Grass Valley telegraph., 1853-10-27


gnarled branches of the trees lay stretched
far down the slope, like the figure of some
long, coling monster. The katydia screamed
from the boughs over his head; and the in
sects al iound him joined their voices to his in
that mysterious murIf3er Of life that makes
vocal the thanksgiving of nature to it's Maker.
Who has Listened to the impressive hum of a
forest at nightfall without feeling that thus
was going up the grand hymn of happy exist
ences around HIM to HIS ear, who loves the
song OF praise from even the lowest of his
creatures?
Irving had been much excited by the scenes
OF the afternoon, A new spirit had entered
his soul, and. Ike Hyper; on'sySvwas tsrest-e
less, and voice sounded Ike the trump of
the archangel. and thoughts long buried came
forth from their graves" Argument lie
could ha, e answered; words he could have
met with words appeals with cavls; hut
the silent exhibit on before him of simple, un-
affected p.ety stole dee ptr into his heart and
he was disturbed in sprt. He reasoned to
h mself OF life and immortal l.ty-that grand
and mystical future, the ocean into which the
deep and resistless current of his life was
for ing. He knew he had no anchor for it's
storms. no haven beyond it, What if all the
ASPIRATIONS of his opening manhood were
granted at once? He knew there vas not a
fadeless wreath among them. Aud he asked
aloud, Can there be d real tt to this d.lu-
s.on?' The v0 celess image Of the far grl.
bowing meekly at the altar. rose before M
and he knew that no deluSOn had ever
brought her sens tive nature to so pull a
place for such purpose It was h. Oh re-
| solve prompted ly faith higher than her
! tear-a love stronger. trust hol er. And
ms mor;es OF long ago, Of early | te, and youth,
and hope Of one who had kaclt W th N IN
the myster Gus Presence. and taught h S IN
FAINT lps to pra sc and pray, stole silently
over his soul, and walked the strong emotions
OF hs nature. They tore of the th N We that
had hung before h;svision and, as he looked
earnestly down into his own ind dual tv,
thus suddenly thrown open to his honest
gaze, be saw the pure eyes of his youthful
soul look ng up hopefully and trustfully
to HIM from is depths. He saw. and. tor the
tine. fully recogn sed the existence OF h oh
and holy pr nc pie of later years unknown to
h M but 'ch had ruled hs early life. ere
thought and feeling had been taught to twine
around the stiff trell:s of erected convent on
al ty and Wbrldl;ness. And when Henry Ir=
wing left that hallowed spot as the day fold
ed its wings over him and sank froodinglt to
rest he had knelt before his God in PRAYER |!
not yet al experienced Chr stan. but no lon
ger an unbel;eving sceptc in the Infinite and
Eternal.
Time flowed on, and amid the associations
Of everyday life Kate Stewart more than
once stood face to face with the young ply
S can. Of Ike tastes and sympathies, they
sought each others society in those many
ways in VII ch one can 50 "a sly SEEK: away
from the r2str ct Ons of f0rmalty. aid a mu-
tual resp' ct and regard sprung up between
htf1i. 1t was thus that he tet her Influence
most powerfully. Her pur ty and ref;ntmen
led b m to resp, ct h mselt more FOR be felt
that when he left her society ho took W tn b m
port on of its clear seren ty. that made his
soul Ike the fabulous gtm glowing III the
darkness with l.ght inst lied INTO It VII le be
meath the sunshine. And esp c ally d d be
feel her influence as a follower OF Chr st.
She net er preached to N hut she hytd a
sermon. whose argument was too powerful
and too subtle for HIN to answer or resist
And not many months elapsed before another
cOmmun on season brought the proud and
intellectual Irving to sit loNly and humlly
at the symI ole feast, Wo1 from infdeI ty
by the calm and quiet influence of young
Chr st all, whose heart the Father had touch
ed with 10 unhallowed Lire.
came, its early flowers we're gathered lor
bridal wreath, to be twined around the Lrow
of our lovely Kate. The cync poet. V .dal
quoted with so much spr.t, had lost one Of
his disciples. Henry Irving iOund he needed
home influence, potent as that VIII 'ch had
frightened his life in early years. A noble
par were they as they stood before the alter
in the village church, on that early sprng
morning. Perhaps sad sprits were there.
for where two hearts are gladdened on the
marriage morning many more are often made
sorroW1ul. Ties that years have strength
ened are to be in measure sundered, and life
seems to stretch out longer and more wear-
ly than ever before, as its great duties loom
up in the distance. But not tear fell On the
morn of Kate Stewards bridal. She was to
be joined with one worthy of herself. and glad
happy faces looked joyously OH. But when
the words were said that n'.1" them one, aid
congratulations were eli, d, aid the villa
gers had dispersed to the / .iones, the young
bride took her husbands arm as he led b. 7
through the churcEyard, along the path in the
grove, until they stood together On the ii
by the river. They chose a seat on bank
of moss, hallowed to Henry Irving ly the
memory of his first prayer there, and looked
in silence for little time on the scene before
them. The spring had inst burst forth and
a thousand glad songsters over Their heads
tol Of love joyous as was theirs. The dark
T ne leedles were strangely ch Oh the trees,
bel 5rought in contrast with the early yell
los leaves of the beeches. A thousand va
RED colOrs were scattered over the thick clus-
ters of blossoms sparkling in the morning
dew. The river rolled maiest cally on. fash
ing in the sunshine. and singing its heavy
bass to the sOno of life and iov that was r 'snr