THE ONLY

Original.

ENDURING CHARMS.

BY REV. D. H. BABCOCK.

To seek for those charms which give a grace to loveliness and a perfection to virtue, should be the object of all the young. The object is noble, and the pursuit, if rightly directed, will not be made in vain. There is a way in which the approbation of the good, and the friendship of the refined can be secured. Hope need not forever feed on vanishing dreams, and perish with nought to sustain it. There are fruits upon which it may regale, and grow and flourish, till it shall give place to the fruition of heaven. Though most which mortals pursue is shadow, there is a substance; there are charms which give additional beauty to the fairest form, and wrap an angel's garb over a mortal frame-work.

Such charms were possessed and shone conspicuously in the life and death of her whose character I shall briefly delineate. The case is not fictitious, for tears still flow over the memory of the loved one, and deep are the impressions made by the scenes of her sick

ness.

It was not by accident that Miss S. acquired that loveliness that endeared her so much to the circle of her acquaintances. Those graces did not come unsought, and without efforts, but with a moral culture, in which not only herself, but those who watched over her infancy largely participated. And her piety can be traced back, not only to parental fidelity, but to the fidelity of those who watched over her parents, and gave them instruction befitting their responsible station.

The parents of Miss S. cherish a lively interest in the spiritual welfare of their children, and love the cause of the Redeemer. As the time of the father was much occupied with business, the care and training of the children were chiefly left to the mother, who was always with them, and especially with her daughter during her last sickness. Her mother was so conscientious in guiding her children, and had such a dread of insincerity and deception in whatever she said to them, that when she gave them counsel, they saw that she was earnest and believed her sincere. This affectionate regard which she manifested, strongly attached them to her, and caused them to listen to every word she said, and to every direction she gave. Her kindness was so expressive, that they did not doubt

she had their highest good at heart; and thus she was able to mould their minds as she desired. But most conspicuous of all that mother's traits, was a faith in God, which led her to acknowledge his claims as paramount to all earthly considerations. Though she loved her children with great affection, she did not, when sickness came upon them, exhibit a spirit unreconciled to the will of God. She acknowledged his right to call them away when he pleased, and only asked for them a perfect preparation. This spirit she manifested in a high degree, during all her daughter's sickness.

With such parents and grand-parents, it is not strange that the subject of this narrative was possessed of surpassing charms; that she was lovely and holy in life, and peaceful and happy in death; that she bloomed with all the freshness of a flower, too delicate for the storms of time, but fit to be transplanted to grow and flourish forever in the paradise of God. You will not wonder that she seemed like some bright being sent down for awhile to dwell in this world, and then to hasten to a congenial clime, and to kindred spirits. But though surpassingly lovely, she was sinful and mortal like others, and it was her triumph over sin, in all its forms, that made her example so worthy to be imitated. It is true, that, from early childhood, and long before she claimed to be a friend of Christ, she manifested great fidelity to her parents, affection for her friends, respect for the interests of religion, and a remarkable evenness of temper and disposition. But these things, though they should not be overlooked, since all who cherish them can increase their influence and endear themselves to others, are not the things which have most influence in forming a character adapted to pass the scrutiny of the great day. There were other qualities which gave perfection to these, and threw over them a most resplendent lustre. They were pure and undefiled religion, the friendship of Christ, the active influence of a hope of glory, and the possession of feelings and principles, kindred to those which are cherished by all the truly good.

For about a year before she died, it fell to my lot, often to converse with her about the interests of her soul, the prospects of eternity, her preparation for death, the love of Christ, the government of God, the recognition of friends in a future world, of the patriarchs, apostles, and prophets, who have gone before, and of those eternal scenes which will open in all their beauty before the

visions of the redeemed. She felt that she was a sinner, and if saved at all, it must be by grace, and that that grace would be her theme, through eternal ages. She felt that death required a most ample preparation, and such a preparation she sought as one who would not fail of an immortal crown; as one not daring to trust herself without an Advocate at the last tremendous day. She considered death a passport to glorious or awful scenes, and with this view prepared to meet and triumph over it.

As her dying hour drew near, she was calm and composed, and those who gathered around her, seemed as though they were treading near the verge of heaven; that they were still holding in their fond embrace, one whom angels were desirous to receive to their blissful circles. And thus she died; thus her soul, wafted by the prayers of pious and weeping friends, and convoyed by celestial spirits, took its eternal flight, and is now shining, as we believe, a star in the bright firmament of God.

Dear reader, seek to possess these qualities, and they will give you a loveliness and a perfection, which will continue when the stars of our firmament shall have grown dim, and a pall of darkness shall have covered this world.

Cohasset, Mass., Jan., 1845.

AFFECTION.

BY H. W. LONGFELLOW.

WHAT I most prize in woman
Is her affection, not her intellect.

Compare me with the great men of the earth-
What am I? Why, a pigmy among giants!
But if thou lovest-mark me, I say lovest-
The greatest of thy sex excels thee not!
The world of the affections is thy world-
Not that of man's ambition. In that stillness
Which most becomes a woman, calm and holy,
Thou sittest by the fireside of the heart,
Feeding its flame. The element of fire
Is pure. It cannot change or hide its nature,
But burns as brightly in a gipsy camp
As in a palace hall.

THE TWO ANGELS.

From the German of Krummacher.

AN affectionate brotherhood, the angels of Sleep and Death, wandered over the earth. It was evening, and they stretched themselves upon a hill not far from the abode of man. The evening bells of the distant village were hushed, and a melancholy stillness prevailed around.

Peaceful and silent, as their custom, embracing each other, sat the beneficent genii of mankind. Night gradually approached.

Then arose the angel of Sleep from his mossy couch, and scattered, with light hand, unseen seeds of slumber. The evening wind bore them to the dwellings of the weary husbandmen, and sweet sleep fell upon the dwellers of the rural cottages, from the aged who walketh with the staff, to the suckling in the cradle. The sick forgot their pains, the afflicted their sorrows, and the poor their cares. All eyes were shut.

After having finished his task, the benevolent angel of slumber laid himself again beside his serious brother.

'When the morning dawns,' cried he, in innocent gladness, mankind will praise me as their friend and benefactor. O what joy and satisfaction to do good, unseen and secretly! How happy are we, the invisible messengers of the great and good Eternal! How beautiful our noiseless duty!'

Thus spoke the friendly angel of slumber.

The angel of Death answered him in deep sorrow, while a tear, such as the immortal only weep, stood in his large dark eye.

́Alas!' said he, 'I am not as thou art. No glad thanks rejoice me. They of the earth call me their foe, and the disturber of their joys.'

'O, my brother,' replied the angel of Sleep, will not all the good, at the great awakening, recognize in thee their friend and benefactor, and thankfully bless thee? Are we not brothers, the messengers of one common Father?'

Then the eye of the angel of Death was clear and bright again; and the brotherly genii tenderly embraced each other.

One may be an honest man, and yet not be a Christian; but one cannot be a Christian and not be an honest man.-. - Ralph Venning.

THE TEETH.

BY MRS. LYDIA M. CHILD.

THE prevalence of defective teeth in this country is the general subject of remark by foreigners; and whoever has travelled in Spain and Portugal is struck with the superior soundness and whiteness of teeth in those countries. Though not a cleanly people in other respects, they wash their teeth often, and, by means of tooth-picks, carefully remove all substances from between them, after meals. A little silver porcupine, with holes all over its back to insert toothpicks in, is a common ornament on the dining-tables of Spain and Portugal. The general use of them creates so large a demand, that students at Coimbra sometimes support themselves by whittling tooth-picks, which are sold, tied in small bunches, like matches. They are made of willow, on account of its toughness and pliability. Tooth-picks of metal are too hard, and are apt to injure the gums. There is the same objection, in a less degree, to quills. But willow tooth-picks are preferable to all others; and they have the advantage of being the most cleanly; for they usually break in the using, and are thrown away. Few sights are more offensive to a person of any refinement, than a tooth-pick that has been much used; it is moreover uncleanly, and therefore not healthy for the teeth.

Food allowed to remain between the teeth, particularly animal food, is very destructive; it should be carefully removed after every meal, and the mouth thoroughly rinsed. This may seem to many like a great talk about a small matter; but these are simple precautions to take, and very slight trouble, compared with the agony of aching teeth, or a breath so offensive that your best friend does not wish to sit near you.

I can see no reason why a man's complexion should exclude him from the dining-table, but I do see a very good reason why he should be banished for not taking proper care of his teeth. A bad breath is such a detestable thing, that it might be a sufficient reason for not marrying a person with otherwise agreeable qualities. It is, moreover, perhaps inexcusable thus to transform one's self into a walking sepulchre. Nobody needs to have an offensive, breath. A careful removal of substances from between the teeth, rinsing the mouth after meals, and a bit of charcoal held in the mouth will always cure a bad breath.