The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1847-12-21

river?' O'''' u t"e
'Oakly, sir,-Sqttre Oakly we call him hero
Quick, quick, father, MAMA is faint;rc, y
screamed Ruth, springing to her side.
For moment all was alarm and confusion
but at length Mrs. Sullivan slowly OPENING her
eyes desired to be led to her chamber.
Il will lie down few momentes-I shall
soon be better; it is nothing nothing she an.
swered to their afiectionate solicitude.
When alone, then did she give way to her
JOY. What happiness her dear Louisa-hel
long lost was found. She was good, too. and
lovely; her kindness TO astranger proved the
former, and the assertions of the grateful Aga.
tina the latter. She might now hope by some
fortunate chance to see her-they might now
meet. o, how could she keep down her
throbblng heart; how would she be able to re-
fran from claSping her to her bosom, and 4
vowlng herself her mother. When she thought
she had recovered sufficient composure, She
again joined the family; but it was almost as
soon diSsipated by the conversation which fol-
lowed her entrance into the sitting room.
My dear said Mr. Sullivan, do You know
these foolish girls are for making out Il rela-
tlonship between themselves and our runaway
neighbors-claiming a cousinship, even il sew
eral degrees removed, TO the fair heroine of
Agatha's story-can it be so, think you?'
This Mr. Oakly may possibly have been
some connection of their fathers fatered Mrs.
Sullivan.
Had papa no brothers? = said Agatha.
Yes, one, but some unhappy family disagree
ment, however, prevented any intercourse
They were as strangers to each other
What if this Mr.. Oakly should prove our
uncle. Had he any family, ma'ma?' asked
Ruth
Il believe-one-one daughter was the al
most inaudable reply.
DO not say any more whispered Agatha
to her sister, don't You see how it distresses
mama?'
Mr.. Sullivan had observed the same thing,
and the subject was dropped
In few days the papers announced among
the list Of passengers sailed for Havre, the
name of MIR. Alfred Oakly, lady and daughter
Another flight of years, and behold what
changes in the fortunes of MIR. Oaklv. Adyer-
sity had at last seized its victim, gorginr to the
full Its revenge for those years when its exis-
tcnce bad been but as phantom to the veal
thy merchant; Inc now felt its iron clutches to
be something more tangible than shadows
The sea had swallowed his vessels; flames had
greedily swept over his warehouses: blight had
devasted his fields; failures OF firms he consid-
cred as good rs the bank-nav, even the bank
itself failed; and in the short space OF one wear,
Mr.. Oakly found himself stripped Of all save a
mere pittance, which, with the most scrupulous
economy, could hardly support his family
The teachings Of adversely upon the cold, SCI
fish heart, are sometimes blessed with happy
fruits And thus it proved with Mr.. OakIy.
True, the change was not instantaneous; he
lost not his property to-day, to become n Chris
tan, philosopher tomorrow But as drop
OF water will Ill time wear away the hardest
rock, so, little by little, the flinty feelings
of his heart softencd and purified The wick
cd and selfish deeds of his past life arose up
before HIM, each with his own accusing tongue.
That fortune, for which he had riskcd his soul.
had crumbled away, but these stood out plain
and distinct, only TO be efiacCd through the
mercies Of One whose most sacred obligations
he had violated.
Mrs. Oakly met this reverse of fortune hum
bly, and uncomplainingly Happily, she was
ignorant of the sin of her husband, in having,
like second Cain, destroyed his brother Yet
she felt that for another cIime-he diSo,cnibg
Of his o'cH cbSpring-the punishment was just.
Her own conscience, too, rcproache1 her for
the unjust feelings in which she Las INDUCED
toward the innocent Louisa; and Row, almost
ior the first time in her life she treated her rs
4 daughter
Kind, gentle, aiiectionate Louisa only that
she saw her parents deprived of manr comforts
which would have sOothed their declining
years, she would have rcioiced in a change Of
fortune which had brought with it their love.
In her heart there was secret sorrow which
she might breathe to nOnc-it was her love for
Walter EverstOn. Never, since that fatal day,
had she seen Or heard again from him; but
that he was faithful, and would be faithful unto
death, her trusting heart assured her When
ease and affiucnce surrounded her, this sudden
separation from her lover, and under such al
hicting and incXplicable circumstances, had
seemed to paralyzc her energies. Books, mu-
SIC, travel, all failed to excite more than mere
attention; but now, in the sorrows
Of her parents, she lost the sclfishneSs OF her
own, and strove in every way TO comfort them.
What now had become of the once proud
merchant. Ills name was no longer heard on
change, unless coupled with a creditors anath-
ema; and summer friends, like the sun on 4
rainy day, were behind the cloud
1t was a cold, cherries day in December; one
Of those days when one hugs close to the rt side,
and when even glance at the dull. sOmbrous out
of-door atmosphere makes, or ought TO make, one
thankful for the blessings of pleasant fire, to say
nothing of the society of friend, or the solace
Of book. With all these comforts combined the
fimily of Mr.. Sullivan had assembled in the
breakfast parlor. There was the CRATE, heaped TO
the topmost bar of the polished steel, with
glowing anthracite; the soft carpet Of warm
and gorgeous hues; luxuriant plants of foreign
Chimes half hiding the cages of various litte song
sters. whose merry notes breathed of spring-time
and shady groves; and the face of grim winter
shut out by rich, silken folds of crimson drapery
The pleasant morning meal was already passed,
and the breakfast things removed, with the excep-
ton of the beautiful coffee-set of Sevre's china,
which Mrs Sullivan was so old-fasliioned as 10
take charge of herself in preference TO trusting it
with servants. Seated at the head OF the table,
1 snowy napkin in her hand, she was now engag-
ID in this domestic office. Mr.. Sullivan and Mr.
Danvers 1.-THE husband of Ruth had just gone in
10 the the study, to talk over some business affairs
Ruth had taken the morning paper, and upon 4
low ottoman by the side of her mother was read
tho neVs of the dav-no,v IN har=elf or