Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1857-01-23

"Tell them am engaged, Bridget"
81 told 'em you were to-home, ma am,
and they sent up their naInes, out haln't I
got 'em, jst."
There was no help for it-Mrs. james
must 90 down TO receive her callers. She
had to smile when she fe little like it
to be sociable when her thoughts were busy
with her task Her friends made long
call-they had nothing else to 90 with
time, aud when they went, Others came.
In very unsatisfactory chit-cha', her
morning slipped away.
On the next day, Mr. James invited
company to tea, and her morning was de-
voted to preparing for it; she did not enter
her study. On the day following, sick
headache confined her to her bed, aud on
Saturday the care Of the baby devolved
upon her, as Amy had extra work to do.
Thus passed the first week.
True to her promise, Mrs James patti
emily pcrsevered for a month, in her efforts
to secure for herself this little fragment
of her broken time, but with what success,
the first weeks history can tell. With its
close closed the month Of December.
On the last day of the old year, she was
so much occupied in her preparations for
the morrow's festival, that the last hour Of
the day was approaching, before she made
her good nights call in the nursery. She
first went to the crib, and looked at the
baby. There he lay in his innocence and
beauty, fast asleep. She softly stroked
his golden hair-she kissed gently his rosy
cheek-she pressed the little dimpled hand
in hers, and then, carefully drawing the
coverlet over it, tucked i, in, and stealing
yet another kiss-she left him to his peace
full dreams and sat down on her daughters
bed She also slept sweetly, with her doll
hugged to her bosom. At this her mother
smiled, but soon grave tho'ts entered her
mind, and these deepened into sad ones.
She thought of her disappointment, and
the failure of her plans. TO her, not only
the past month, but the whole year, seemed
to have been one Of fruitless efort-all
broken and disiointed-even her hours Of
religious duty had been encroached upon
and disturbed. She had compli>hed no.
thing. that she could see, but to keep her
house aud family in order, and even this,
to her saddencd mind, seemed to have been
but ind iferently done. She was conscious
of yearniDgs for mere earnest life than
this. dissatisfied longiugs for something
which she had not attained, often clouded
what, otherwise, would have been bright
day to her; and yet the causes of these
feelings seemed to lie in a dim and misty
region, which her eye could not penetrate
What then did she need To see some
results from her LIES work To know
tina, a golden cord bound her life-threads
together into unity Of rur2ose-notwlth-
standing they seemed, SO often, single and
broken?
!. She was quite sure that she felt no de
sire to shrink from any duty, however hum
, bic. but she sighed for some comforting
assurance of what lcds duty. Her employ
mcuts, conflicting as they did with her
tastes, seemed to her frivolous and useless
1t seemed to her that there was some bet
ter way of livipg,w which she, from deficiency
in euergy of character, or Of principle, had
failed to discover As she leaned over hel
child, her tears fell fast upon its young
brow.
Most earnestly did she wish that sh'
could shield that child from the disappoint
meuts, and mistakes, and self reproach
from which the mother was then suffering
that the little one might take up life wher
she could give it to her-all mended b,
;, her own experience. 1t would have beel
a comfort to have felt, that in fghtln
the battle she had fought for both; ye
she knew that SO it could not be-ihat 70
ourselves must we all learn wha. are ,hos
=. things which "make for our peace"
The tears were in her eyes as she CAV
;, the good night to her sleeping daughter
:, then with soft steps she entered an adJolu
ing room, and there fairly kissed out tn
old year on another chubby cheek, wh'e
: uestled among the pillows. At length
:, she sought her own rest.
" Soon, she found herself in singula
. place. She was traversing vast Plan
. No trees were visible, save those whlc
: skirted the distant horizon, and on thel
- broad tops rested wreaths of golden clouds
Before her was female, who was journey
ing towards that region of light. Littl
" children we're about her, now in her ARM
). now running by her side, and as they tr'
- :, veled she occupied herself in caring fe
:, them. She taught them how to place thel
= feet; she gave them timely warnings OF th
pitfalls; she gently lifted them over th
e. stumbling blocks When they were wear,