Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-10-01

ranged every article in her lowly ABODE WITH
perfect neatness. and now she awaited the re-
turn Of her husband, who had promised to be.
home by seven o'clock. Seven o'clock went
by-eight struck, ard yet he came not. Dark
and fearful thoughts came crowding upon her
soul Beautiful Memories went weeping past,
in funeral procession, each to throw her faded
garland upon the grave of Hope. Meagre spec
tres pointed to dark and stormy future, and
her spirit seemed reellng on the verge OF DIES"
truction Darker and more appalling grew the
spectres that surrounded her; Poverty, with her
hyena-ke eyes, gathered her rags around her
wasted form, and crept shiyerng to her straw
bed in the shattered hovel. Disease lay with
ing OH her couch of torture; Guilt crept by
vainly seeking to conceal the face, on which
was impressed the indelible brand Of niamy.-
And Scorn, with face avered pointed with her
finger, which perces the heart with the most
uncomfortable agony. Aud still her husband was
the victim, and through his soul the shafts came
with kccner agony to her own.
Il can endure no longcrr she cried at length
Oh, it is too much-too terrible. How have
deserved such fearful punishment? There is no
Justice on earth Is there any in the admins
tration of Providence! Wherefore was | crea-
ted and endowed with superior abilities and sem
sibilites, to be degraded to this AFFECT state! If
have deserved all this and it is therefore |
suffer, why are others, no better than |, exempt
from punishment? There is no justice
AS she spoke, shudder ran through her
frame, livid shade passed over her pale face,
she clasped her hands over her forehead, and
sinking to her knees bent her face upon the seat
of her chair. At that moment, a tall, haggard
man, crept stealthy into the room. His appar-
ell was ragged, and soiled with earth, and an old
| hat which was crowded down over his eyes, half
concealed his features.
4 will hear the hypocritcal can't he muir
INJURED But, in the tumult of her souls agony,
she heard him not.
Long time he listened, and caught only con-
yusiye sobs and wild CALCULATIONS; yet, such was
her apparent agony, that he could not, dared
not interrupt her. At length she raised her
head. Her eyes were red with weeping, but
they bcamcd with dazzling splendor; her
cheeks were thin, and wet with tears, but they
gowed with the warnest flush Of feeling.
Ooh, Father, she cried, in u clear, glad voice,
~4v see thee, now | see thec now | know
that thou art Now believe that thou nearest
me Oh, ! thank thee! that thou hast dispelled
ivom my mind the bIackness of darkness which
had gatNt'al over it. sat in the cold shadow
of despair, and SAID there is no God-becausc
| could not see thee. Thou knowest that have
suffered. Thou knowcst all my sorrows Thou
hast seen my tears my struggles with all the ills
that have bcset my pathway. Thou wilt for
give the bitterness of my souls agony. Thou
wilt listen to me this once-this once, oh, God!
I | besecch thee Look Father what ii wreck
he has become. See-see how error has ruined
thy most perfect work-thine own glorious inn
age. My God behold He is not wholly lost
the stamp of divinity is not efraoed ftcm his
brow; amid all the ruin that lies crushingIy a
bove, still there are seasons when il flashes ou
as it was wont, and fills my spirit with shadow
of its early happiness. 1t is not poverty, it is
not toll, it is not the worlds scorn, that crushe.
me, it is my sorrow, my anguish for him; lo
ricd Great God! thou art able to save him.
Thou art able by one touch Of thy finger, to
awaken his slumbcring spirit, and give it srengtl
to burst the bonds with which this moral DeIiIal
has bound his noble faculties Fatherl-Father
hear do beseech thcel
Amen, burst from the heart of the
listener, as he sank down upon his knees beside
her, and cncircIed her waist will his bony arm
from which the old coat sleeve hung in tatters
God bas heard you, Jane, my angcl-my LIES
guardian. God has heard
In that hour, as Jane Wood lay sobbing upc L
her husbands bosom, with her arms twined low.
ingIy around him, she experienced happiness
so high, so pure, so full of heaven, that she eI
overpaid for all that she had suffered
She sat, in the calm evening, beside her hus-
band in their beautiful home by the syery
Schuylkill, The elegance of competence, and
the refinement Of TASTE were obvious within and
without the mansion; there was no visible lack
of anv thing that could minister to human hap.
piness. She was reading, but frequently lifted
her eyes from hel book toward heaven. with c.
laculaions Of such soul-felt delight, that hel
husband looked smiImgy upon her from the
paper on which he was earnestly intent AT
length he laid his hand on hers, which rest.
ed on the table, and placing the Review before
her;
Here, Jane, he said, read and rejoice in
your work. Those who hold the balance for
the gems of mind, have decided that the book
you so much admire is worthy an exalted place
in the temple Of fame; that it shall live for
ever
She fell on her knees at his feet, hid her face
on his bosom, aud calculated a feryent Thank
God! knew thatyou were capable of this-ol
more
The husband raised her, embraced her fer
vcntly, and, having seated her beside him, look,
ed with indescrbable gratitude and tenderness
into her fearful eyes. They were beautiful
couple, although each had passed the fortieth