Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1842-01-29

From tho Rochester Daily Advertiser.
A JOYFUL SURPRISE.
t~,MBKIpGE CITY.

On tho morning Of The first day Of the election
m interesting scene might have been Witnessed
in a low, dilipidated dwelling, somewhere IN this
pood.y civ. AT tho place and time mentioned,
there might have been seen, sitting AT a scantIly
furnished hrenktasi-table, n man with good phre'
noIugical developments, n prcpossessIng physical
structure, but with u Counieuance moody and
irritable. Ga his right, sat a woman his wife,
liile If any past the meridian OF lite, but cAhibt-
ting traces OF a premature iading OF a. lace and
figure sui mildly beautiful. Al his left sat his
dauphter,--a vet unblIghted copy Of her patient,
but sorro~stri-cken mother--In all the hcalthtul
ness Of ~incipient womanhoud. In this young wo-
mans ewes tears were gathering; and as she
turned her timid face toward her moody father.
they might have been seen glistenlng like the
pearlY crops of Il utnneF morning, rs the hrst
beams Of The sun chances on their crystal Su itace.
Her heart was full, and her voice tronulous, as
she at length gained courage sufficiently 10 g &c
ulate. "Futherm Tho moody man started, as
though tho sounds Of long forgotten melody echoed
in his ears. He bent his gaze inquirlng,y on his
trembling child, and IN accents, unusually soft.
tor him, said, well, Bel, what would you? p
Bell felt emboldened, and dressing her face in Il
sweet. pleading smile, replied, Il would. father,
that YOU would not 90 TO the election to-day. :"
The lrown rcapDearcd--it was stern and bitter,
rs he asked, sharply, why not?' Bell could not
answer. She seemed anxious to escape from the
angry gaze of n a ther whom. but 4 moment before.
she hoped to coucliiatc. She was about 10 with
draw, when a voice of startling herceness said to
her, Girl, look on your father! You, bu, n
child, presume to counsel him as TO what he should
do; and in this YOU doubtless act as tho ngent OF
your mother. | could have 5oruo 10 have been
called a drunIard-ayc Il drunLardf'-an q shiv-
err passed over him,-"bu,,' continued be. "to
have il iusinuated by n child, is too much. !
shall 90 to the election. So, bring me my hat
No word oil rcmonstrance was heard, and the
miserable man rushed from his dwelling. That
dav bitter tears we're shed around the hearth stone
Of Powell P Noon came. but so did not
tho father cf the Griefstricken Isabel. \ gh',
too. with lis darhsomo loneliness, drew lis car
tains around, bat no signs Of the return OF the in
fatuatcd--thoh Ileu fAther and husband. Tedi-
Gus wore tho hours away. oiten dld the mother
and daughter inSlIuctiyeIE cling 10 each oiher,2s
some casual noise induced The belief that the Oh
iect Of their solicituje had indeed come; but how
did they dread to encounter the tr1wus-mayh ap
the inebriated curses of him. who was the cause
Of their vioilst AtleneIh. the hour Of midnight
sounded. and as It's echoes died away, the foot.
steps of the expected one were heard. How
wildly beat the hearts of mother and daughter, aS
Powell P entered that door 50 long and
eagerly watched! He was there, before them
but not th1rsh--lor he was sober, calm
aud collected. 50 great was the Jov Of wife and
daughter. that neither couid give uttegance to
the Wild emotions that PLAYED abound their hearts
but they would not have spoken then. for worlds
lest the echo Of a voice should have ~diSPe.leL
what seemed a pleasing Illusion.
..Mabeii ISabeit" were the first words thai
greeted their ears. and in a moment both were
CRYING for NV on his bosom. We need not de
tail The affecting conversation whlch followed
nor The joyful surprise With which the mother
and daughter heard his resolves and hopes. |
will all be sufficiently understood from a sincl,
expression of Powell P, as MS denghtet
was about 10 retire 10 rest. They were ths