Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1847-08-07

knew all Edwin once, ana he made me
broken hearted
This was the only instance in which
she was ever known to revert to the
sad event which had desolated her life.
Thirty years from the commence
ment OF this rnouFniul history, on a
bleak autumnal esening, rough coun-
try wagon drove into the village of c..
1t stopped at the almshouse---an atten-
uated form was lifted out and carried
in, and the wagon rumbled away
Thus was Lucy Dutton brought TO her
native town TO die!
She had been in a decline for some
months, and the miraculous strength
which had so long sustained her in
her wanderings, at last forsook her ut
terly. Her sister had died some time
before her, 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 matron, true woman,
whose soft heart even the hourly con-
temptation Of human misery could not
harden, gave herself with unwearying
devotion to the care Of the quiet suf-
ferer With the eye oil christian faith,
she watched the shattered bark Of that
life, as borne down the tide Of time it
neared the great deep of eternity, with
an interest as intense as though it were
a royal gallery.
One day, about week from the
time Of her arrival, Lucy appeared to
suffer greatly, and those about her
Hooked for her release almost impa-
tiently; but at night she was evidently
better, and, for the first time, slept
TRANQUILITY until morning. The ma
iron, who was by her bedside when
she awoke, was startled by the clear
and earnes gaze which met her own
but she smiled, and babe the invalid
'good morning. Lucy looked bewil-
dered, but the voice seemed to re-as-
sure her, and she exclaimed:
SOB, what a long night this has
been!' Then glancipg around inquir-
ingly, she added:
"Where am l?--and who are you?
i do not know you
A wild surmise flashed across the
mind of the matron-the long lost
reason of the wanderer had returned !!
But the good woman replied calmly
and soothingly:
"Why, you are among your friends,
and you will know me presently
"Thcn may be you know Edwin
and Ellen rejoined the invalid; 'hays
they come? Oh, | had sucha terrible
dean! | dreamed that they were
married! Only think. Ellen marri-
ed to Edwin!-'lis strangeI should
dream that
"My poor Lucy said the NATION,
with gush Of tears, that was not a
dream-'twas all true
GAN true,' cried the invalid, 'then,
Edwin must be untrue-and that can
not be, for he loved me-we loved
each other well, and Ellen is my sister
Let me see them--I will go to them
She endeavored to raise he self, but
fell back fai1iing on the pillow.
Why, what does this meanP said
she, 'what makes me so weak?'
Just then her eye fell on her own
Ihand-that old and witheTed handl--
She gazed on il 10 blank amazement.
Something is the matter with my
sight, she said, smiling family, 'ior my
hand looks to me like an old wo-
mans
Sand so il Isl said the matron, gen.
tlg, 'and so is mine; and yet we had
fair plump hands when we were girls.
Dear Lucy, do you not know me9 !
am Maria Allen--I was TO have been
your bridesmaid
can no more--I will not make the
vain attempt TO give in detail all that
mournful reyealing-to reduce TO mex
pressive words the dread sublimity Of
that hopeless sorrow.
To the wrctched Lucy, the last
thirty years were all as though it had
never been. OF not one scene, not an
incident, had she ~. slightest remem-
brance, since the night when the re-
creant lover and the treaoherous sister
stood before her, and made their terri
bic announcement.
The kind matron paused frequently
in the sad narrative OF her poor
friends madness and wan6eriogs, bat
the invalid would say, with fearful
calmness, go on though the beaded
drops Of sgOny stood thick upon her