Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1866-06-27
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The Child Angel.
She did but float a little way

She QlQ 0ut uOdt itLut WY
Adown the stream of inc,
With dreamy eyes watching tne ripPieS PiAy'
List'ning their fairy chime.
How few whose names are written wife,
mother, have any idea or understanding
of the solemn responsibilities resting upon
them in these relations. A few years of
butterfly existence-the finish given at
fashionable school, short wooing, gay
bridal, gayer honey moon,-and the
young creature sits herself at last py her
own Searth-stone, and wonders if life is
all holiday.
Such one comes up low to my recol-
lection. The life of the social circle in
which she moved, always carrying sun
shine wherever she went, merry hearted
as q bird, thoughtless of the morrow
light, air, motion, all sources of the keen
est enjoyment, rowing like the bee from
flower to flower, extracting only honey;
sensitive, ardent, impulsive, hearted
but remembering not her Creator
lacking the s' one thing nee6rul." :"
loved hc:, as did al who knew her;
for the world had not yet spoiled her
frank and generous nalure-but with all
that wealth of feeling, and without the
star Of religion! could only say, May
God keep her?"
Her husband WAS like herself, fond of
the gay world, but fully able to apprcci-
ste the strong, deep love she bore him.
A babe was given her. With flood
of joyful tears he.wclcomea it, At once
she bucame the selfsacrilicing, patient
enduring mother. You could not have
charmed her away from that babes era:
die, "chsrned you never so wisely"
Concerts, parties, balls, were alike forgot.
ten; her chief joy was to watch those
tiny features, to caress that fragile form.
The gay, ringing laugh was heard less
frequently; sweet, calm seriousness
marked her whole demeaaor. She would
sit for hours gazing on its cherub face
with mostened eyes
Years passed on. 'fhe child grew up
a dalpata, fragile thing, with large,
though fu!, eqrnsst eyes, through which
the soul seemed eysr sreakmg-moved
to tears by STRATA Of sweet melody, or
the gorgeous beauty of The sunset cloud
caring naught for the sports of child
hood, but like the child Saviour, hearing
and answering questions
The love and devotion of Alice for her
mother almos, amounted to idolatry. At
night her &iry hand was outstretched
from the little bed to rest In that Of her
mother. ly day she was ever at her
mothers side, with her book, or with
those large brown eyes fixed on her
mothers face, intensely interested in her
conversation. When there were visitors,
she Souii take seat in some quiet cor.
ner, never losing 6 gord, pondering all
she heard. If any one advanced an opin-
ion different from the views expressed by
her mother, Alice would timidly venture
forth and sly, | don't think it can be so;
ny mother doesn't think so;'' or. Z" am
sure yoa are right, for I've heard my
mother say so.'' l1a these occasions. an
expression of deep seriousness, almost
amounting to distress, would settle upon
the mothers face, and her eyes would
often fill with tears.
watched that mother and child with
the most intense interesS. | looked for
the time when all this weight of respon-
sibiIity should lead her with her burden
to the foot of the cross saw with
spiritual eyes) this child,angel invisibly
drawing her thithSr. Nor did look long,
nor in vain. One morning she came to
Inc with burst of tears, and said, "Oh,
teach lne how to 60 with that child 20
heaven~ told her, simply, earnestly,
her duty; she listened with eager inter
est; nay, more-for, God be thanked !
my prayer was heard-she tried hard to
perform it.
| And now little Alice's mission ou earth
being accomplished, the mothers new
born faith and trust in God were to be
pat to the trial. The Good Sheperd
called her lamb 10 his foiL. The little
feet f.ltered-the large eyes grew dim.
! Witt, y food of bitter teArs, the mother
cried, /" II it bo possible, let this cup pass
from Inc y" But grace prevailed, end as
she closed the chld's eyes in death heard
her palid hips say, "Not my will, but
thine be DONE"
Since then, the grave has closed oyer
the husband of her youth poverty, SUI.
fcring and trial have marked her pathway,
and now she can look back and see the
kindness of her Heavenly Father in thus
early sheltering the little shrinking lamb
from the storm and the tempest.