The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-01-27

something else which would be much more fl
for you! An acquaintance of mine, maiden
lady, not so young as she has been, but highly
respectable, and not so ill-tempered, believe
as she might be, considering her desolate situa
ton, is very much in want of companion
salary no object "
"Clara +" exclaimed Herman. He thought
her beside herself
| Constance colored painfully. ~ am afraid
said she, in tone of somewhat proud humil.
lty, though evidently struggling for selfmastery,
that l am hardly equal to the duties of such
place. | am afraid that | should not suit her
and yet, Herman -
g Oh, as to that" resumed Clara, "the duties
OF the place are not so very hard. All that
would be required of you would be to sit with
her, or in your own room when you preferred
it, to chat, work, read, and drive with her, make
yourself at home, and once in a while to write
to her brother at the South and there is one
respect at least in which no one else could suit
her so well as you for she makes it an inds-
pensable requisite that her companion shall
be--Constance Aspinwa"
"Clara I" exclaimed Herman, again, but this
time in a very different tone; and Constance
sprang up and threw her arms about her neck
:" will bring you back in time to meet Her
man here on his return. VIII you come, and
see his home, and make it cheerful while he is
gone? l shall be disappointed, and grieved,
and lonely, if you will not 1t is the first favor
L ever asked of you, Constance. Perhaps it
will be the last, you refuse"
Constance had no inclination to refuse, since
the invitation was given with cordially so I'M
mistakable. The arrangement was made, and
was the best that could have been made, re
lieved Herman from great anxiety on Con
stances account by placing her under Clara S
cheerful, judicious, and watchful guardianship,
gave both the young ladies sincere satisfaction,
and supplied the grateful Constance with an
additional motive for her hostess sake, to strive
for hope, patience, and calmness. On the morn
ing which was to have been that of their we'd
ding-day, Herman and Constance took leave of
one another, and went northward and south
ward on their several ways she often taking
from her pocket-book, and stealthily porting,
in car or steamboat, little sheet of note
paper, which Herman had slipped into her hand
when he pressed it for the last time 1t bore
the following sentences but in his hastiest hand
writing:
"The moment at which we first open our
eyes to the precipices upon which we have been
walking in our sleep, is not the beginning of
our danger, but unless allow our terror to get
the better of us, and go wild at the sight of
our safety.
The moment at which we begin to say, /
have sinned! God be merciful to me sinner,
is not the moment at which He begins to he
our Judge, but our Pardoner.
1.-The moment at which we begin to set our
faces against the wrongs which we have done, is
not that at which God begins to set His face
against us, but at which He places Himself at
our side to fight for u.s.
80 soon rs we set ourselves to work, heart
and hand, to STAY and undo our sin, so soon, if
not before does He set Himself to work, not to
undo, but to spare and to save us. AS surgeon
He may wound us, but if we are submissive and
trustful, only to heal and to cure. He will pity,
sustain, and comfort us, under our wholesome
and needfnl sufferings, as Father.
"Of all the anniversaries, which stand between
us and heavens gate, there is scarcely any SO
terrible as Remorse. The soul, who can put
him down before the Lord, can put down Satan.
Wrestle with the dark angel when he comes
upon you and wreste on, though the night
about you be black as the grave, a..l long
time. Let him not subdue you, nor yet let him
go until he has left you the blessing of repent
ance unto salvation, not to be repented of.
Then the morning, which dawns upon your
weary soul, shall be as the morning of the resur-
rection."