Sidebilder
PDF
ePub

frost. Under this covering I keep my flowers in the cold

season.

"The children are at this moment looking out of the window, and Susan is lecturing some Greek children, who are at play in the street, because they do not conduct themselves according to her ideas of justice and propriety."

The next intelligence of her health was not so favorable. In July, 1845, Mr. H. writes:

"Henrietta had, some two months since, a slight hemorrhage of the lungs, but nothing, as she says, compared with what she had at home. It was owing to fatigue and imprudent effort. The physician does not think it will recur again. Rest and freedom from care are the best medicine she could have."

This letter gave Mrs. Jackson great anxiety, and for a time she was very earnest to have her daughter take a voyage to her native land. As she learned, however, of her improved health, she yielded her wishes to the indications of Providence, and gave up the thought of meeting her on earth. Her maternal heart was always overflowing with tenderness towards the dear little ones whom she was never to see.

"I wish I could tell you, when I was thinking of the little girls, what pleasant views I had of the goodness of God in saving little children. O, how delightful to think that the feeblest child that is looking up to Christ and to the fold where he gathers his lambs, with a desire to be there, he will notice, and lead up the steep ascent and along the narrow way, and bring it to be with him in Paradise forever!

"Your grandmother can assure you that the good things she learned when a child are better to her than thousands of silver and gold. In my long and sleepless nights, and long weeks of sickness and confinement, when I can neither read nor hear, they come fresh to my memory, and are an unspeakable comfort. And thus, when alone, I am not alone.

"October 16.-To-day is the anniversary of your father's burial. I have been to visit his grave, and it seems but yesterday since I stood there and saw how his body was laid to rest till the morning of the resurrection. I felt that he had risen, and chose to look upwards; yet the place where he and the children lie is very dear to me, and I love to visit it. And it is right I should. Mary, with tears, visited the sepulchre of Him she loved, and met with angels there, and her Saviour too, and her sorrow was turned to joy. So may our sorrows be soothed at the grave of friends, if faith directs our eye within the vail!

66

February, 1846. If I had health and mind, I should like to write something to the dear little unknown, and as yet unknowing babe. I should be glad to leave with all my grandchildren some token of a grandmother's love, for them to look upon when the heart that dictated it has ceased to feel, and the hand that wrote it lies motionless in the dust; that they might know there had lived one who had desired and prayed for their salvation. I feel a great deal for the dear child, and can do but little to benefit her; but I will look to God, who can do all things for her.

'May she like some fair orb arise,

With rays divinely bright,
And shed on all the darkness round
The beams of heavenly light!

No clouds obscure her shining course,
Nor darkness veil the way,
By which she treads her upward path
To the fair realms of day!

April, 1846.

And when all earthly lights expire,
Bright suns no more arise,

May she a radiant star appear

In yon celestial skies!'

When I try to collect my thoughts, they are all in a tumult, like straws in a whirlwind. I sometimes feel as if I knew nothing, and my senses were all gone. But I shall continue to write you till they tell me my letters are unintelligible and must not be sent."

"Halki, Sept. 3d, 1846.

"MY DEAR MOTHER: You will wonder where we are, for I ain sure you never heard of such a place as Halki. It is a small island in the Sea of Marmora, about an hour and a half from Constantinople. We are here a little while for the health of the family, but especially for the improvement of Henrietta's health. The physicians have recommended a change of air for her, and we have taken a house here for one month.

"On the morning of every other day, Mr. Hamlin goes to Bebek, and spends the day with his school, returning in the evening. Thus he enjoys a pleasant sail by steamer, and has already derived much benefit from it. His health had failed very much during the last year, in consequence of his too abundant labors. He had in the winter a troublesome cough, which did not entirely leave him until since we came here. He is now feeling stronger and better than for a long time.

"I have had no cough through the summer, but have felt less vigor and energy than usual. I am now quite well, and am enjoying our residence here very much, and Henrietta's cheeks begin to look round and plump again.

"Our house, though small, stands directly upon the sea, and has a piazza built over the water, where we spend much of our time, and get the full benefit of the sea air. The children have just brought in each an apron-full of shells, which the servants have collected for them among the rocks below. They have poured them upon the floor, and some of them begin to walk about, greatly to their surprise, and they are calling me to look at the wonderful phenomenon. Many of them are precisely the same kind of shells which you used to bring me from Hampton Beach, and remind me of those visits to Brentwood, and that collection of shells which I used to keep in a certain green box, and which, for aught I know, may be there still. To-day everything reminds me of home, and I am glad I have a little time to write to you. I purpose writing many letters while I am here, as I have more leisure than when at Bebek. "We are all going out to explore the island, and look upon the beautiful scenery around us, and in this manner finish the

eighth celebration of our wedding-day. We feel quite sure that you are thinking of us to-day. You have been very kind. to send us so many letters, while you have received so few.

"Henrietta and Susan are very fond of looking at your picture, but they are sorry to discover that grandma is an old lady, because they are afraid she may not live till they go to America. They think much of your letters to them, and they are carefully preserved for their benefit in future years. There is no person in America of whom they think and talk so much as of grandma. Susan has just brought me a piece of paper, cut out to the best of her ability, which she says is for grandma.

'Among the Armenians things are in a very critical and interesting state.

"Our brethren are exposed literally to the loss of all things. Those who have a little property are arraigned on false charges of debt, and by means of false witnesses compelled to pay."

[ocr errors]

REMINISCENCES OF DEACON KENT.

DEATH OF MRS. H.'S MOTHER.

PROSPERITY OF SEMINARY - CHARTER OF TOLERANCE LAST LETTERS OF MRS. JACKSON LAST LETTERS OF MRS. H. CHEERING TOKENS AMONG GREEKS.

"They do not die,

Nor lose their mortal sympathy,
Nor change to us, although they change."

In Memoriam.

INTIMATELY associated with the family of Dr. Jackson was good Deacon Kent, whom we first met at Henrietta's bridal, where he poured out his full heart of thanksgiving and love. This holy man of God, now almost a hundred years old, in accordance with the pledge at that time given, had daily borne Mr. an Mrs. Hamlin on his heart before the God of missions. We have seen how he sat by the dying bed of his faithful minister, and, as it were, on the wings of his prayer, bore him up to the gates of the New Jerusalem above.

A few scattered notices of this venerable saint, gleaned from Mrs. Jackson's letters, cannot fail to interest.

"Deacon Kent came to see me not long since, and said I must tell you that he thought much of you, and prayed for you every day. He is quite deaf, and almost blind, — says he is waiting, expecting every day to go home to his heavenly

[ocr errors]
« ForrigeFortsett »