" Replying i'm
mediately to his call, found that the
friends of the dying girl moved by her
constant wailing for brother, who, by
some peculiar sympathies, had become
especially dear to her, and who, not re-
ceiving any reply to her message, had
shown signs of deep dependency, had
come to the Office and besought the ope-
rator to make the effort, thus apparently
so providentially successful. Gladdened
by the singular coincidence, I immediate
ly gave information of my delivery of the
message, and my belief that the request
of the sufferer would be answered by the
speedy arrival of her brother in the night
train.
And do you think we took no pleasure
in our work, ye sellers of tape and sugar!
was there not, good Joseph, kind streak
of peculiar sunshine pass 'athwart that
generous paunch of thine in thus minis
tering in the relief of human sorrow, es-
pecially when the subject of it was young
and beautiful! Even over our lean and
cadaverous features smile of warm COM
placeney, and certain gentleness and ap-
provingness about the heart, richly re-
paid me for my weary and stormy jour-
ney; nor did l seek to repress an uprising
prayer to Him who smoothes the couch of
earthly sorrow and glides it with the lus-
tire of the better land, that life might be
prolonged until the longed for union of
these loving hearts.
Many months after all this had occur
red, and other things had excluded it
from my memory. | was walking on
Chestnut St., Philadelphia, accompanied
by friend. In the mutual enjoyment
of an evening of peculiar tranquility
when my eye fell upon the features of a
gentleman and lady slowly approaching
us, with whom my mind endeavored to
associate some recollection of past ac-
quaintance, but in vain. They seemed
engrossed in a quiet, meditative conver-
sation, their eyes looking downward, but
both countenances glowing with an un-
speakable calmness and repose, as if
heaven dwelt within, and conveying the
of the meaning of those beau
tiful words which speak of the possession
of "peace which passeth all understand
ing The features of the gentleman were
familiar to me. Yet racked
the dustry corners of my memory in vain
to assure myself of an acquaintance, but
in vain. He was dressed with much
plainness but true elegance; "his costume,
however, bearing subordinate part in
my observation. After resting upon the
yet delicately defined
lines of sympathy around his eyes, fore
head, and the corners of the mouth. My
heart bounded to him as to brother; and
as they passed me, and I could bat just
hear him say; eyes Mary, that was
dark night to US ALL" The occurrence to
which l have before alluded to broke at
once upon me, and / remembered the
night in which | became messenger boy,
and saw, for the first time, James Morn
ingion, his pretty little wife, and mother.
1t was certainly he; l could not be mis-
taken.
But who was she who thus closely re-
sembled him in the winsomeness of her
pale features, the interesting gentleness of
whose countenance had, even more than
his own, riveted my attention, and caused
a momentary throb of deep personal in
terest, as if some kindred spirit had mag
netized me with its presence. Mary! that
was the name of my frst-born. The most