Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-06-15
Select Gales.
From the NOnpereH
Lillian LOWS,
BY MISS MARTHA RUSSELL.


first time in nv life | listened to It's mourntul
tones with feeling of relief, if not Of pleasure
Not that have so far outgroWn humanity as to
he able TO look Death in the face without lear
for have still childish dread of shadoWs-but
knew that lamp, whose flame had been long
dimmed by the unwhoesome yapors OF earth,
had been re-lit in Heaven-that harp, whose
chords had been too tensely drawn while here,
to give forth sweet music, had again caught up
tho hymn of life in that blessed land, where all
beautiful things
"Keep the high promise of their earlier day."
mt on nv bonnet, and in few moments
stood in the chamber of death | have ever had
procvity to antiquaransm, reader but my
researches have been rather in the soul-world
than in the world of old ruins, or Roman anti
ouites. love to take some old care-worn, world
worn face, and re-cast it in the mould of youth
TO strp from it, one by one, those mummy
like ENVELOPES, which time, education and Gus
tom have wrapped around it, until, Galatea-ike,
it stands before me, glowing with youth, hope
and beauty. But Aunt Saunders face, (she
was the "viage aunt" reader had ever been
to me most tantazng Occasionally tancied
that I could detect CLEAN of light in her sunk
en- ewes. that betokened something like human
on some old, Illuminated manuscript, it only
seemed to show more plainly the dilapidated
condition of the rest.
How could dream that she had ever been
Young and fair?-that those faded, sunken eyes,
had ever flashed back the sunlight, or mlrrored
in their depths an image of love and hope!-that
those shriveed lids had ever drooped in very
bashfuIness, beneath the gaze of living eyes,
T., that oln
which no man reads unmoved! BY what magic
could smooth out the nnnumbered wrinkles
that circIed around her mouth, and make it
once more the gate of Love and Mrth-of song
and ringing laughter!
Death revealed to me far more than life lie
did not enter that solitary chamber alone The
angel of Mercy had stood by the pillow OF the
dying one, and re-touched those faded Inca
ments with something like the freshness of early
life
Then learned (and could well credit the
tale,) how, in early girlhood, she had been, Tor
three blessed years, the cherished flower OF
Young Henry Gresham's heart-hls Lilly, as he
fondly called her, filling his pathway with fra
grance and beauty. Those sunken eyes had re-
turned light for light-thosC shriyeed lips, love
for love-and the young man forgot his proud
her side and received both at her hands. Lillian
Lows had nothing to recommend her to the
wealthy Greshams but her sweet face and guile
less heart These were priceless in the eyes Of
Young Harry, but, unfortunately, the old people
thought differently. They saw no beauty save
through the yellow atmosphere of gold-no worth,
save such as can be found between the leaves Of
mouldv family records Their children had been
fail to represent to Harry their disapproya of his
taste, in such way as to leave him no choice be-
tween love and what they called-and alas! he
thought-duty
They succeeded in convincing his intellect,
but not his heart, for there the fragrance Of his
Lily fingered, long after the daughter of rich ia
cob Greene calledhim husband. And once, 1--WE
say it in whisper, reader,) he was so ocry fool
ish as to entertain something like the thought that
Manning Farm and Long Acres was poor eX-
change for the pure soul and loving tones of Lii
an Lows. But he was prudent as well as dut-
full, and in few years succeeded, to all appear
ance, in burying the image of his youth, togeth-
err with his meek-eyed Lily, under load of spec
ulations that finally made him one Of the richest
men in the county.
For some time after Harry Gresham's marriage,
Lillian Lows eyes had dreamy look, and not
unfrequently, a Upright drop gathered on the long
lashes, and fell silently down her cheek Still
she did not repine She had been too deeply
schooled in the "meek lessons of humanity" to
do that. Harry had obeyed his pareuts-fuflled
the commandment-an with her New Eng land
education, she could not blame him. With an
earnest effort to gather the sunshine into her
heart once more, she lifted her head and sought
strength and comfort in the strict performance
of such duties as fell to her lot
Lily was still young when her mother died
but she had high character for faithfulness and
honesty, and this drew upon her the attention Of
old. rich, rheumatic John Saunders He want
ed wife, or rather, nurse and housekeeper
under that name, and his choice fell upon Lily,
She hesitated-but friends whispered, nay
shouted maxims of prudence and worldly wisdom
in her ears, mingled with hints of dependence
until, bewildered and confused with shudder
which she prayed Heaven to forgive as the move
ment of a rebeIlious heart, she laid her hand in
the bony one that reached out to grasp hers and
gave him the.name of husband.
For many long months her new home seemed
dark and empty,--but something the heart must
have to cherish" and, as her husband grew more
feeble pity took the place of love, and led her tc
think ofhm with feeling nearly akin to that
which mother feels towards peeyish, suffer
ing child Irritable and inpatient, he could moi
bear to trust her from his sight; and the freshness
and fragrance of Lily soon faded in the close at
mosphere of that sick chamber while the flower
dust of the heart was daily brushed away by some
new exaction on the part of the querulous invalid
Yet he loved her, as well as he was capable 0
loving anything aside from himself, and though
he made an ample compensation for all her cart
and patience by leaving her a competence in hi
will. So her friends when, after a lingerin!
struggle of many years, he at length yielded t.
death They spoke much ofhis generosity AM
Lillian assented to their remarks, without com
pretending them.
After so many years of seclusion, their voice
annoyed her. She had not loved old John Sauu
ders as wife-she could not. but his pale
wrnkled face, peering over the back Of his arr
chair, her every movemeut-his sharp. querl
lous tones, calling her name until he obtained
- Al hal