Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-09-03
LADIES DEPARTMENT..
TIE ~BEREAvED SISTER.

the Othera girl OF nine years OF age. IneSe
children were the most lovely beings l ever
Jaw. Their extreme beauty, their deep
and arttess affection, and their frequent
bursts Of childish and innocent mirth, made
them os dear to me as if | had been the
companion Of their infancy. They we're
happy in themselves, happy in each other,
and in the whole world of life and nature
around them. / had known. the family
but a few months, when my friend was
compelled to make a sudden and unexpec-
ted voyage to South America. His feel
ings were embittered by the thought of
leaving his motherless children behind him,
and as l was on the point Of embarking
far Liverpool, | promised to take them to
their relations.
My departure was delayed two weeks.
during that period, ! lived under the same
roof with the little ones who had been con-
signed to my charge. For a few days they
we're pcnsive, and made frequent enquiries
for their absent father, but their sorrows
were easily a~ssuagod, and regret for his alb
sence changed into a pleasant anticipation
of his return. The ordinary sorrows of
childhood are but dews upon the eagles
plumage, which vanish at the moment,
when the proud bird springs upward into
the air to WOO the first beautiful flashes of
the morning.
The day Of our departure at last arrived,
and we set sail on a quiet afternoon of sum-
MGR. IL was a scene of beauty, and my
heart Auttered as wildly and ~joyously as
the wing Of a young bird in s~pring-timc.
1t seemed in truth as if ".man's control
had stopped with the Shore" that was re-
treating behind us, and left the world of
waters % give back the blue of the upper
skies as purely and peacefully as at the
first holy sabbath of creation. The dis
tant hills bent their pale blue tops to the
waters, and, as the great Sun, like the i'm
age Of his Creator, sunk in the west, sue
cessive shadows of gold, and crimson, and
purple, came floating over the waves, like
barks from u fairy land. My young com
pauions gazed on these scenes steadily and
silently, and, when the last tints of the
din shore were melting into shadow, they
took each others hands, and q few natural
tears gushod forth as an adieu to the land
they had loved.
Soon after sunset, | persuaded my little
friends to lot me lead them to the cabin,
aud then returned to look out again upon
the ocean. In about half an hour, as l
was standing musingly and apart, | felt
my hand gently pressed, and on turning
round, saw that the girl had stolen to my
side. In a few moments, the evening STIR
began to twinkle from the cdging of a vio-
let cloud. At first, it cleaned family and
at intervals, but anon it came brightly out,
and shone like a holy thing upon the brow
Of evening. The girl at my side gazed
upon it, and hailed it with a tone, which
told that a thought of rapture was at hel
heart. She inquired, with simplicity anc
eagcrness, whether in the far land to which
we were going, that same bright star woulC
be visible, and seemed to regard it as an
other friend, that was to be with her in he,
long and lonely journey.
The first week of our voyage was unat
tended by any important incident. TIL
sea was at times, wild and stormy, but a
gain it would sink to repose, and sprca
itself out in beauty to the verge of the dis
tant horizon. On the eighth day the bo
arose pale and detected, and complained
indisposition. On the following mornin!
he was confined by Il fever to his bed, an
much doubt was expressed as to his fat
by the physician of the vessel. l can ne
CT forget the visible agony, the look of u
ter woe, that appeared upon the face of tt
little girl when the conviction of her brot
er's danger came slowly homo upon h
thoughts. She wept not-she complaint
not-but, hour after hour, she sat by Il
bed of the young sufferer-an image
grief aud beautiful affection. The b
became daily more feeble and emaciate
He could not return the long and burnt
kisses Of his sister, and, at last, a fai
heayiug Of his breast, and the tender e
quence Of his half closed eye, and a fus
at intervals, upon his wasted cheek Ii
the first violet tint Of a morning clol
were all that told that he had not pass
"thc first dark day of nothingness."
The twelfth evening of our absence fir
land was the most beautiful | had e.
known, and | persuaded the girl to go
"a short time upon deck, that her own
vered brow might be fannedby the twill.
breeze. The sun had gone down in clio
and the traces of his blood-red sett
were still visible upon the western wat,
Slowly but brilliantly the many stars W
gathering themselves together above,
another sky swelled out in softcned bea
beneath, and the foam upon the crest,
the waves was lighted up like wreath,
snow. There was music in every Wa
and its wild sweet tones came foatingd
from the iuttering pennaut above us,
the sound of a gentle wind amid a cyp
grove. But neither music nor beauty
a spell for the heart of my little friend.
talked to her of the glories of the sky
sea- pointed her to the star, on wi
she had always loved TO LOOKOUT her
ly answer was a sigh-and | returned
her to the bedside of her brother. |
ceived instantly that he was dying. T.
was no visible struggle-but a film
creeping over his eye, and the hectic t
of his cheek was fast deepening into
pie. | know not whether at first his
ter perceived the change in his appeara
She took her seat at his side, pressed
pale lips to her own, and then, as usua
her melancholy eye rest fixedly upol
countenance. Suddenly his looks bri
ened for a moment, and he spoke hi.
ter's name. She replied with a pas
ate caress, and looked up to my face,
to implore encouragement. | knew
her hopes were but a mockery. "A mo-
more, and u copvulsive culver passed