Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1872-12-21
TIE MISSES GREELEY
MSS IDA GREELEY.

sorbed in her real grief to discover
through the press all the many unplea-
SAINT things which associate her name
with that of Mr.. Hampstead.
She not only was never promised TO
him in marriage, bat such thought
was never entertained by her. and what
! ever hopes the poor fellow may have Ell
tertained and been unwise enough to ex-
press to his friends, Miss Greeley was
wholly ignorant ef them, until she saw
her engagement mentioned in the gos-
sip ola newspaper.
The writer knoWs this to be true.
Miss Greeley is not the young lady to
desire the position of heroine in trag
edv. Heaven knows she has suffered
enough in her young years already.
( Since she was fourteen Years old she has
been almost constantly at the bedside
of a suffering mother,never murmurlng.
never showing, WEAKNESS BY her man
ner, and only that her checks had way
of growing very white at times, no one
could have discovered an evidence that
she was aware that her life was not like
that Of other young girls. The qu'et
smile never wholly faded ont OF her
face, no matter how vividly other Young
ladies drew pictures of gay society and
the pleasures belonging to her years
and position.
Or the many hcroiucs of whom |
have read. and the few whom have
seen, for patient and continued enda-
rance. and for sweet and endless cndea-
vor to make whole the broken life ot a
mother by the sacrifice of her entire
girlhood, Ida Greeley ranks first and
most glorious y man or woman may
risk a life, and perhaps give it away en-
tircly under some sudden and compel
inc inspiration bat it is the long days
Of sclt,rcnunciation, which c,mc one
by one, each requiring the sam" amount
Of sarrii'n, AMI each one repeating the
last more p;;ifaily, which crowns Ida
Greeley a saint. And yet she is uncon-
scious of her greatness. Doubtless, she
would be amazed should she find her
name written among heroic women.
The truly great are usually unaware OF
their moral magnitude.
Miss Ida possesses literary ability,
which is somewhat remarkable when de
voted to the descriptive, and, with op-
portunity and leisure for stuGy, doubt
less she will develop genius. Her ster-
/ ling qualities of seltforgcttulneSs, per
sistent cndcavor, quick sympaih.es, and
sweet womaniueSS, are qualities which
are rare in degree, aud with quick intel
lcctual perceptions. will make woman
Of extraordinary power.
MISS GABRIELLE GREELEY.
Daring the last year, has shared her sis
! ters ever-increasing duties as n nurse IN
! her mothers sickroom, and the bcauti-
ful young girl mas grown sweetcr and
still more beautiful, because OF the SEN
sibilities which have dawned in her
/ heart and blushed out in Ter face. y
few evenings before her mothers de
cease, and before the coming stroke of
death was felt to be approaching, at a
/ pleasant little party, heard an elderly
gentleman, who as certainly believed
that Mr.. Greeley would be elected, as
he believed in the promises Of the Bible,
say to Miss Gabrielle:
Il suppose YOU anticipate much plea
sure in the White House.
no" said she, gravely, 81 Ihaye been
hindcred from study by mammas long
I illness, and the necessity of travelling
/ with her, and am far behind girls Of
nv are in cultivation. Besides, | am
weary of seeing strangers. and in the
White House | should never escape
them. If would not disappoint papa
to be defeated had much rather re
main in school" Few girls Of fifteen
could have said that.
In their mothers death these young
girls forgot the political strife raging
about them, and scarcely knew Of the
defeat, eycn when it came Their father
WAS so stunned with sore grief that they
did not at first observe a deeper bruisc
upon his heart when one more Low fell
upon him, although If urncd his brain
and murdered him. The mother WAS a
rarely beautiful woman, with splendor
of eyes. and marvel of delicacy in col
or. while her hair was wonder 10 her
friends, even up TO the day she died, so
dark aud luNuriant, and fine and long
was it. Her wit was keen, her percep-
tions incisive and alert always pcnetra-
ting to the depths of deception, to
which she was mercilcss Her love Of
truth, about which there was no drapc-
ry of affections Of any sort whateyer,and
her instant exposure of disguiseS, gave
her reputation for severity which was
misunderstood by strangers.
Her friendships were sweet and deep
AMI true, and her ambitions were far
more intense than her husbands If such
condition ofmind were possible.
She said to the writer when i'll con
fidental talk: :
If possessed the health, the youth,
and the advantage of my daughters, i
would shake the world, and she would
You could see that she spoke truth by
the flashing of her eyes, and that subtle
expression of power which cannot be
explained, but which was always fully
understood by those who looked in her
face. 1t was her heroic will that saved
her life through so many years Of illness.
Common women would have died, but
she recognised the demands which the
world, and selfimposed dates, made
upon her husband, and she deiermiDed d
to remain long enough to see her daush-
.are f,Ilv orrov,p oy mature enouOh TO