Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1860-10-11

eraDle nut, ne Saiu, tC WATCH OFer tue
couch of poor and dying woman, that she
voluntarily gave up the anticipated pleasures
of this day. And have been calling her
Puritanical for it p
When Harry Connor rejoined the pic mic
party be was no longer in mood for reply
ing to the gay sallies of Isabel Warner. His
heart was by the bedside of that dying wo-
man, where Ellen Eden watched in silence
and alone. As he looked at the beautiful
Isabel, and thought of her heartless refusal
to visit her old nurse when dying, be won
dered how he could have been deluded into
believing her amiable, as he had been. She
seemed to him now g lovely Medusa. while
Ellen rose up before him ministering ans
gel.
From that ny Harry Connor loYed Ellen
Eden. He made no alusion, when thsy next
met, to her refusal to attend the picnic, but
he stroye, by the gentle kindness of his nan-
ner, to repay her for any regret she might
have felt. Ellen scarcely knew what to max e
of ais altered Gemeanor. There was sones
thing so kind in bis tone, so respectful in his
looks, something SO different from anything
she had seen before that her heart trambled
with strange happiness. She had resolved
to treat Harry so coldly that be would aban-
don her society for she knew absence from
the beloved otiest to be the only cure for un-
requited affection. But now she hesitated,
A sweet hope began to dawn on her. Could
be really mean to give up the beautiful and
brilliant Isabel for her? His intentions were
not long secret. The more Harry saw of
Ellen the more he congratulated himself on
his escape from Isabel. The very piety OF
our heroine, on which az first he had looked
with disapproval, now became new attrac-
tion for however men, IN the giddy maze of
gaiety, may affect contempt for the Christian,
they always, in their more serious moments,
wish for wife who shall be truly pious.-
Harry now found, moreover, that there was
a vast difference between false, ostentatious
Christianity and the pure religion which Eel.
len practiced 50 unobstrusively.
"And are you really going to marry Ellen
Eden ?'' said one of his friends to him. 81
hear everywhere she is canting religion
ist?"
81 am about to marry her," he replied.
"What you mean by canting religionist I
do not exactly know; but Ellen, however pi'
Gus she may be, has nothing of can't"
''She teaches Sunday school,"
but is not that merit rather than Others
wise? Surely to devote three hours, every
Sabbath, to the gratuitous mental and moral
instruction of others, is Self-denying task,
worthy of all praise; and you will agree with
me, that time thus occupied is spent more
benefcially than in dressing for ball
ROOM"
81 am stranger, here, and know nothing
of Miss Eden" said bis friend with some
embarrassment. 'Excuso me for what /
said. I am sure I would rather haYe pi-
ous wife than an infdel one"
"There you are right, and it is that con-
yietion which has made me seek Ellen for a
companion. ! am only too happy that she
loves me. I am unworthy Of one so good and
pure. Believe me, my dear Franz, the basI
thing man-c do is 10 choose a woman
with strong religious feelings. Recollect the
wife is to be the mother of your children :
your own consoer in the days of trouble
the guide, who, eyer by your side, with swee
smiles and angelic words, is to win you ur
to heaven. What would man be without
woman? And how dreadful to see an irreli.
gious female, one witno any hopes or af
fections except for this world, who is think
ing continually of gaiety and vain show, arc
who perhaps goes off to Q bah when a Child
or husband is lying almost at the point o
death, with no one by to turn the thoughts tc
a better world"
81 never considered the subject so serious
ly before" said his friend, grasping hi
hand. "But feel that you are right"
eyes !" said Harry, "and even infdels-
strange as it may seem-prefer a conscien
tious wife, before one who mocks religion
II now see," replied his friend, chow it il
| that true love and religion are so intimately
connected. Reverence is prominent par
| in both. ! too will seek wife like Mis-
Eden" With these words they parted.
Harry Connor and our sweet Ellen wer,
married within month of this conversation
and happier couple nowhere lives. Th
husband, like his uncle, has become con-
sistent Christian, and chiefly through th'
gentle persuasions ef his wife. Their hous
is always open to innocent gaiety, cheerful
ness has her abode IL, ere, and all in our vii
lage, low and high alike, love them.
A word on Isabel before we close. From
the day of the pic-nic, she saw that her infiu
ence over the young heir was departing
She made several abortive struggles to regain
him, but finding all in vain. and unwilling
to have it thought any rival had supplantet
her, she hastily accepted an offer from
transient admirer and was married abou
three weeks before Ellen. But the ill-assor
ted match turned out unbappily, as Nigh
have been expected; and for several year
the once admired Isabel has been living il
seclusion with her parents, . deserted wife