Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-06-10

one corner of the room. shaping and stitch
ing my cushion, that the girls were trying
to fatter that kind old lady wee bit, but
as she settled her spectacles on her fore
head and leaning back in her chair gave uG
the following tale l changed my mind and
came to the conelus ion that she was most
wonderfully interesting story teller, and that
there had been no fattery whatever, scarce
ly even enough of praise in what they had
said to her.
| Margaret s. was never the ore to
linger in her bed after the sun was up, but
one bright morning in spring she rose even
earlier than usual, for her mind was too ac-
tive to let her sleep, and she wished to have
nice quiet time for thought before any oi
the rest of the household were astir. II
was her thirty-fifth birth day, and as she sat
a: the open window, and saw the sun rise
| in cloudless beauty, her heart was full of
quiet happiness. She looked at the gilded
hill tops in the distance, and Inhaled the
fragrance of the apple blossoms on that
large tree just below her window which she
had loved from childhood, and as she re-
lected that she had attained unto one-half
the number Of years usually allotted to man,
her thoughts wandered back to her past life.
She glanced at her happy chilhood. Then
her school girl days rose up before her. She
remembered how often she had been melted
to diligence by the reflection that she was
the eldest of the family, and that she was to
study not for herself al9ne but that she
might impart her knowledge to all those
Young brothers and sisters, and thus relieve
her sickIy mother. The duties and the
pleasures of her student life were cut short
by summons to the death bed of that dear
parent. Her last words were "God comfort
you, my daughter, and help you to become
mother to the other children. Study your
poor fathers comfort, too"
Thus heavy burden OF responsibility
and of duty was laid upon her child's heart,
and under its influence she became wo-
man. Other girls many years her seniors.
were still sporting in biissful unconscious
ness Of the cares of life, or with light hearts
and merry voices we're jesting about their
lovers, while she went quietly and cheer
fully about her daily tasks without thought
of beaux or conquests. She looked back
that morning with quiet smile of wonder
at her perfect exemption from all those anx-
ieties and rlvalries. and coquetries which
keep some young girls in such fever of
excitemen
Then she recalled those dark days when
poverty had laid its depressing hand upon
them, and her heart grew light at the
thought that then she had been Of use and
comfort to those she loved best in all the
world She felt so grateful that she had
always been able to look upon the bright
side. When her gray haired father came
home one night and in broken accents said
that they were ruined, that the friend for
whom he had endorsed, failing to meet his
liabilities, had fed, and that they must give
up their pleasant hone to pay those claims,
she had felt SO strong in her power 10 labor
and to endure, that the natural order of
things was reversed and the father leaned
upon her for comfort. In the humble home
to which they removed, her once delicate
hands performed all the household labor in
9Tu6E luc III OC CGuN olCu.
Then prosperity came again, and they re-
turned to their old home. Her sisters grew
up, went into society, and one after another
married and left their fathers house with
the blessing of their smother sister, as they
sometimes ca lied her, resting upon them.
Her brothers had gone forth into the
world with high aims for themselves and
high thoughts of Koman's character and
mission.
She had been like mother to the children
and when they needed her no longer she
turned all her energies to the last part o!
her dying mothers, request "Study your
poor fathers comfort"
For years she nursed and soothed him in
his feebIeness, and then he passed away
leavlrg her the consolation that she had
"done what she could" for him.
A few days after this event aunt Mar
garet came into possession of large amount
of property. No one deserved it more than
she did, and no one was better fitted to use
money well and wisely. She felt that
through it her influence and her means of
usefulness were enlarged, and so she went
on her way dispensing blessings to the
needy. The trials and cares of her life
seemed to oe over now, and her thirty-fifth
birth day saw her, as we have said, full of
quiet happiness. She said to herself with
smile "my nieces pity poor aunt Margaret
because she is so old, bu young people lit
tie know the pure enjoyment we may taste
after the "fitful fever" of youth is passed" !"
Then she thought of the households of her
sisters, of their hometies and home attrac-
tons, and for a moment sense OF the
loneliness of her lot came over her. But
the dark cloud only passed ouer the face Of
the Sun, it was not permitted to rest there
and darken her path way. Like the clear
shining after the rain she felt in her heart
that her destiny had been ordered in infinite
wisdom and mercy. and that it was right
Then as she rose and went to the mirror to
arrange her still glossy hair, she said to
herself, NV destiny was settled long ago;
no one can doubt that, who knows that |
am thirty five years old, and that have had
less experience in love affairs than some of
my young lady nieces of five and six,' and
with placid look upon her face, and the
feeling at her heart that if all the sister,
hood were as happy as she, the terms 'old
maid and 'spinister' need not coniure up
such terrible visions to young girls as they
then did, she left her chamber and descend
ed to the breakfast room.
A few hours later on that same day and