Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1847-08-07
The Broken Hearts d ,
A NIGHT OF YEARS.
n TALE OF SAD REALITY.--BY GRACE
GREENWOOD.


a TALE OF SAD REALITY.--BY GRACE
GREENWOOD.
My READER: i have sat some MN
utes with my pen suspended in the air
above my paper. have been deba-
ting a delicate point am in posi-
ton. You will perhaps recollect that
one of Fanny Forrester's exquisite
sketches was entitled "Lucy Dutton."
Now it happens that the real name
of the heroine of the 'ower true tale
which l am about TO do myself the
honor of relating to you, was no other
than Lucy Dutton. Shall | rob her
of her birthright, because my sister
authoress accidentally gave the true
name to one of her ideal creations?-
Shall sacrifice truth TO delicacy-
that's the question. Not You said
no, did you not! Then Lucy, Lucy
Dutton let il be.
Some forty years since, in the inte-
rior Of my beautiful native State. New
York, lived the father Of our heroine,
an honest and respectable farmer. He
had but two children-Lucy, noble
girl of nineteen, and Ellen. year or
two Younger. The first named was
winningly, rather than strikingly beau
tiful, under manner observable for
its seriousness, and nun-like serenity
were concealed an imprisoned nature.
heart of the deepest capacity for low
ing. She was remarkable from her
earliest childhood, for voice of thrill
ling and haunting sweetness.
Ellen Dutton was the brilliant an
tipodes Of her sister; 'born beauty
whose prerogative of prettiness was to
have her irres ponsible own way, in all
things and at all times. An indul-
gent father. weak mother, and an
idolizing sister, had all unconsciously
contributed to the ruin of nature. not
at the first remarkable for strength or
generosity.
Where, in all Gods creatures. is
hesrtIessnoss SO seemingly unnatural -
is selfishness so detestable, as in beau
tiful woman?
Lucy possessed a fine intellect, and
ss her parents were well reared New
Englanders, she and her sister were
far better educated thon other girls Of
their station, in that then halfsettled
portion ofthe country. In those days
MANI engaged in school teaching, from
tie honor and pleasure which it af-
forded, rather than from necessity
Thus, few months previous to the
commencement of our sketch, Lucy
Dutton left, for the first time, her fire.
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 active usefulness, of
receiving, while imparting good. But
anon there came change; then were
those records Of home characterized
by ftful gaieiy, or dreary sadness; in
de6nable hopes and fears seemed stri-
wing forssupremacy in the writer's
troubled heart. Lucy iOced; but
scarcely acknowledged it to herself,
while she knew not that she was loved /;
so, for Zine, that beautiful second
birth of woman's nature, was like
a warm sunshine struggling with the
cold mists Of morning.
But one day brought letter. which
could not soon be forgotten in the
home Of the absent one-a letter
traced by hand that trembled in
sympathy with a heart tuDultueus
with happiness. Lucy had been wooed
and won, and she but waited her pa
rents approval of her choice, to be-
come the betrothed of young Edwin
W, man Of excellent family
and standing in the town where she
had been teaching. The parents
accorded their sanction with many
blessings, and Lncy's next letter prom
issd a speedy visit from the lovers.
To such natures as Lucy's. what an
absorbing, and yet what revealing Of
self is first passion-wha! q prodi-