The Winchester appeal. [volume] (Winchester, Tenn.) 1856-1856, 1856-03-29
The First Marriage in the Family
A BEAUTIFUL STORY.

BEAUTIFUL STORY.
In what book, magazine, or newspa,
per the following sketch originally ap.
pearcd, we do not know, and therefore
cannot give the due credit.
'HomeP how that little word strikes
upon the hcart-strings, awakening all
the sweet memories that have slept in
mcmory's chamber. Our home was q
pearl Of price among homes; not for
its architectural eIcgancc--tor it was
only a four gablcd, brown, country
house, shadcdby Woantcdcluvian oak
trees: nor was its interior crowded
with luXuries that charm ever and
come from every cline. It's furniture
had grown old with us, for we remcm-
bcrcd no other; and though polished as
highly as furniture could be, by daily
Scrubbing. was somewhat the worse
for wear, it must be confessed.
But neither the house nor its fur
nishing makes the home; and the charm
OF ours lay in the sympathy that linked
the nine that called it home to one
another. Father, mother, and seven
chiIdren--fve Of them gay-heartcd
girls. and two boys, pctted Just enough
to be spoilcd-not one link had ever
dropped from the chain of love, or one
corroding drop fallen upon its bright
ness.
zone star ditlcrcth from another in
glory even in the frmament Of home.
ThuS-though we could not have told
a stranger which sister or brother was
dearest--trom our gentlcst 'cldest,' an
invalid herself, but the comforter and
counsellor of all beside, to the curly
haired boy. who rompcd and rejoiccd
in the appelIation Of baby given five
wears beiore--still an observing eye
could have singled out sister Ellen as
the sun beam Of our heaven, the NOR
ming star Of our constellation. She
was the second in age but the first in
the inheritance of that load of rcspon-
sibiIity, which, in such a household.
falls naturally upon the eldest daugh-
fer. Eliza, as have said, was i'll
from early girlhood, and Ellen had
Shoudercd all her burden of care and
kindn ssWitha a light heart and a light
cr step. Up stairs and down cellar
| in the parlor, nursery or litchcn-at
| the piano or the washtub--with pen,
pencil, needle or ladlc--sistcr Ellen
was always busy, always with a
smile on her check, and a warbIc on
her lip.
Quietly, happily, the months and
years went by. We never realized
that change was to come over our
band. 10 be sure, when mother would
look in upon us, seated together at our
work, and say. in her gentle way,
with only half sigh, "Ah, girls, you
are living your happicst days" we
would glance into each others eyes,
and wonder who would 90 first. But
it was u wonder that passed away
with the hour and rulilcd not even the
surface Of our sistcrly hearts. 1t could
not be always so, and the change came
at last.
Sister Ellen was to be married.
1t was like the crash Of a thunder
bolt in q clear summer sky! Sister
EIlen--the fairy of the hearthstonc,
the darling Of every heart-which OF
us could spare herr Who had been
so presumptious as to find out her
worth! For the first moment, this
question burst from each surprised,
haIf-angry sister of the bluShing, tear
tul Ellen. 1t was only for a moment:
for our hearts told us that nobody could
help loving her, who looked through
her loving blue eyes into the clear
wcll-spring of the heart beneath. So
we threw our arms around her, and
sobbed without q word.
We knew very well that the young
clergyman, whose Sunday sermons and
gentle admonitions had won all oul.
hearts, had been for months Il weekly
visitor to our firesidc circle. With
baby George on his knee, and Georges
brothers and sisters clustered about
him, he had sat through many an ev-
ening, charming the hours away, I'M
ill the clock startled us with its m-
welcome nine o'clock warning, and
the softly spoken reminder, Girls, it is
bedtime" woke more than one stiled
sigh Of regret. Then sister Ellen must
90 with us TO lay George in his little
bed: to hear him and Annette repeat
the evening prayer and hymn her lips
had taught them; to comb the long
brown braids of Emily's head; to rob
Arthur of the story book, over which
he would have squandered the mid.
night oil; and to breathe kiss and a
blessing over the pillow of each other
sister, as she tucked the warm blan.
kets tenderly around them.