The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-08-22

Six weeks and how passed they at the mill ?
| We only know that the great mill wheel dashed
round and round as Of yore,. the waters moaned
| and sobbed while Miller Jed continued to scrape
IN the soft meal with his bent fingers, he occs-
sionally said to himself "An obstinate dog but
he'll come round yet. Poverty is rare tamern
Then man on horseback paused in the WIFI
tened atmosphere at the mill door, and delivered
| him letter.
II was roine on TO M, and promised our
Minister that would como this way and deliver
that letter. he said ats sorry news, reckon,
an You be his father y and with a whistle to his
horse, he cantered scross the bridge and up the
| hill -
Miller Jed started at his words, and stood for
some time turning the letter over and over, as If
re alreaar .-.-ehanded its contents Th.c ~
desly breaking the seal, he took them in at
J s,)sn~s
/ @Fever-come to him-die-death,n he MUIR
INJURED, az the paper shook 10 his trembling hands
u He shall not diein he exclaimed vehemently,
as he hurriedly stopped the wheel. He cannot
30 young, and n-he started and looked over his
shoulder in fear. few drops of wster had fall
en- On his hand, and be thought of the cold damp
forehead Of his dead Wifi, snt that old terror
seized HIN. -
He hurried to his horse, and with the meal
still powdering his gray locks, like the ashes Of
repentance, mounted his sleek mare, and took the
road towards l..
| Weary, faint and almost despairing Isaac
| Sewall had reached l., he hardly knew how,
and presenting himself before Judge G. and
the old Minister, stated all bis troubles and oe-
sought their advice al am homeless-an out
cast but had rather die, than become the mean,
pettifogging character for which my father de-
signs me, !" he said, sadly
The old men were much impressed by his ear
nestness, and through their influence he was
soon engaged as assistant in large school in that
vicinity, but he had hardly entered upon his new
duties before he was seized with raging fever.
When Miller Jed reached l., the disease
was near its crisis All that night the miserable
old man sss 5TasJSysta IN a dark corner Of the
ROOM scarcely daring to look upon the face Of his
child, listening TO his rawlings and low means with
feelings too fearful for us to describe Sometimes
he was with his fellow students but oftener at the
Hollow with Mercy, and, as if a CLEAN Of the
truth still reached his troubled brain, he would
moan piteously: ooh, take me home! Let me
| see her once morei ~
IL was never of his own home, but Of the Hol-
low, that be spoke and only once his fevered lips
murmured the word, aFathern The very tone
was like dagger to the old mier's heart. The
next day the crisis was past and the physicians
spoke of hope, though the old man scarcely COM
pretended their words but through the live-long
day safe silent in the same place, casting fearful
glances at the pale attenuated figure stretched
out on the bed 80 like the one that had once lain
stiff and stark in his own house. When Isaac
was able to look up, his fathers presence was
made known to him, and CLEAN Of pleasure lit
up his pale face but few words passed between
them, and neither referred to the past. As he
L~~ - u~>ic An..va knolx
possession of his mind. "Only let me 20 home,
and shall be WE'LL he pleaded, day after day,
until the kind-hearted physician yielded reluc-
tant consent. An easy carriage was procuQ
and, bolstered up with beds and pillows Isaac
babe farewell to his friends, and at a snail-like
pace, set out for home
I" I much doubt the wisdom Of this stcp,n said
the old minister a. the carriage disappeared
round the corner. "It is sixteen miles to B.,
and the poor child is very weak"
$50 do l." replied the physician, with sigh,
"yet 1t can make but q few weeks difference, at
the worst" Then seeing the minister's inquiring
! hoated slowly toward the ground, @our young
4 friends fate il like that. No earthly skill can
4 ekanee ifp--s- 4-..-s-a.--l
When the carriage reached sAA potnt where
| the green lane turned off to the Hollow, Isaac
raised his eyes imploringly to his fathers face
and made faint gesture, as II he would 60 that
way. Implicitly the old man Obeyed, and at a
slow funereal pace they drove on to the old farm
house. The sight of the carriage brought the
whole household TO the door.
He mould come" said the old miller, as IL In
apology, as they gathered round the carriage.
Yes, grandfather, mother Mercy said Isaac
family as he stretched out towards them his thin
hands, al mould come You first taught me
how to live-you must now teach me how to die
Forgive me, father" he added, laying his hand in
the old miler's, they can for me better here
than at home, and you will come to see me daily
The old miller looked anxiously toward Adam
Ward. "If" he hurmured, hesitatingly, "money
can repay you, take all have, only let him stay
only save him"
@Gladly will we take him for his own sake "
replied old Adam Ward, as he raised the poor
invalid in his arms, and, assisted by Jane, bore
| him into the house
Those pensive, golden CLEANS the prophecy Of
autumn, that slept upon the hills the last time
that Isaac Sewall's feet had trodden them, had
deepened into reality, and slowly, as the leaves
changed from green to crimson, and impeled by
their own weight, fioated toward earth so waned
the life of young Isaac Sewall toward the grave.
Loving hands tended him, and loving hearts law
shed their wealth of tenderness upon him, and
he was serene and happy. He knew it was much
selfish, and unloving. And he was happy in an
other thoughts for oil those sunny, autumn days
his old father sat by his side, sometimes sobbing
! like very child as he spake Of death and heaven,
| listening humbly and earnestly to the sacred
Word, rs it fell from the lips of Mercy-words
which he had heard q thousand times but never
fen before, and, joining with unfsigned humility
| in the petitions which Adam Ward raised daily
to the Father Of All. Yes, Isaac was happy
only when his eye rested on the tear-dimmed face
| of Mercy, and his ear caught the sobs which she
could not wholly repress was his heart troubled.
Then he would take her hand, and, drawing her
cheek down to his, murmur-
ayes, II was sweet dream, beloved, but q little
while, only little while at the longest and we
shall meet again"
Ia the mellow light Of an October day they laid
him In the village graveyard, and turned away
with hearts very sorrowful, but calm. The peace.
| ful quiet of his last moments seemed TO have de-
scended upon them, especially upon the old miller,
and henceforth TO him Death had put of his ter
rors The memory Of his child seemed TO 90
ever before him in the way of eternal life. With
a ready hand be strove to repair the sorrow which
his rrssping selHshness had made In other days,
and most gladly would he have given back to
Adam Ward his ancient inheritance. But the
independent spirit that marked the old soldiers
youth was still strong within him, and he de-
declined, saying
ado what you please for my children, but, as
for me, have about done with the cares Of earth"
Therefore, though no deeds witnessed the trans
fer of the estate back to the Wards, the wealth
of the old miller flowed in many an open and Sc
cret channel around their livee-chsnnels opened
nv Death and for many years Afterwards the
two old men might often be seen, seated like
brothers. near the open door Of the old farmhouse
while the golden sunlight streamed like ray
from the celestial world upon their whitened
locks, speaking earnestly and hopefully Of Death
and the life beyond.