The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-06-30

when | am gone! To none other can | SO
cheerfully commit him with no other friend
so trustingly leave him. Will you be to him
a mother, and when you ask Gods blessing
on your own loved ones, remember the or
phan boy, of
Your dying Cousin, EMILY.
Tear after tear fell upon this brief, sad
note, as Lucy Ford held it in her hand. She
was thinking of the past, when she and EN-.
lily were os sisters, sharing each others con.
fdence, and spending much together the
days Of childhood and youth, scarce separa.
ted, till Emily married, and removed from
her early home. since when they had seldom
seen each other. Two or three years since
she had been left widow, andhow she was
dying, and her child would soon be alone in
the world. Could she shut her heart against
such an appeal could she refuse the dying
mothers request And yet, she knew the
boy to be one which would cause her much
care and anxiety, and require of her great
responsibility, for since his fathers death he
had been left much to his own ways, ac EN-.
lily, with her poor government, failing health,
and numerous cares, had exercised little con-
troll over him. Aud now bright boy OF
fourteen Summers, he was without energy
of character, or aims of life, and had con.
tracted reckless. pernicous habits, which
caused her to shrink from taking him into
her own family and as the companion of her
own son about the same age. But she had
mothers heart, and with true woman's
ready sympathy, she thought of the good OF
the boy, of the double need there was that
such a one should have kind care, and Judi.
cious training, and in her own mind had al
ready answered the letter.
Handing it to her husband, she said, "H ere,
James, read this, and then tell me how |
shall answer it,"
James Ford needed but a moment to de.
eide, and as he folded the letter, he said
'Do you not know my answer, dear Lucy
have a heart to refuse such request, and
though other lrienks may give him home
can we Withhold from ourselves an oppor,uni'
ty for doing so great good Z"
"No; | we'll knew your answer" replied
the wife "but can we assume SO great re.
sponsiblity %
"And," said the eldest daughter Harriet
who was present, sis there not danger thai
Frederick will have bad influence over Al
fred, who you have endeavored so carefully
to keep from evil influences without 90
The father sat for moment, as the weigh
of the inquiries forced themselves upon his
| mind, and then answered, "The care and re.
sponsibiity will indeed be great, the sacri.
flee We may be called upon to make NOT
small, and our feors on Alfred's account not
wholly groundsss but if we assume such q
duty, looking above for assistance, we have
the promise of strength sufficient for our
day."
Sand, Harriet, do you not remember tina,
sentence which we marked ia Carlye's
'Sartar Resartus,' Let him who gropes pain
fully in darkness, or uncertain light, lay this
precept we'll to heart DO the duty aOhich lie'
nearest Thee, which thou knowest to be du
ty; thy second duty will already have be.
come clearer Here our first dutyis to be.
friend the orphan boy, and remove him from
the temptations of city life, and God will as
sist US in the right discharge of our further
duties and can we not trust the result with
him. Let US look on the bright side, und
hope, amid all the fears which naturally
arise, that good, not evil, will follow our ef
forts, and have faith to believe that it will
be So"
"Yes," replied the mother, tive will cheer
fully receive him into our hearts, and by love
and kindness strive to win him to truth ant
virtue"
"And l." said Harriet, "will be sister te
him, as I would, in like circumstances, an
other would be to my brother, and he shall
never know our hesitation or fears on hi:
account"