The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1860-02-01

this earth and its grossness. Spiritual in
deed it was in the truesi and hiuhes,
sense of the word. knew not why. but
/ ! felt myself irre>is,ably drawn towards
this angelic looking being rs to Que near
and dear.
She came forward and took each of US
by the hand. asking our names. When
in reply to her inquiry, answered, Ger
trude Ellsworth she raised her large sad
eyes to my face, and i; seemed TO me
! that her pale cheek grew shade paler,
and her moalh twi,ched AS if moved bv
some sudden euu0t;ou, |! so, she quick
y recovered herself and bidding us FOL
low her, she pointed out to each her re
spective bed.
The dormtory was n large room of
hundred 10y Thirty feet, with three rows of
beds the entire length. \ large drum
s;ove stood IT rihcr end, which gave a
genial warmth 10 the apartment. Soon
to my drowsv cyeiIds came Tired ma
tues sweet resiorer-baimv sleep which
continued dreamess and unbrokcn until
the bell aroused me at dawn to the com.
mencement OF my first DAYS experience
at a convent boarding school.
have .lready entered too much into
detail, aud will therefore only state that
we were duly installed III our different
classes, and after the first feeling Of home
sickness wore of, We were very happy iii
our new situation,
Among the gir's the one with whom
became most intimate WAS Mary Seaton,
i"lr haned, blue eyed, delicate booking
creature, whom every one felt almost com
PEELED 10 love. Perhaps what first atirac
ted me towards her Was her enthusiastic
admiration, expressed on all occasions, of
Sister Cecilia, whom had loved from the
first moment that b, held her This af
lection grew into specie, uf idontry,
which feeling Was tJs,ered hy the secIu
sion in which We li,eu, never going any
where and never seeing any one except
the inmates Of the Convent. regarded
Cecilia with that wor>hipping reverence,
which pious Catholic feel. for his pat
ron SAINT.
She moved among u,, but no, Of us
a being Of higher sphere. Her rap,
expression, and far oil gaze seemed, at
times, to denote that her eXpeclant ear
caught the distant murmcr of angel voices
whispering Sister splrit, come AWAY
One day Mary tald to me, 'Gerlrule.
did YOU know that Sister Cecilia had the
consumption 2
oh, no, no. exclaimed, uly eyes fill.
ing with tear at The thought. You must
he mistaken, Marv.'
No am no. she replied, 'for >he told
me 50 herself
A':d from Ina, day, my love, il posi-.
U'r, for this angelic being grew and
strengthened. She, too, seemed to prefer
ne 10 any Of the other girls. and when
We were together, | would nestle closely
to her side, she putting her arm affections
dtcly around ne, while IL sense of perfect
happiness would fill my heart.
Aher my couver, alton with Mary, |
noticed that sister Cecilia did hnvo a
cough which seemed to be troublesome n,
times, and now, with my eyes oper.
saw that, day toy day, her stop grew fee
bier and her poe cheek ,hiuner She ap.
pe"r"d to suffer no pain, bot to fade gent.
~ aud slowly, even As the summer ilpw-
os.
She was c mpeled, at last, 10 give up
her classes, which WAS soIc trial to me,
for it seemed so much easier - study
when knew that would receive smile
OF approval from he! III return for well
recited lesson. Finally, she WAS confined
altogether, To the iniirmurv. Here | was
occasionally allowed 20 vi.it her, and she
would talk TO me Of God and Heaven,
and the delight that she felt at the pros
nect OF soon bidding adIeu to ilis fair but
deceitful world.
One afternoon, Sister Victoria, the dis
cipinarlan, came to my desk and told ne
that Sister Cecilia wished TO see Inc.
obeyed the summons with alaCri;v, and
was quickly beside her led. No sooner
had looked upon her than perceived
that great change nad taken place
since | last saw her, anG even to my un
praeticed eyes, the shadow OF death was
visible upon her countenauce.
She feebIy extended her thin. white
hand, which casped within my own,
while passionate soils convuIsed my whole
frame.
Weep not for me, Gertrude she said.
My ransomed spirit will soon be rejoicing
in it's lopg wished for freedom. Aheady
has extreme JUNCTION been administered to
me, and after fulfilling one more task, my
earth weary soul will he ready TO obey the
call Of its Saviour, and its God You
have been dearer TO me, darling, than
any otlpf human baino fnr yaars I ,,;aI