Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1857-07-22
Things that touch the Heart.

Tears have often other uses besides that
of expressing grief Their office is not al
ways a sad one, they sometimes betoken joy,
and even when they do not, it is often lux
ury to indulge them. There are moments
incidents which touch the heart tenderly, and
it is worthy of notice that those are apt to
be the very best moments of our lives A
man will bear watching whose tears never
express admiration, sympathy and pity as
well as pain and sorrow.
Speaking of tears of admiration, who has
failed to shed them upon reading the account
of the gallant sailor who took such an affec-
tionate leave of his amputated arm, after the
battle of lake Erie?
An hour after the arm was taken off, he
called the surgeon to his side and said:
al should like to see my arm, if you've
no objection
"None in the world" replied the surgeon,
+" if you desire it."
The amputated limb was at once brot to
him, and poor Jack, pressing the cold hand,
which had forgot its cunning" in his left,
exclaimed with tears in his eyes:
"Farewell, old messmate! You and I
have weathered many a rough gale together;
now we must part. You have been good
friend to me; | shall never find such anoth-
er."
The Watchman d. Reflector beautifully
illustrates child's idea of what constitutes
home:
"This is my home," cried little one,
treasured boy of four summers, as, fresh and
rosy, he came in from school at the close of
short winter afternoon.
HIndeed, little Willie" said his mothers
visitor, how is it? Suppose, now, you 60
out on the sidewalk and try the next door.
Suppose you step into the entry, throw off
your little sack as you have here and pro-
ceed to the parlor. Wouldn't that be your
home ?"
"No, indeed" said Willie; that would
MT be it."
"But, tell me, why not?"
Willie had never thought of this. He
paused for a moment, then directing his eyes
to where his mother sat quietly sewing, he
replied with an earnest gesture. "She hves
here"
There is no estimating the strength of af-
fection which boy of noble nature bears to
his little sister. 1t is related of boy in New
Hampshire, who had lost little sister of
whom there was no likeness, that he resolved
to try the following singular and one would
think hopeless, expedent for supplying one.
In spite of all remonstrances, he set out for
Boston, where, accompanied by an artist he
visited all the picture galleries, pointing out
feature in this picture and an expression in
that, requesting to have them composed in
portrait under his own eye. 1t is delight
ful to add that, after many discouragng fail
ures, he succeeded in suggesting to the paint
er the image that was upon his heart, and
bore home in triumph likeness of the lost
one, which was SO perfect and beautiful as to
be recognized at glance by all who had
known her. How irrepressible is the readers
exclamation, "God bless that boy!" and
what pleasure it would afford one to give
him friendly push-upward and onward.
A WORD TO PARENTs.-A child who has
had the advantage of as much bodily exer-
else as possible in spacious gardens and fields,
until he has reached his seventh year, even if
he should not then know single letter, will
soon overtake those who have their heads
crammed with book information at an earlier
period; and not only overtake them, but out
strip them.
Every parent and teacher should be care
full not to tax the time and application of
the child beyond his strength. The pupil
has an imperative claim to rest, and recrea-
ton, and amusement. To deny the play
ground, with its many games, and sports, and
leaps, and oud-rising laugh, is to retard the
progress of the mind. Much precious time
is literally wasted in examining the memory
with words and phrases, which bar the ad
mission of thought and render application
irksome.
GONG TO SLEEP.-It is delicious mo-
nent certainly, that of being well nestled in
bed, and feeling that you can gently fall to
sleep. The good is to come-not passed; /;
the limbs have just been tried enough to rem
der the remaining in one position delightful;
the labor of the day is gone. A gentle fail
ure Of the perception creeps over you, the