Travel Diaries and Journals

were caught in the shower and as many more were prevented from coming at all supposing that they would be too late, butHarriet unwilling to disappoint any one deferred the ceremony till half an hour later. Many came after the storm, our little parlors were ^ soon filled mostly with our relatives, and Harriet's and Mr Murphy's most intimate friends. About a dozenof Mr Murphy's classmates from the Seminary were here also. At exactly half past three the two came down stairs and entered the front parlor alone and took their places. How lovely they looked! always fine looking I never saw either of them look so handsome before Harriet was pale but calm, Annie said that Mr Murphy looked saucy, but I could detect no other expression on his fine [Dr?] [Dr?] that of exulting but thankful happiness. The bride was dressed in a plain, drab colored travelling ^ dress fitting closely, and setting off finely her beautiful figure, with white undersleeves, white kid gloves, and orange blossoms in her hair. Neither of them seemed in the least embarrassed, probally all other thought were forgotten in the solemnity of the occasion. Father performed the ceremony. I had hard work to preserve my composure for the tears would start to my eyes in spite of all my efforts as I kept my earnest gaze fixed upon them, and during the prayer I covered my face in my handkercheif [handkerchief]and wept.

I fear but natural ones. Dear Hattie, her mission to us is ended and nobly has she performed her part, now she goes to gladden the heart and home of another. There she cannot fail to be a blessing and indeed that she will be wherever she goes and hand in hand with a husband whose whole heart is bent on doing good, may they have many years to carry on their blessed labors God bless you, dearest brother and sister ___ my heart is full, I can say no more but once again -- God bless you!

After the ceremony Alexander Culbert led [Dr?] forward to salute the bride -- many were pressing toward them with affectionate kisses and congratulations, and amid the general gaiety I soon recovered my serenity and enjoyed the afternoon extremely. The bride and groom took their departure at half-pass four in order to reach the Albany boat by six o'clock the hour for leaving. Elisabeth left with them as she returned to New Haven to-night much against our wishes. After they had gone the company gradually dispersed, Starr and Annie alone remaining to tea but returned to N. Y. [New York] in the course of the evening. A more lovely evening could not have been desired for a bridal journey; the moon never seemed to have shone more brightly or more sweetly and [Dr?] perhaps thought two sailing up the majestic Hudson, and by the aid of Luna's kind beams enjoying to the full the rich beauty and granduer of the surrounding scenery

Thursday July 1st July weather in eanest. Was not very well from the effects of eating but a very small piece of wedding cake. It was too rich for me. Lay down nearly all the morning. Harriet's Sabbath School class spent most of the afternoon with me as H. [Harriet] had requested them last Sunday to do so, She wishes me to take her place to them now that she has gone and I shall endeavor to do so. I treated the children to as much lemonade and wedding-cake as they wanted, talked with them and let them play in the yard where they enjoyed some fine runs. They seemed much pleased with their new teacher and I was pleased with them but little Alice Wilde is my favorite. She is a sweet child, and a perfect little lady, and considering some peculiar disadvantages she has had to contend with her sweetness of disposition and manner seems indeed remarkable. Among the wildest rocks the sweetest flowers may grow, thought I as sitting in the back piazza I watch her gracefully sporting with the other children in the yard below with an air of [Dr?] superiority in every movement; yet I looked upon them all with an eye of affection, and an earnest prayer rose from my heart that to them I might come as a blessing. The children left just before tea.

Friday July 2nd Very pleasant [Dr?] Fathe accompanied me to the ferry about ten o'clock. I crossed at Division avenue ferry, made a long call on Mrs Kent in Christic st and spent the day with Mary Emma who is now boarding in Houston st near Broadway. Left before six, reached home in time for tea, and attended prayer meeting with Father in the evening [Dr?] [Dr?]. W. walked home by my side notwithstanding I had Father's arm and was perfectly silent. Father invited in, he hesitated, ascended the steps but as I did not second the invitation he did not come in. Saturday. Warm. Wrote to Sarah Gonsalves in the morning and evening. Called on Mary Reeve in the afternoon. Mary Willet called. --- Called on Mrs Sylvester in South 6th street with a message from father. Was very much pleased with her indeed Sunday July 4th A lovely day --- the heat of the preceding week cooled down by the gentlest breeze to the exact point of comfort. Attended our church all day and in the afternoonwas duly installed in my new post as teacher to Harriet's former class. Joseph W. walked home with me in the morning. In the evening attended monthly concert. Sarah and Hannah Wilde sat- with me and accompanied me home.

Monday July 5th 1852. The glorious Fourth happening on sabbath, this day was celebrated instead. At midnight commenced the firing of crackers, pistols and torpedos, of which the latter article seemed to take a great fancy to our chamber windows, and kept poor Carrie awake half of the night, but I having attended church three times the day before and s. [sunday] school besides, retired so much fatiqued that I slept soundly in spite of the racket. It had rained a little just before morning, settled the dust and cooled the atmosphere so as far as the weather was concerned the day fully equalled the hopes of all the good people who delight to show their patriotic zeal by making the most of this great national holiday. But as for me, though it was from no want of patriotism, I spent the day quietly at home, adding four more pages to the already closely filled ^ sheet of saturday to Sarah, spent an hour or two in selecting pieces for a scrap book, and read considerably in the afternoon. Carrie spent it mostly in the same way. Natty went on an excursion to Staten Island and was absent till tea-time Father spent the day in going about his Master's work .--- was with no to dinner.___ a great thing to us as it very seldom occurs except on sunday. Joseph and Mary called in the evening and accompanied us to see the fire works in [Dr?] [Dr?].___ they proved nothing very extraordinary

"What is a gift but a symbol, giving subtance to praise and esteem?" "His claim be strongest to thy help who is thrown most helplessly upon thee: Reason shall dig deepest in the night, and fancy fly most free.

"No soul had he for Nature --- no genial sympathies; No books he loved __ a vancant [vacant] mind that looked through filmy eyes. Wisdom and beauty and high worth to him were shadows vain, And shimmered but in spectral dreams about his cobwebbed x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x brain. A shadow falls upon your halls - a ghost shall haunt your rooms, Where solitude and emptiness pile up their dreary glooms. I see you crouching o'er your hearth -- a prey to nameless fears, And withering like a leafless tree, while fall your freezing years; The past shall [Dr?] no comfort, the future breathe no hope-- And in the heaven that thickens o'er your heart, no door shall ope." C.P. Crunch. " In vain, in vain! The lyrw is mute, Its chords are snapt in twain; You cannot string that silent lute, Nor clasp those chords again. "

how near was the final event. Starr said nothing to us of his fears, but went immediately to New York for Albert. After Mr Murphy had left the sick-room he said to Father, "you are going to lose him". "No! No! you must'nt say so." Father replied the Doctors give us every encouragement; he will be better soon" still he left us with sad forebodings. Harriet had heard during the morning that Natty was worse, and too ill to come to him herself she spent the day in earnest prayer for him she says she never prayed so for herself that she felt impelled to do so, she hardly knew why, for she also heard that we did not apprehend any serious result -- and that at times when she would stop overcome with the thought that perhaps her prayers would not be heard, she would think of Father and feel comforted with the reflection that God would hear his prayers if He would hear none other. So with me all the morning whatever I was doing, a prayer was ever in my heart and on my lips for him. Shall we not trust that He who at that solemn time gave us the spirit of prayer also lent a gracious ear to our supplications? -- About two o'clock P.M. I fed him for the last time with some broth. Is'nt it good I asked? "I can't taste it" he replied -- When he had finished I kissed his forehead and said, Dear Natty. He started and gazed earnestly and penetratingly into my face as if my words had been but an echo of his fears, but seeing nothing in my countenance but a look of quiet surprise he said nothing and I left him little dreaming that we had talked together for the last time. He seemed quite comfortable for an hour after that. I was busy down stairs when Carrie came and told me that Natty was worse. I hastened to him - he seemed to be in much distress and cried. "Oh I can't live so!- I can't live so!- can't you

do something for me? " Father was doing all he could do and had sent for the Doctor. Carrie and I wept in silence - just then Julia Waterman came in, she was much shocked at his altered appearance, at first too much so to come into the room but when she entered a few moments after Natty observed ^ her and said "Julia, Julia and soon after "Come here Julia." she came to him "Talk to me." he said - she was too much distressed to speak and, after waiting a moment for her reply, he said "Julia, I love everybody." He had formerly not been very partial to her and now wished to assure her that all such feelings were forgotten. The Doctor now arrived and did his best to revive his sinking patient - all was done that could be done and with the rapidity that the case required. Dear, kind Mr Murrow what should we have done without him in that moment of hate and despair _ with his bare hands he rubbed Natty's limbs with the burning liquid that none of us could have borne to touch, andquick as thought he brought all that was asked for and did all that was required __ but all in vain, the stimulants failed to rouse the sinking pulse and the stagnate blood refused to flow into the [Dr?] and motionless limbs, but the sufferer had forgotten all bodily pain. Death he knew had come and with that dread knowledge all the energies of human love were roused; his first thought seemed to be of Father who had left the room a moment. "Where's Father?" he exclaimed, "call him back. Father! Father! Father!!" he repeated in accents of entreaty and affection. Father was beside him but still that supplicating cry went up as if that beloved name could shield and save him. Voice strength were failing rapidly but still he repeated it again and again and as he

grew weaker substituted the word "Pa" __ "Pa ! Pa ! Pa !" Oh! how sad and entreatying was that cry ! __ Then after a pause he said sorrowfully but resignedly "Dear Father Dear Mother Bye Bye; Bye Bye!" as if speaking to us all _ it was all he had strength to utter. _ This had passed in a very few moments and our attention had been divided between his words and the vain attempts to rouse him into life Was it strange that we still hoped? _ that so sudden was the dreadful shock that we could neither believe nor realize it _ Father was the last to give him up, how could^he with those tones sounding in his ears? The Doctor stopped in despair but Father said "once more" and again he raised the drooping head and poured the brandy into his mouth it gurgled in his throat __ "Try Natty; try to swallow it." he entreated, but the next moment laid him back on his pillow his eyes fixed in death. Never shallI forget the agony of that moment as he dropped helplessly into a chair and covered his face with his hands in all the anguish of despair of a parent's heart. Poor Mother, bending over her dying boy, lifted an imploring glance to the Doctor while the fearful question faltered on her lips - "Can't you save him?" "No earthly power can do that" was the heart-rending answer Oh the agony of that hour to us all! - Carrie and I wringing our hands in the wildest grief that we had yet known, while Cornelius and Frederic with a bitter cry threw themselves to the bed beside their dying brother. Only for a moment did Father forget himself; his child he could not save from the power of the ruthless destroyer, but the immortal soul was still lingering in the land of hope; he sprang up and again

bent over the bed of death, "Natty," he said, "we cannot save you, can you trust in the Lord Jesus?" "Yes," was the prompt, clear reply. "Give your heart to God, Natty, cast yourself into the arms of the Saviour can you do this?" "Yes," he again replied and to several other questions of the same nature he likewise replied. Then Father knelt in prayer -- Oh such a prayer -- it was like wrestling with Jehovah, and seemed to take hold of every promise to the faithful, and the dying, and plead them with a merciful and covenant keeping God. -- Doubtless it was heard and accepted. __ When he ceased Natty appeared to be talking to us for some time, but his voice was so feeble and indistinct that we could understand nothing that he said. He was composed and after a pause seemed to be singing to himself, then again he seemed in prayer, but all we could make out were these two words which he pronounced clearly and distinctly -- "Lord Forgive." -- Soon all was hushed, he still breathed, but lay speechless and motionless with his eyes fixed. Father paced the room absorbed in prayer suddenly he stopped, clasped his hand upon his breast exclaiming "I can give him up now - let him go [Dr?] 'The Lord gave and the Lord taketh away and blessed be the name of the Lord"for as he spoke he had within himself the [Dr?] assurance that his prayers were answered and his child was saved. He says it seemed to him like a flood of glory suddenly let in upon his soul __ the most glorious thing this side of heaven - while to us it seemed as if God had spoken to Father and through him to us assuring us all of the eternal happiness of our beloved one. Just as Father uttered the last words Starr and Albert arrived and caught the expression as they entered. What a shock it must have been!