Smyrna times., 1855-03-07

ceive them; the house was warmed. tho d;nino
room set temporarily to rights with the furniture
that had preceded, and pair of cozy ducks.
with the gizzards tucked comfortably under
their wlngs,were smoking upon the table. Mr..
hilbert glanced around, and ina aginng his lines
assuredly cast in pleasant place, raised his
thankful heart IN silent prayer to God for the
prospect OF pleasant home among sincere
and klnd-hearted people. All! how little thought
he that, in two short years, he would quit this
Eden spot, with heart discouraged, health i'm
paired, and daughter absent from the family
circle: '..-.
The pragmatical Laura Bennett was all acti
Vlty during the subsiding week at the parson
age; her blue merino dress (she had discarded
black at the end of six months) was discerned
hutterlng in the street at all hours of the dav.
and her hands were deluged in flour and butter
at all hours of the night, compounding Injuries
with which to prep2sseSs the Gilbcrts in her
favor 10 do justice to Laura, she was by no
means an indolcnt young lady. and when once
an important end was to be gained would leave
no stone unturned that would conduce. either
directly or indirectly, to effect it. In the pre-
sent instance, she presumed the beautiful and
accomplished Maria Gilbert would prove vain.
able companion IN This country village, and She
!onged to be thought the clevcrest person living
there; so She cnergeticaly set about acquiring
her friendship. 1t did not occur to her tha,
sensible minds seldom Judge of worth by pre-
mature attention or multiplied favors. nor did
she dream that Miss Gilberl's modcsty, industry
and knowledge OF domestic duties, if once
known to George Compton, would make an in
delIlbIe impression upon HIS susccptibiities.
Mrs. Gilbert had sade it point in the edp.
catlon at her daughters, to instruct them in
co"king and securing, as well as to have them
taught the more superficial, yet equally desira.
Die branches OF music and painting, while Mr.
Gilbert, with unwearying diligence endeavored
10 counirract the sinful propcnsitics of their
nature and cultivate thelr,amlable traits. The
result was, the parents beheld their Offspring.
as they approached womanhood, exhibiting un-
mlstakabe evidences Of genuine philanthropy
'''- ~f'N' ~ III IllC dutCllOuS OIL any clr
Gle or grace any sphere, as well by utility as
accomplishment. Mr. Gilbert regarded his
lovely wife and blooming children with the
deepest satisfaction; the torHer he pronounced
=" the woman after his heart" the latter solve
plants around his happy table,
lie had the reputation of being an eloquent
preacher, else had he not been so snugly en-
Sconced III his present quarters. And Mr. Gil
bert was all for which the world gave him
credit; aye, infinitely more He labored in
the vineyard of his Master "with the spirit and
with the understanding also;" not to enra apture
his auditors alone, but to warn them to flee the
wrath to come though it cost the immolaton OF
their hearts dearest idol. His city paslorate
had been an unpleasant one His congregation
were class TO which plain, unvarnished truths
were hardly acceptable. They admired his
siInlles, praised his beautiful imagery, lauded
his graceful gestures in the sacred desk and
commended his dscourses delivered from How
amabe are thy tabernables;" but when it came
to sermons, such as he, the chosen of God, I'M
pressed with the responsibility devolviug upon
the sacerdotal Office, preached from Not every
one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom Of heaven at which times
he endeavored to urge home upon them the lr-
relevancy Of empty forms, without an effort to
work out their salvation --he did not please so
well, with all his redeemng qualities. His en-
phatlc language burned into their hearts like
Goals Of tire, and grated harshly, too harshly,
upon the nerves OF his superclious and phar
saical hearers. ..r... ....i ......t.t
Had Francis Lex known the true character
OF Thomas Gilbert, he would not have concur
red in selecting hun to preside over the Port
Augusta community: but the people of st.
Simons, apprised of Mr.. Gilbert's call to ano-
ther church, did all in their power to facilitate his
removal by eoncealiug what they denominated
his faults! Mr.. Gilbert, weary of the pomp
and circumstance of st. Sinons, eagerly ac-
cepted the proposal Of the committee waiting
upon him, though, by it, his salary was .dimin-
ished not inconsideraby. Heknew the expen-
ses of his 4aml would be decreased in the
country, and he was glad TO avail himself of a
residence in a section where his health, which
had decliufd from confinement and study, might
probably be restored The daughters were
elated with the, idea of a eottage qhomei they
lohgtd to cultivate vegetables and flowers, tc
train the 'clematis and ivy. In the advantage.
Fort Augusta afforded, they realized their mos
sangulne expectations. asaii s,hm we ssda
-"Come, my dear Marid,a exclaimed Laurs
Benhet, one AFTERNOON toward the close o
July, "you must accompany me, to my brother
-in-law's farm and get aidrink, Of his ekcellen
mhA-he Keeps eleFeh cows. .s3f
Is 81 am at leisure and will attend you witt
pleasure, if you will guarantee to protect no,
from dogsand snakesa 4 am greatly. in, awe, o
such rampant creatnres.'' munebns 10 ~ ii
Irq"ohl' returned Laura, ..ve, shall ride, il
Mr.. Lex's carriage. +, He has m, old borsa tha