Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1860-04-07

fall more severely tnhn on ours. MY Droth-
ers and sisters fell around us in their
strength aud beauty, till at last none were left
but myself, the eldest, and my infant sister, the
youngest of the family; and on both the fatal
sickness had fallen; the shadow of death seem
ed to my mother already dark upon us. One
night, in her extremity Of misery, when my lit
tie sister breathed family, and |, more strong,
was in my agony, she went to thechurch where
the ever-burning lamp seems the emblem of
hopes that cannot fade away and there she
vowed solemn vow, that il yet, even yet, we
might be permitted to recover, she would dedi-
cate me, her first born, altogether to the SER
vice of the Merciful. Her words were not des-
tined to be as seed sown on the winds. We
both speedily recovered, and then my mother
told me she had thus disposed of my existence.
| had no choice | could not struggle or resist.
The vow was vowed but it was II bitter trial
for me. Ny father, who had ever felt deeply
the oppression Of his fallen country, and longed
to see it liberated had, in my early youth, in
spired me with his own sentiments only was
more eager to rush into strife, in order to effect
the object, All this was over now such fiery
dreamings were forbidden to one who was not
only to be II priest but a monk; and !, poor,
weak being, thought not then how much more
glorious was the combat with evil in which
was to be engaged as servant of the cross.
received my education at a neighboring mon
astery, but still remained at home, assisting
the village priest in his duties.
"My mother did not long survive our misfor-
tunes her heart was torn asunder between her
dead and her living children, and she longed to
be at rest with them even while she smiled on
us. She haunted their graves like phantom,
till at last they drcw her down 10 them, and we
laid her to sleep by their side. There remained
now in our once cheerful home only my father,
becomino daily more feeble and wasted, for he
was very aged, and my little sister Photini.
They had done well to name her Photini--(the
Light of Day y for she was indeed the light OF
that old mans declining years, q very sunbeam
in our dwelling. A sweeter, loveler child dneyer
welcomed the morning sun with songs of praise,
or knelt at the vesper hour, to breathe out her
auileless PRAYER. She grew up pure and inno-
cent. as seldom. on this earth it is given to hu-
man beings to be for we lived at some distance
from the village and held little communication
with lis inhabitants. And loved to watch
over her, that, like fair untanted lily, shaded
fror, the blightinO mower of the sun, she might
dwell in her retirement nor ever contamina-
ting breath from the world without sully the
brobtnesz of her souI. And now, my daugh-
ter must speak to YOU of one whose name
,remblcs nm nv lips-my best-beloyed on this
oor,, and nv h;tteres, encmyl You know that
as r,,r,, I ,cas dchorred earth's sweetest af-
foo,;o,s. tor this cause was the more power-
e.,,.. a.s...;,oa 10 concentrate all that nv
,oort could Lro,v ~ tenderness or one dear
s;ord stavros tho son of the demaroue. or gov
.t Md; nohio-iooLino hold sn;rited
vo,nc man who had been nv companion from
.huaSood ord ve had bou,d ourselves to-
oo,hor hv tba, far bolier tia than the tie Of
,,s H. ,,;on consocra,ed bv the church
;.a.ie. ,,,ho, hesoro tho altar we swore to be
- =, hoort aud son, i, community Of
,,,,,or,, 4, truth and saithful-
,",. ] ~, ,ha ,;ea IF ono or both should end and
,V''' A.. ,;,,r os Tho cross over us
49, 49, H., n,ass.a ns i ,oten tbst the vow was reg
.,, aal oi1'S'r ,.aa, vs. - s,ovros seemed to love me
.o',,sn y, ,.,,,. ana ,,,ocod on tbis fraternal
"en ""s ',u ,',,,a honaa or harn;ncas on earth
un,o" ao',,a T ,ava ,nrned with hate from anv one
'.ss 1T aai, ~, hro,her waa auvht but perfect
~ 80 ~, ;sho a;ad would die with him