The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1878-09-27
aLlTTLE MAMIE wlIsN.''

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Some ten years ago we were sitting |
BY q brisk pine fire in our humble
sanctum, Of q Sundays eve, when |
servant entered, leading a beautiful |
child OF some six or seven summers,
quite neatly and jauntily dressed, as Is |
most appropriate for these buds OF Gre
alton. Our attention was immedi-
!9tely attracted to the lovely creature,
j. Rlding in her hand magnificent
6dpquet, which at that period OF the
season seemed to be a curiosity indeed.
Never had we seen more perfect
gem from Natures mind than this
emanation Of a deep mysterious hand
icraft. The flowers in her tiny hand
were reflected upon her fair round
cheek and finely formed forehead her
eyes were OF that dazzling brilliancy
her movements soft and elastic as q
fawn In the spring time of Southern
CLINE.
BlushinR, but with the confidence
of innocence and truth, the little
creature advanced, and presented us
with her rich gift, uttering few laud-
atory words, that found their way,
with, the aquickness of the electric
huid, to the chamber OF the heart.
She thanked us for some lines dedi-
Gated to the memory of her father,
hastily thrown OH in the hurry of the
moment, at the solicitation of a worthy
friend Of the honored deceased, and
left us to most pleasurabie emotions
and reflections, tinged with the rain
bow hues OF imagination.
It Is a principle of our nature, and a
redeeming principle, we may say, to
love children for, considered in any
light, they present the only evidence
we have 81 that perfectability which
we are told is reserved for human des-
tiny. They are flowers a shade too
pharmaceutical for the coil of the Ser
pent Of Evil. They are the diamonds
Of truth that blazon the dark pathway
Of sin and sorrow, as the stars relieve
IN inky sky; and we confess to a feel
Ing for them, up to a certain age, (which
n intense, a6ording US the most valued
pleasure we can obtain In a weary pill
ffimaRe. We would indeed at any
lime givo{up any society for the graft
acatlon 0Nconverse with child whose
mind was just developing the occult
design Of Gods decrease pure, fresh,
suggestive and pleasfng-tilat we WON
der notat the beautiful admonition of
the Savior Of man, ssSuffer little chill
dren to come unto me, for such are the
kingdom OF Heaven" We know not
1vhefhef the quotation be correct, for,
!. NAey 1t In sorrow, our knowledge Of
tnugd writings Is most limited indeed.
ct t6rs passed away and we saw our
p.ss frequently. She had mind
rAr6 power, much perception, and
4 3 -tersatnity of intellect which we
n Sn0t regard as fortunate In its pos
s0r, although 1t is attractive and
highly. priced. She was a healthy,
beauteous plant, full of promise. In
the whirl of thousand cares aud
for a considerable time, and when our
attention was again called to our pet,
stLittle Nannie," we had the mortifi-
cation of learning and discovering that
the bright intellect of childhood had
paled Its fires Mt the command of dis
ease. The insidious worm had entered
tho ripening fruit upon the tree and
worked its way to the rich core. Her
mind, once so vivacious and winning,
was In the dark gloom OF insanity. We
turned away from the wreck as the
mariner docs from his ocean bride, q
favorite bark, going down to the coral
caverns of the deep, and offered up a
prayer in our heart that if it were inn
possible to reinstate her heNlth-tO re-
store the brightness of the jewel-she
might soon be called by the Almighty
to join the immaculate creatures who
pace the realms by seraphs trod, and
constitute the ornaments of Paradise.
A few days ago, in far distant por-
ton of the parish, and in the turmoil
of political strife, we learned that the
stricken sufferer was summoned home.
Our favorite ssLittle Mamie" had
breathed her last. The tidings were
quite acceptable, although they dis
turbed for a moment the almost con-
gealed and scaled waters OF the soul,
and filled the eyes of one 'salbeit un.
used to the melting mood" We were
thankful that Omnipotence had inter.
vened, and that dethroned Reason had
closed her last account. The blightesl
flower was placed beside its parents, tc
know that blossoming that passeth not
away when the earth and all things
thereon shall be covered with the pail
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