The Winchester appeal. [volume] (Winchester, Tenn.) 1856-1856, 1856-03-29


ter to be guilty Of such q plot against
our peace, The name was associated
in our minds with all that was super
human. The gray-haircd pastor who
had gone to his grave six months pre-
viouS, had sat as frequently on that
oaken arln-chair, and talked with us
We had loved him as u father and
friend, and had almost Worshippcd
him as the embodiment Of all attaiua-
bic goodness. And when Mr., Neville
came among US, with his high, pale
forehead and So0l.kindlcd eye, we had
thought his face also ''thc face of an
angcl--tOo glorious for the print of
mortal passion! Especially, after, in
answer to an urgent call from the p"O-
pie among whom he was laboring, he
had frankly told them that his purpose
was not to ren'an among them, Or
anywhere on his native shore, that he
onl waited the guidance Of Providence
to home in foreign cline. After
this much bcWailcd disclosure Of his
plans, we placed oar tavorite preacher
on a higher principle Of saintship.
But sister Ellen was to be married,
and married to Mr.. Neville. And
then, ooh, sister YOU are going away
to lndia!' burst from our lips, with u
fresh gush OF sObs.
was the first that looked up into
Ellcn's troubled face. 1t was hraYing
with emotion that ruhled its caImness,
as the tidc-wavcs ruhlc the sea. Her
lips were firmly compressed, her eyes
were fixed on some distant dream,
glassed wit!-two tears that stood still
in their chaIiccs, forbidden to fall. |
almost trcmblcd as | caught her
glance.
"Sistcr! Agncs-Emily" she cX-
claimed, in husky whisper. "lIush!
be calm! Don't break my heart. DO
love him less than"---
The effort was too much; the words
died on her lips. We lttcdh her to bed,
frightened into forgcttulness Of our
own grief We goothed her until she,
too, wcpt free y and passionatcly, and,
in weeping, grew strong for the soc-
rilicc to which she had plunged her
heart.
We never spoke another word of re-
monstrancc to her tender heart, though
often, in the few months that fitted by
US together, we used to choke with
sobbing in some speech that hintcd Of
the coming separation, and hurry
from her presence to Cry alone.
Oar mother had told us the tidingS
with white lips ;nat quivered tcndcrly
and sadly. No love is so uniformly
unscltish as mothers, surely; for
though she leaned on Ellen as the
strong staff Of her declining years, she
sorrowed not as VIC did, that she was
going. She, too, was happy in the
thought of that pearl of great price ,
in a cold and evil world-a true. noble,
loving heart to guide and protect her,
Father sat silent in the chimney
corner, reading in the family Biblc.--
He was looking farther than any of us
TO the pcris thnt would environ his
dearest daughter, and the privations
that might come upon her Young life.
in that unhealthy, uncivilizcd corner
of the Globe, whittier she was goinp,-.-
| Both our parents had dedicated their
| children 70 Cod: and they would not
cast even a shadow on the path Of self.
sacrifice and duty their darlino had
chosen,
To come down 70 thc unromantic
details of wpddiny nrcn,rations. how
we stitched and trimmed nackcd and
nrcnored. stoned r,i.;n. with to,rs in
nnr eyes and al that woulI take foo
lnnu io tou EIIen was first and roro
nnst in all this as sLc had alwavs
boom in every c,,,crgcncy orant ri.
small