Year: 1859

| From the Eccrlttean Gem.


PENCILINGS BY THE WAY.
| In the year 1857, went to visit an uncle's


family who resided in large village in north


ern Ohio. My mother and uncle, although


brother and sister, had lived for some years


almost as strangers, from the fact that their
| residences were at great distance, and that
their time was necessarily given to the training


and providing for numerous family. They


had been brought up in habits of strictest NOR


atty and piety by their parents, who were de-


scendants of the pilgrims, and admirers and i'm
| itators of their virtues and piety. Therefore


when my uncle, whom business had summoned


to our part of the country paid us short visit


and was about to return, urged my mother to


permit me to accompany him to his home and


form the acquaintance of nay aunt and young


cousins, she readily and gladly assented, think


ing it fine opportunity for me to see some


thing of the world, without danger of imbibing
erroneous opinions, or forming unfortunate as
sociations. As for me-who shall describe my
joy at the prospect of being thus unexpectedly
introduced to the great world, about which |


had SO often dreamed and which fancy had
painted for me, as she always does to the young
and uninitiated, in fairest colors? And then
the unwonted addition to my hitherto humble
wardrobe, filed me with pride and satisfaction.
Even the thought of leaving the dear home cir
Gle for uncertain length of time, could
scarcely check the exuberance of nv spirits :
and it was not until on the evening previous
to my departure, when my mother took me to
her closet and gave Inc much good advice,
mingled with such tears as only a mother can
shed, when for the first time her darling daugh-
Ter is about to leave her fostering and protect
ing care, and encounter the uncertainties of a
residence and association anong strangers, that
/ could realize that there might be possibly a
dark side to the brilliant picture I had been
contemplating.


And then when my affectionate father, at the
family altar, in a faltering voice commanded
the Lamb about to leave the parental fold to
the care of the Good Shepherd, L was moved
to tears. But this superficial sadness under
which flowed a deep current of the most joy
ful anticipations, quickly vanished. l found
myself seated in the spacious car, which con-
tained, what appeared to a very strange
assenblage of unfamiliar looking people. On
the third day, after having encountered the
usual annoyances incident to travellers, we ar
rived in Celestina, which was the name of the
place where my uncle resided, and received a
smiling welcome from my al mt, and warm
and boisterous one from my cousins.


As we arrived late in the day, and 1 was
much fatigued with my journey, 1 retired to
rest lmmeulaIely aiIeT supper, anu having en-
joyed a night of profound slumber, [ awoke
much refreshed, and began to make close obser-
vations and reflections on all saw and heard,
when was first attracted by the novelty of
the pictures which adorned the walls of my
chamber, and the character of the books and
papers which lay upon the table. The pictures
were three in number. First an engraving of
a huge Negro kneeling upon one knee with
manacled hands raised imploringly, and up
turned countenance. On the foreground of the
picture were strewn heavy whip and several
other articles which supposed to be imple-
ments of torture, although l knew not their
names or particular uses Underneath the
picture, in large type, were the words: Gam 1
not man and brother ?" The second engra-
wing represented crowd of people Of both
sexes who appeared to be listening eagerly to a
woman who stood before them in an attitude
of eager and impassioned defamation. The
third, which was inscribed-Esthe end justifes
the means" showed group of some score of
very respectable looking women busy in eel
lar overturnins casks, and barrels from which
flowed liquid streams, of something / knew not
what. While was contemplating this picture
one of my cousins entered, from whom / asked
an explanation. All! said she, that is to COM
memorate an event which took place in our
town last summer. Some of our most spirited
ladies finding the laws against the selling of
drinks were not enforced, deter
mined to take the matter into their own hands.
So one morning, at the first peep of day, they
assembled and broke into every grocery and
tavern cellar, knocked in the heads of all the
barrels, and poured their contents on the floor
As they were in great haste and could not stop
to examine the contents of the barrels very
closely, there was most laughable mixture of
ale, molaSses, vinegar, &c. Of course their
owners could say nothing they would not
choose to appeal to the law in protection of
their property as they had been openly viola
ting the law themselves and besides public
opinion was entirely against them. But cous-
in, said 1, you surely do not think it was pru-
dent or right for those ladies to act in that il
legal manner? OF course, she replied, when
the evil could not be, or at least not reached
in any other way. Don't you see the inscrip-
ton, 'sthe end justi6es the means?" I replied
that had heard my father call that an unscrip-
tural and dangerous sentiment. "I do not
know" said she, sit is matter on which al
most all my acquaintances reason and act, and
1 thought it was according to scripture. Does
not the bible say something about doing evil
that good may come ?" At this manifestation
of ignorance of the true teachings of the BIZ
BILE, could not refrain from look of surprise,
which my cousin perceiving, she apologized in
a confused manner by saying that she seldom
read the bible, as they had an abundance of
other reading more modern and entertaining.
/ hold it to be duty, said she, and so do papa
and mamma, to'read those books which interest,


j. j. IL =