Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1858-05-27

offered any relief, she contlued, T" and to
have done it ourselves, rather than trust to
hired assistants, as when Mother was ill.,
It was all past The cheerfulness of the
little parlor was tinged with sadness, but its
atmosphere savored of submission and trust.
Those who had stood by the deathbed and
the grave felt endued with strength and
earnestness for their life-work which ratified
tp each the promise of victory and rest.
On subsequent evening, as Martha was
engaged in reftting some Of her own cloth
ing for Lizzie, who in the meantime read
aloud from favorite author, Mr.. Hamilton
came in for social chat, as he had frequent
II done before.
.'Is it very dark out. Mr. Hamilton p
asked Lizzie after he had been few mo-
ments seated.
"Oh, no." he replied, "did you think of
taking walk %
E"Yes, Mrs. Franklin wanted me to spend
the evening with her, but didn't like to
leave Martha alone, SO I think I'll 90 now
fq little whi1e," said she, looking to her
sihter for assent.
"You CO." said he, taking the chair and
book she had left, ''and I'll keep your sister
company till you return
An hour passed in reading and conversa-
tipn, almost unobserved, and then the min
lister, taking Martha's hand in his, asked
her to share his heart and home. ssYou
may think strange" said he, ''that should
expect you to leave the brightness ofsyour
path and enter with me upon the toilsome
way I am pursuing, but believe me, Martha,
celestial fruits grow upon its borders, and
at the end Of the race lies a glittering crown,
and shining garments, and an eternity Of
bliss" A thrill of holy rapture lit up his
features, and his dark eyes caught their
beaming from the passing vision. ''Then, D
he added, ''shall we not together tread the
more excellent way, and together labor for
this reward?'
"Together;" whispered Martha, with
}blushing confidence, and their lips met to
seal the vow.
Abraham, after his entrance into Canaan,
soon mourned over the death of Sarah
She, the lovely Hebrew woman, whose beau
lty had captivatcd kings and Princes, and
whose love had frightened the pilgrimage
Of the patriarch, slept in death, upon the
borders of the promised land. Then Abra-
ham stood up and spake to the sons Of Heth,
saying, Il am a stranger and sojourner a
mong you; give me, pray you the posses
sion of burial place wherein I may bury
my dead" The patriarch bowed and wept,
and the sons of Heth, moved by human
sympathy, answered him: '.In the choice
Of our sepulchres bury thou thy dead"
Three years before, Mr.. Hamilton came
among the people of B with gentle
Eastern bride, winning the love of hearts,
and anon their deepest sympathy, as the
death stroke fell upon the slight form at his
side; so they gave to their stricken pastor a
choice spot where the willows dropped low
and their murmurings blent with the music
of gliding stream, and he like Abraham,
buried his dead from sight
Rosy June came on, bright, beautiful,
odorous. Her sweet breath foated through
open windows, like censer of peace and
happiness on earth, while, the heart hold
ing within itself a well-spring of pleasure,
had double cause for rejoicing.
With the Spring vacation Martha had re-
signed her position of Preceptress, in anti
cipation of the new sphere into which the
wedding month should induct her. The
marriage ceremony was performed in the
sanctuary where Mr.. Hamilton ministered.
The bride, in harmony with the old time
custom, were simply white, with no adorn-
nents but the spotless roses with which Liz
zie had looped up the folds of her brown
hair. Earnest blessing and "God speed
thee wishes were breathed forth from that
company of honest friends, of young men,
and maidens, and loving children, who fill
ed to overfowing the little church.
Ellen, the tried friend and counsellor,
had been participant Of Martha's hopes
and arrangements, playfully reminding her
Of other days, and their changed aspect, or
repeating some Of her lively sallies whose
application the present had outgrown.
Theirs was trne friendship, based on
principles, it had, amid the sunlight and
storm of years, acquired strong hardy
growth hence its fruits were pleasant to
the taste, 'syea, sweeter than honey to the
mouth
Dumas is very fond on gala days Of wear
ing some dozen or more decorations, con-
sisting of ribbons or crosses. A friend re-
Gently protested,- -
You look stupid you're walking rain
bow with these ribbons, which are the color
- "Of the grapes we read of in the
fable" interrupted Dumas.
~ AS clergyman was buryinga corpse,
a woman came and pulled him by the sleeve,
in the middle of the service:
"Sir, must speake to you Immediately"
"Well, what is the matter p
"Why, sir, you are going to bury man
who had the small pox, near my husband
who never had it,"