The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1877-03-08

with her scissors, another equally strang
ambition took possession OF her mind
Il was about ten years old. says she
when my only brother. who had jus
graduated at Union College with higl
honors, came home to die. He was IN,
father pi ide and Joy IL was easily seei
/ that, while my father was kind to us all
the one son filled larger place in his al
fections and future plans than the fv,
/ daughters together. Well do rememh'
| how tenderly he watched the boy in tina
last sickness; how be sighed, and WipeC
the tears from his eyes, as be slowll
walked up and down the hall; and how
when the last sad moment came. and nj
was silent in the chamber of death. h,
knelt and prayed for comfort and sup
/ port ] well remember too. going intC
the large. dark parlor to look at my bro
Tiers corpse. and finding my fathei
there. pale and immovable. sitting in 1
great armchair by his side For a lon,
time my father took no notice of me Al
last slowly approached him and climb
ed upon his knee. lie mechanically put
his arm about me. and. with my head
resting against his beating heart. we sal
long, long time in silence-hc, think
ing OF the wreck OF all his hopes in tht
the awful void death had made. Al
length. be heaved a deep sigh. and said
% my daughter, / wish you were a boyl
Then will be boy said ], and will
do all that my brother didr
"All that day and far into the night, !
pondered the problem Of bcyhood.
Thought the chief thing was to be learn
I'd and courageous, as / fsncied the boys
were. So | decided to learn Greek. and
to manage a horse. Having COME to that
conclusion, | iell asleep. My resolutions,
unlike most made at night, did not van.
ish in the morning. rose early, and
hastened to put them into execution.
They were resolutions never to be for.
gotten-destined to mould my whole ia.
ture character. As soon as | was dress.
ell, FASTENED to meet our good pastor
IN his quiet garden, which joined our
own. Finding him at work there as
usual. ! said. Doctor, will you teach me
Greekf Yes he replied. will you
give me a lesson nowP Yes, to be sure.
he added. Laying down his hoe, and Ia.
king my hand, Come into my study.
said he. and we will begin ut once As
we walked along. ] told him all my
thoughts and plans. Having no children,
he loved me very much, entered at once
into the sorrow which felt on discover
ing that a girl was less on the scale Of
being than a boy, and praised my deter
mination TO prove the contrary. The
old grammar which he had studied in
the University of Glasgow. was soon in
my hand, and the Greek article learned
before breakfast
Then came the sad pageantry Of death
the weeping friends. the dark rooms,
the ghostly stiffness. the funeral cortege.
the prayer, the warning exhortation. the
mourniul chant, the solemn tolling bell,
the burial.
For months afterward. at the twilight
hour. | went with my father to the new.
made grave. Near it stood tall poplar.
against which / leaned, while my father
threw himself upon the grave with out
stretched arms, as IL to embrace his child
At last the frosts and storms Of Noyem.
Der came, and made a chilling barri
er between the living and the dead. and
we went there no more
During all this time, the good doctor
and kept up our lessons; and learned
also. how to drive "A horse, aud how
ION hOrseback) In leap "A fence and ditch
taxed every power. IN hope some day
10 make my father say, Well. girl is a.
good as boy, after alir But he never
said il.
when the doctor would come to spend
he evening with US, would whisper in
his ear, Tell my father bow fast J get
On And he would tell him all, and
praise me too But my father would
Dnly pace the room and sigh, 'Ab, she
should have been a boyl And /. not
knowing why. would hide my head on
he doctors shoulder, and often weep
vith vexation.
AT length, / entered the academy.
md. in class mainly Of boys, STUDIED
Latin, and Greek As two
prizes were offered in Greek. strove for
lne. and got IL. How well | remember
my JOY as ] received that prizel There
yas no feeling OF ambition, rivalry, or
triumph over my companions. nor any
rellng Of satisfaction in winning my
donors in presence Of all the persons a.
.embled in the academy on the day OF
One thought alone occupied
my mind. Now. said ], my father will
be happy-he will be satisfied As soon
rs we were dismissed, / hastend home
rushed into his office. laid the new Greek
Testament (Which was my prizel on hi-
lap, and exclaimed, There. / have got III
asked me some questions about the class.
the teachers, and the spectators. appear
I'd TO be pleased, handed the book back
TO me- and, when was aching to have
him say something which would show
that he recognized the equality OF tn.
daughter with the son, kissed me on the
forehead. and exclaimed with a righ, 'Ah.
you should have been a boyr That end
I'd my pleasure. ! FASTENED to my room.
flung the book across the floor, and wept
tears OF bitterness
But the good doctor, to whom then
went, gave me hope and courage. What
a debt OF gratitude | owe to that dear
old mani | used to visit him every day.
tell him the news, comb his hair, read to
him, talk with him, and listen with rap
ture TO his holy words. oh, how often
the memory OF many things he has said
has given me comfort aud strength ia
the hour Oi darkness and struggled One
day. we sat alone, and held his hand.
and be was i'll, he said, Dear child, IL l.
your mission To help mould the world
anew. MAY good angels give you thoughts,
aud move you to do the work which they
want done on earth. You must promise
me one thing and that j., that you will
always say what you think Your thoughts
are gwen you to utter. not to conceal,
and IT you are true to yourself, and give
To others all you see and know, God will
pour more light and truth into your own
soul. My old Greek lexicon, testament
aud grammar, which studied forty
years ago, and which you and have
thumbed 80 often together, shall leave
TO you when | die; and, whenever you
see them. remember that am watching
you from heaven, aud that you can still
come TO me with all your sorrows. just as
you have always done. shall be ever
near YOU
Nv hen the last sad scene was over, and
his will was opened. sure enough. there
was a clause IN it, saying. My Greek lex
icon, testament, aud grammar, 1 give to
Elizabeth Cady.
.Gr.at yyas the void which tha doctor