Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-08-12
nj | S C Il l. l. A N Y.
a NIGHT OF YEARS.

"GRAcE GREENWOOD" is one ofthal new school
of happy lady writers, of which '.Fanny Fores-
ter" the leader, and probably comes nearer fill
ing the place of that gifted woman than any of the
others She is said to be the sister of the late Will
| lis Gaylord Clark
Her last and one other best tales, she pronounces
to be lower true" The principal female charac-
tiers are Lucy and Ellen Dutton, sisters-the for
mer noble and intellectual GIRL and the latter her
younger sister, spoiled beauty
| Lucy went to teach school away from home
where she was wooed and won by young man of
respectable family-and after time returned home
10 be married and Ellen went back with Lucy 5
lover to take charge of the school.
| 1t Is simple story, and may be true-for on the
wedding night the sister and the bridegroom came
not at the appointed hour.
| At last they came-and the bridegroom, maxine
lame attempt at apology, announced hmselfreai,
ty brIdegroom-he was married to Ellen! And
Lucy became ravlng maniac. Her parents died
and she was left To wander over the country and
was called CRAZY Lucy" Grace Greenwood has
seen her often, in her patched and ragged gown
and heard her sweet voice-or she still had sweet
voice. She always carried her Bible with her-a
worn and soiled old volume, and when there were
flowers she decked herselfwih wreathes-and thus
she wandered for thirty years-from house to house
thirty years.
But Grace must tell the remainder of her story
| for herself.
Thirty years from the time of the commencement
of this mOurnful history, bleak auumnal eve
ming, roug h country wagon drove into the village
OF g.. 1t stopped at the almshouse-an at
tenuated form was lifted out and carried in, and the
wagon rumbled away. This ,oas L,tcy D,aton
| brought to her toUn to die.
She had been in decline for some months. and
the miraculous strength which had so long sustain
ed her Ill her dreary wandering, at last forsook he
utterly. Her sister had died some time before, and
the widowed husband had soon after removed with
his family to the far west; so Lucy had no friends
no home but the almshouse
But they were very kind to her there. The ma
tIon, true woman, whose soFt heart even the hour
ly contemplation ofhuman misery could nc; harden
gave herself with unwearylng devotion to the care
Of the quiet sufferer With the eve Of Christian
faith she watched the shattered barGue OF that life
as borne down the tide of time it neared the prea
deep of eternity, with interest as intense as tho
it were royal galley.
One day, about week from the time of her ar
rival, Lucy appeared to suffer greatly, and those a
bout her looked for her release impalien,y; but a
night she evidently better, and for the first tim
slept TRANQUILITY until morning. The matron, VIII
was by her bedside when she awoke, was startle
by the clear and earnest gaze which met her owl
but she smiled and babe the invalid good morn
ingl" Lucy looked bewildeIed, but the voic
seemed to re-assure her, and she exclaimed
"Oh, what long, long, night this has been =
Then glancing around inquriDgly, she added
"Where am ! p? and who are you Il don't know
you"
wild surrnise flashed across the mind Of I'll
matrou-the long lost reason ofhe panderer hq
returned But the good woman replied calml
and soothiogIy--
.'Why, you are among your friends, and 20
will know me presently"
'Then maybe you know Edwia and Ellen Z?
, rejoined the invalid "have they GOMEZ Oh, | ha
such a terrible dream dreamed that they wer
married! Only think, Ellen married 70 Edwin
IT'S strange | should dream that"
''My poor Lucy" said the matron with gus
: of tears, "that was not dream--'twas all true.
"All true? 2" cried the invalid, "theu Edwi
must be antfUe-aDd that cannot be, fer he love