Natalie

sorrow, and t

nd where sorrow

NYM

w's night, and

deepeni

n of a hea

hing to

IRKE

o has permitted us to drink of the same cup with his only Son! for he was a "man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." Who is so blind that will not see the kind designs of our Father, in the disposition of those works of his hands which he pronounced good. Truly His eye is all-seeing; the overflow of his tender me

ning's walk, she tripped lightly along, humming a farewell to the last altheas, as they nodded their shrivelled heads, in view of their departure; but their words

re; you must take it easier, and get more sleep. Even old Nep dislikes to leave his warm

ob de heap, in spite ob ebery ting, I should feel dat old age am coming wid long strides, when I see dat de wee bud ob de Sea-flower am al

hour for fa

ear, and see if he is ill this morning? h

od fetch him soon," remarked Vingo, endeavoring t

isturbed, and the book from which she had read to him, was lying thereon, opened at those beautiful verses of "The Iris of the Deep," which he loved so well to hear her read. What could it mean? Calmly her breath came and went; but for that she appeared like a beautiful piece of statuary, her eyes turned upward, as if seeking for strength to meet the vague sen

such deep grief upon our mother; yet you will think of me with kindness, for I know it cannot be otherwise. There is no spot within your heart of love which is not occupied. Could I have left home with a mother's blessing, I should be happier; but she will pray for her boy; the gentle breeze which fi

t must be. With steady step she entered the drawing-room; the mother looked upon her child. T

amily altar, prayed that strength might be given them, that they might be prepared for whatever was to be their

de me impress upon his mind last night, the value of the instructions, which, I pray God, I have not been unfaithf

be able to bear up under this affliction;"

ll me what were his last words; they will fall more gently on my he

not resist the temptation. I know I shall do very wrong in going away without your consent, but forgive me, if you can, mother; 't is the only act in which I have ever given you sorrow, or by which I ever shall. You shall hear from me as often as I can get an opportunity of sending home, and it will not be a great while before I shall be with you again. I shall not forget my prayers

ken; indeed, but how could he do thus? Oh, how could he!" and M

too full ob laugh, dat one extreme follow anoder; but I never tink young massa take hesef clean off!" and, wiping the whites of his eyes, he wen

ng he disliked to be questioned upon points touching his judgment, she humored him by letting him have his own way, till finally, he peered

Vingo, what h

t clean gone tuck! 'pears lik

the matte

all; for dat dog neber go 'way peaceably wid anyting short ob de debil; he got

e gone, to

magination], 'pears like I see de print ob a cloben tread in de soft ground, by hi

o trace of the dog was to be seen; opening the package, there was a small locket, containing the likeness of her

miss him! It must be that he has gone with hi

if my poor old Phillis could get used to de tribilations, like you d

ities for learning that they may cast their burdens on the Lord. I cannot ima

erginny; some how or oder, I finds out dat old massa's people ha

ngthened shades of the summer solstice had again become less, another cloud had arisen in the firmamen

," said he, "a second thought would have convinced me that the boy had too much of the spirit of his father to remain contentedly on shore; he has but followed in my footsteps, for I never shall forget the night I stole away from my father's house, whe

widow? Darker and still deeper grew the overshadowing cloud, and the hopes of the trusting ones less. Mrs. Grosvenor would sit for whole days brooding over her sorrows, clinging to the last ray of hope, with almost the insanity of hope; but the last spark finally went out, never again to be rekindled. The untiring wheels of time still went their rounds, and everything moved on, as if there were no hearts beating in discordant measure to the joyous song of nature. Sympathizing friends pitied the afflicted, and the world read,--"A noble ship lost at sea! all on board supposed to have perished! Ship and cargo valued at thirty thou

dark hour of trial truly the flesh is weak; yet we will rest upon the strength of His arm, He will not forsake us; and, mother, His ways indeed are higher than our ways. How tenderly has he dealt with us, inasmuch

my boy. But it is so very hard,--so dreadful,--that in that hour when his spirit winged its way to that better land, we might not pause from our worldly pursuits, turning our eyes h

through your influence, for you have ta

life, I observed that its waters were no less tranquil, and mirrored upon its bosom was one more shining s

m her sight? But why should she tremble at the thought? she well knew there could be nothing, not even the discovery of relatives, which could lessen her daughter's love for her mother. Not a word had ever been said to the child in regard to her mysterious parentage. Captain Grosvenor had thought it best not to reveal the fact until she should have become of a suitable age to fully realize her situation. Those who had known the circumstances of her discovery, had gradually come to look upon her as the child of those who treasured her as if she had been their own; and the playmates of her childhood days had never mistrusted there was a mystery hanging about her "romantic" name,--Sea-flower. Harry, indeed, had never forgotten his delight at having a new sister; and as they had grown up together, he had often looked into her dreamy eyes, and thought, "How unlike she is to any one else; she is too good to be my sister;" and as the reality came to him, he had banished the remembrance, er

Neptune had been the means of saving his life, and that the old fellow was getting to be quite a sailor, inasmuch as he could take a turn on the quarter-deck with as much dignity as the captain himself. It had been some time since Harry's last letter had been received, and now Mrs. Grosvenor was anxiously looking for news from him, with a state of mind prepared for receiving almost anything, so fraught with sad events had been the last few years, when one day Vingo was seen far down the street, coaxing his time-wearied limbs into a run, and bursting into the room, he stood panting in the middle of the floor, grinning with delight

stay away from missy Sea-flower long. I tinks missy get along better widout him, dan he can widout her; but dar am some poor souls dat neber sees de shine, making dem feel as fu

esplendent shining of its bright ones is forever! But they, alas, have no bright future to look forward to, giving them renewed strength to bear their cross; or if they ever hear of that All-Father who hears t

ilen dan de oder animals; and I tinks old massa done te

ther took you away? Could you not prevail

great many long years since he sot eyes on

and had you some

re we goes out to de field, de fierce man cracked his whip, and jumping ober de young uns, caught Phillis by de arm, and whirling her round and round, called out, 'I say, mister, dis ere's de likelist critter I've sot eyes on dis many a day! I must hab dis one at any price!, Old Killall be good-natured a month, when he sees dis handsome critter; but if he don't use her up in less dan dat time, he'll do what he neber done afore! I tell you, sar, it's surprisin' to see how much work he'll get out ob his niggars; goes ahead ob anyting you eber heard ob; dat's de way he's made such a power ob money. He says he's tried it faithfully, year in and year out, and he's thoroughly convinced dat de way to make anyting by dis niggar business, is to get de work; if dey wont work widout de whip, why, put it on! get dar steam up some way or oder, and when one lot gibs out, get a fresh stock! I'll tell you what, sir, Killall understands it; he'll sell dar hides for shoe leather radder dan let his niggars stand idle!' When I hear dat, missy, my bery blood boil, and 'pears like I couldn't keep my hands off from de villain; but I know dat if I make any resistance, it fare all de worse wid Phillis, and I get sent to de whippin'-place, into de bargain; so I only grind my teeth, and look on, like I didn't know any better; but, missy, didn't I wish I white man den, jus' for de sake ob sabin' my wife and young uns? for I lib wid Phillis so long I couldn't help feeling 'tached to her. Ole massa, he not 'pear to like de idea ob parting wid Phillis jus den, for he know right well dat he not get anoder like her bery soon, and so he tells de trader dat de niggar 'pear bery well, but as for de real work, he got a dozen dat go ahead ob her, and if de gemman want de real workin' niggar, dey step round de oder side de plantation; but de trader, he keep his eye on Phillis, like he understand de business too well to be put off dat way, and he say to massa, tell you what 'tis, mister, dat gal may not hab de genuine work 'bout her now, but if she get tinder old Killall's lash, dar be no trouble bout dat, and den when she good for notin' else, after de work all out ob her, she might keep a l

ill not be in that day forgotten; the dreadful curse which hangs over your race will then be explained, and I fear there will be many called to an account for

ib up. I takes her wid me to de cotton field, and she lay and look at me all day long, so strange like, as if she want to know why we dar all alone; and at night I feed her wid de corn-cake, like her poor mammy used to do, and at eb'ry mouthful she look up in my face, den at de door, to see if its mammy not c

e robbed you of your only

carried off. I knows den it no use to look for her any longer, and de more I grows to look down, 'pears like de more dey laughs at me, and dey calls me 'dat moon-hit niggar.' I gets so stupid after a while, dat massa threatens to sell me way down whar dey works de niggars up; and I gets so, I don't care how much dey whips me, or anyting else, for I tinks I neber be mysef again, when one day massa takes me wid him down to de boats, to fotch de cotton, and I hears de captain ask, what ail dat fellow to look so blue, and massa tells him, I got a notion dat I hab a right to keep my wife and young uns, like I hab de feelin's ob whi

rough which you have come, serves to make brighter that glorious light which is now shed o'er your way. Your sad tale has impressed me with renewed gratitude to our Father for his mercies towards me