Year: 1861

the innocent babe which lay smiling and looking up into
the face Of the mother wholly unconscious
Of the hot tears which flowed down her cheeks more
than once dropping on its face.


offered her all the consolation which in the state of
her mind, could venture to express Rather sensitive
myself and easily affected by the sight of so much grief
| will not attempt to explain what my own feelings were.
They form one Of those faded leaves which treasure
up in the storehouse of my memory of the 'ong long
ago"


1t was nearnightfall when reached my native village
Ellens father resided couple of miles from the village
and engaged light vehicle to carry her and her babe
to his house Believing from the many years which had
elapsed since the old man had seen me- that he would
not recognise me- offered to drive her there myself
and not leave her until could learn the result of her
interview with her father From some of the by-san-
ders learned that her father still lived although quite
feeble and bed-ridden with age Even this first news
occasiGned Ellen much consolation and relief


In short time we approached the house. 1t was
much changed from what | recoeced. AS boy it
always appeared to be very lofty edice and the hills
which surrounded it-quite mountains now they seemed
dimnutiye in size such is the effect of time and the
of comparison afforded in after years There
the orchard in which, with her brothers. had
gathered apples as boy the we'll, with its long pole was
the sameand the tall pOpars before the entrance seemed
but little affected by time.


Leaving the carriage with Ellen at the gate | ven
tured in to break her return and communicate with
any member of her brothers family whom might find
there Fortunately his wife and children were there in
charge of their good parent. With some enbarrass-
ment must admit, broke the news of the pentent's
return to the daughternaw her erhusband being absent
and begged her to break it to the father She at first
hesitated and said she feared he would never consent
to see her; that her elopement had quite crushed him.
and that he now seldom mentioned her name except
when in his sleep the memory of her visited him in his
Dreams or his mind wandered rs it often did 1t was
then clear she told me, that Ellen constantly in his
remembrance Her cruel act had previously wounded
the respect Of her parent and her sstern-law and it
only after had related to her something Of what
Ellen had told ne assured her other heart broken cOndi
ton and her deep repentance, that succeeded in gain
ing her assistance She at length consented to convey
the udngs OF her return to her father and waited for
the result With ordinary feelings of anxiety and ap-
prehension On her she told me that she feared
the shock than he could bear; that he talked
ncoherenty now looking round the room as if in search
OF his lest child while again he refused her admission
to his roof 1t was, however, decided between that
Ellen should be brought before him iii the hope that her
presence that of her innocent babe, and her fearful
impOrations, would procure her forgiveness


Onmy return to the carriage, where poor Ellen awaited
me with the deepest mpatience, my heart full to
permit to say more than to bid her come with me.
Taking her babe in my arms, we entered the house,
where the dagghter-in-law embraced her in silence.
Then leading the way into the chamber of the aged
parent, all three stood by the bedside Never shall


cease to remember with the freshness Of yesterday
occurrence, the painful scene which ensued


Raising himself on his pillow, the old man. trembling
with emotion, looked poor Ellen for a moment in the
face; than falling back he covered his ewes with his
hands and in an agony of griefexclamed Great God
is it possible? No, it is not her; have no daughter;


the child once had has desertedmc and, covered with
sin can be restored to me again His hand fell
helpessy the bedside and his eyes turned upward
if to heaven showed the struggle which agitated him
Poor Ellen Overcome with remOrSe and the most
poignant grief for the desoaon she had brought hcI
aged fathers breast, she threw herself upon her knees
and seized her fathers hand and covered it with kisses
and tears 80, father" she cried 'have mercy upon
me; am your own Ellen, poor, heart-broken, sinful
creature, to implore forgiveness where she well
knows she merits none" The father, evidently at


tempted withdraw his hand aud turned his face away


from her, seeing which Ellen fell lfeess the floor
startling the aged with the noise that he turned
again to gaze at the form Of his fallen and PROSTATE
daughter.


Overcome with the scene beforeme, scarcely knew
what did said While the sister-n-law looked after
poor Ellen | approached the fathers bedside and i'm
pored him to forgive his sinful, his deeply repeutan
daughter conjured him for the sake of the love be
had borne for her departed mother for that of his two
sons, whose names mentioned, and who had died il
youth, to say but kind word to his daughter; re
minded him OF the precedent of that dear Savior of
pentan sinners who foreaye the errimg woman and il
place of sending her away in grief and despair badt
her kindly $50, and sin no more" These word,
seemed to touch the parents heart for he had always
been pious member of the PRESBYTERIAN church of my
native village and the tears which gshed forth from his
eyes told me that had not appealed thus in vain
AS he raised himself again upon his pillow to gaze
upon the still PROSTATE form of poor Elen embraced
the opportunity to lay her sleeping babe before him
telling him that it his daughters child. Ali then
you should have witnessed the effect which the sight OF
the sweet infant had upon the old mans heart Again
he exclaimed: so God. is this possble is this indeed
my chAds child? Mercu Father! this is greater than
can bear. Ellen! Elem" he added in a tone of the
deepest tenderness where is my own Elem"


As if the sound Of herfatheTs voice. tones of aec
ton and forgiveness had been more eecual in arous


ing her stunned faculties than the remedies used by her
ssterin-law Ellen sprang her feet and in moment
was clasped in her fathers arms For few moments
neither could find uttcrance to word Ellen the
first to speak; sndaI she could say Forgive me
forgive me! my my father" and her prayer res
ponded to with: "Elen, forgive thee for the love


which have for thy sainted mother and thy brothers.!


need dwell no longer on the scene of forgiveness
sat down for moment to seek composure before bid
ding the parent and daughter farewell. l never shall
forget the look of gratitude and surprise which Ellen
gave as told hermy namc-one well lknown to her
and pressed her hand in mine


Many years have swept by since the occurrence which
have attempted to narrate | have again been al
absentee from my much favored native land wandeel
in the wide, wide world. Long ago Een's father was


inferred in the little graveyard within the orchard by
the side OF his wife and sons. Her babe which was
named Mary, after her own mother had grown up tc
womanhood and married aworthy young farmer Of the
ncighborng country and resides with at the
homestead.


Some months subsequent to the return of Ellen auC
her fathers forgiveness elderly lady, friend of he
family having learned the part which had taken in he
return wrote me a letter which Iprcserve and of whci
may add an extract moral my tale y if so it be


although not PERSONAL v-acquainted with YOU fee
pleasure in writing you these lines. Allow me to thanl
you for your timely assistance friend Ellen c.
and to offer you the blessings of who will before
long follow her dear mother the tomb II we knew
the amount of temptation to which weak and confdne
females are exposed by wicked men, we would certainly
have pity on them when repentant. Parents overlool
the repeated sins of their sons while they give h
whole weight of their anger and unforgyeness upol
their erring daughters If mothers would receive baal
their poor daughters when crushed under a sense 0
grief remorse and contrition how many young womei
would be rescued from lives of SIM sorrow and deatI
beds without repentance; and thus, restored to the
teral arms enjoy the dearest hope which parents ma
induige-that of meeting them in the life to come.


"That you may everbe happy, and be spared the tra
of Eens father is the ervent prayer of your SINCERE
friend, NJ. P. b."


FEELING oN THE BATTLE FIELD.-The following i
the experience Of wounded Frenchmen, in the Grim
war, in regard 10 the feelings of soldier in con
fic


ISPnFnro battIa bartDe ItSuaI EttI