Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-04-22
miscellaneous.
From the Golden Rule.
A NIGHT OF YEARS.
BY GRACE GREENWOOD.

My READER | have sat some minutes,
with my pen suspended in the air above my
pupS.. have been debating delicate point
i am in a position. You will perhaps re-
collect that one of Fanny Forrester's exqui-
site sketches was entitled Lucy Dutton."
Now it happens that the real name of the
heroine of the over true tale" which | am
about to do myself the honor of relating to
you, was no other than Lucy Dutton. Shall
rob her of her rthright-compel her to
wear nom du guerre, because my sister,
authoress accidentally gave the true name
to one of her ideal creations? Shall | sac
rifce truth to deicacy? that's the question.
Nor You said so, did you not Then
Lucy, Lucy Dutton let it be.
Some forty years since, in the interior of
my beautiful native State, New ork, lived
the father of our heroine, an honest and
respectable farmer. He had but two chill
dren-Lucy, noble girl of nineteen, and
Ellen, year or two younger. The first
named was winningy rather than strikingly
beautiful. Under manner observable for
its seriousness, and anun-like serenity, were
concealed an imprisoned nature, and a
heart of the deepest capacity for loving. She
was remarkable from her earliest childhood
for voice of thrilling and haunting sweet
ness.
Ellen Dutton was the brilliant antipodes
of her sister born beauty" whose pre-
rogatlve of prettiness was to have her ire
sponsible own way, in all things, and at all
times. An indulgent father, aweak mother,
and an idolizing sister, had all unconscious
ly contributed to the ruin of a nature not at
the first remarkable for strength, or gener-
osity
Where, in all Gods creatures, is heartess-
ness so seemingly unnatural-is selfshness
so detestable, as in beautiful woman
Lucy possessed fine intellect, and as her
parents were well reared New Englanders,
she and her sister were far better educated
than other girls of their station, in that then
half-settled portion Of the country. In those
days. many engaged in school-teaching, from
the honor and pleasure which it afforded,
rather than from necessity. Thus, few
months previous to the commencement OF
our sketch, Lucy Dutton left for the first time
her fre-side circle, to take charge of school,
some twenty miles from her native town.
For some while, her letters home were
expressive only of the happy contentment
which sprang from the consciousness of ac-
tive usefulness, of receiving, while imparting
good. But anon there came change then
were those records for home characterized
by fitful gaiety or dreary sadness inde6na
BILE hopes and fears seemed striving for SUI
premacy in the writer's troubled little heart
Lucy lOved; but scarcely acknowledged j
to herself, while she knew not that she wa
loved SO, for time, that beautiful second
birth of woman's nature was like warn
sunrise struggling with the cold mists o
morning
But one day brought letter which coult
not soon be forgotten in the home of thu
absent one--a letter traced by hand tina
trembled in sympathy with heart tumultu
Gus with happiness. Lucy had been wooe,
and won, and she but waited her parents
approval of her choice, to become the be
trothed of young Edwin W, man O
excellent family and standing in the tow
where she had been teaching. The fathe
and mother accorded their sanction will
many blessings, and Lucy's next letter prom
'ised a speedy visit from the lovers.
To such natures as Lucys, what an alb
sorbing, and yet what a revealing of sci
is first passion-what prodigality of Civ
ing, what an incalculable wealth of recey
ing--what a breaking up is there of tn
deep waters of the soul, and how heave
descends in sudden star-shower upon life