The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-10-26
SI{listtllaueolts.
A SyOrd-PECtVlTe.

In new book, entitled "Thorndae; or
the Corflict of Opinions" we find the iol'
lowing touching alusion to the authors
childhood, which will, doubtless, awaken
pleasing, and, it may be, painful emotions
in the minds of those who recolIect the time
when, with them,
uForm was young, and soul was pnlc."
"On looking back to those days, can
now understand how ulso made her happ-
moss. os she mine. | must suppose that
there were childish fits Of petulance on my
mart, and sometimes acts Of INSTRUMENTATION
but do not remember them. can recall
onlv scenes Of PEACE the lesson and the
play hour, which were but varied pleasures
How entirely cortent, it now occurs 10 me-
we both we're, when on some winter even
ing sat by her side, with the large plctureo
Bible outspread before me on the table, or
knelt up upon the chair, the better TO com
mand that captivating folio. Some OF those
natures live Ut this moment more vividly IN
nv memory than any have seen in the
famous galleries of Rome ard Florence
Even now [ see David playing on his harp
before King Saul; and see Saul consulting
the Witch of Endor, and the terrible ghost
Of Samuel rising in the background. How
that ghost haunted me! Well may ! re
member those pictures, for | never studied
apy others so intensely. How labored to
extract from them all some intelIlgibe
story! And, doubtless, often perplexed
my dear mother herself with my minute In
ouiries, and the unreasonable desire ] had tc
know what every man and woman in the
picture was doing, and why he did it, ont
why God let him do it.
"Days of iIlimituble faith! they were in
deed mine! How glad am to have knowI
them! Not all that we resign, do we regre
to have possessed. Very singular and yer!
pleasing to ME is the remembrance OF tha
simple pety Of childhood, of that praye
which was said so punctualIy, night an
morning, kneelng by the bedside. Wha
did think OF, guiItless then Of metaphysic
what image did bring before my mind
Irepeuted my learned petition with scrupl
lous fidelity? Did l see some venerabl
Form bending down to listen! Did II
cease 10 look and listen when had said
oil! Half prayer, half lesson, how difficu
it is now to summon it back again! B'
this know, that the bedside where kne
to this morning and evening devotion, b.
came sacred to me as an altar. | smile as
recall the innocent superstition that grew
in me, that the prayer must be said kneeI''
just there. If, some cold winters night,
had crept into the bed, thinking to repe
the petition from the warm nest itself
would not do!-it was felt in this court
conscience to be can insufficient perfo
mance;" there was no sleep to be had till
had risen, and, bed-gowned Os was, knelt
the accustomed place, and said it all ov
again from the beginning to the end. !
this day never see the little clean viii
bed in which child is to sleep, but s
also the figure of child kneeling in pray
at its side. And I, for the moment, am tt
child. No high altar in the most sump
Gus church in Christendom, could prom
my knee to bend like that snow.white CT
erlet, tucked in fer chids slumber."
OTA discussion arose in coffee room
Southampton as 10 the nationality of g
tleman at the other end of the room. "H
an Englishman," said one, 81 know by