The Ohio union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1849-1854, 1853-10-19
% have bis chief attention during hi.

en- faces--bu, there was fairer one thar
hers he fancied, as be saw ths sweet fact
Of Alice May, with the Lalf.clos ed eyes
and long, golden: edged lashes, Swallowing
tho pale cheek. He carried il his bosom
a curl like The pne nesting so softly By
| her temple, and it was taIsman, keeping
him from the enchantment Of other eyes
When the service was closed, Ben was
lhrouged about by oil familiar faces
they had so much 10 say. so many things
TO speak of, so much joy to express at his
safe return, thai it well nigh bewldered
him. 1t was very pleasant lo be so warm
ly welcomed by old friends, delightful 10
chat Of by'gones; and it was. indeed a
Sabbath Of joy 10 Ben Bolt.
Sweet Alice All! how long and wea.
ry the time had been to her. Sometimes
her heart died within her as she thought
Of the broad ocean; but when she luoked
SO shyly al Ben that morn, and saw how
handsome he had grown, heart.sickness
came over her, and the sunshine fell
but dimly on the grass at her feet. She
snew she had hidden away in the depths
Of Ter cnro heart, a wild earthly love, and
sirove 10 gut Il from her, for would he
think of her nor? 81 it was no wonder
she would slip her slender Ssnd in her
molher's and steal quietly from The j'J'"us
throng. .... ....... .r..
Itwas Sabbath eye-ope of those balmy,
moonlight evenings oi dle yoapg Summer;
Mrs. May had gone to visit sick neigh.
Dor, and Alice sat by the window with lhe
Bible open, and her slender white fingers
fingers pointing 10 the words, falling SO
musically from her lips
'And there shall be no light there; and
they need no candle, neither light of The
sun; for the Lord God giveth them light,
and they shall reign for ever and ever"
She looked iremblingIy upwards in the
moonlight, for close beside her knrl the
manly form Of Ben Bolt. There was told
q sweet story Of love and hope not The less
sweet for being the language Of every hu.
man heart, and the thy bands of Alice
were folded in his as she said, very low
and sweetly-"If | live. Ben, whep FIVE
years more have past, aud you return a
second time" '
She did moi finish it--it vas pever fin.
ishrd.
SO they plghied their troth that calm
holy Sabbath evening, and the buoyant
heart of Ben. in its gushing sunniness, pic
iured radiant hopes for the future lie
was young, and so full of yilaliy-every
pulse of bis heart was beating gladly. and
the coming five years we're more precious
10 him Than the past.
III we both live, Ben, God will have MS
in his holy keeping" she said in answer
TO bis parting words; but as be pressed
her convplsively 10 his beating heart, he
replied
"God will be mcrcifnl 10 US who love
so dearly, Alice, darling"
She knew it, but she knew also that
God did not alwars answer the prayer fall
ing from the hopeful lips. Sweet Alice
Adown the future she looked lremblingy.
and she saw the fragile form and spiritual
face. with the white lilies braided IN the
soft brown hair, her eyes grew dim with
tears, for she knew not il it was bridal
or hnrid, for close beside the altar wa:
The grave yard.
They were not wanting who wqnltrct
al Ben Bolts choice, and lhUn"L il SIR mi
that he should take Alice nav in prefs
renee 10 Inc .lIrcai and wesllhiest. Som,
acre were, who held their heads Ioflily
when they passed her, but her heart wa
away on The blue waters, and size nccde,
it not. ... a..
How she watched the days iniheir pass
ing. She noted how the summer wane,
how the field of waving grain grew gold
en- in the sunlighi--she heard The eIl,
voice Of the reapers; and when the leave
were falling, the merry children went on
nut'galherlng in the woods: then tn
noisrless snow fell, and lay on the hillside
as in The olden days until lhc genial spring
tide sun melted it away, and the violel
and harebells dotted the fe!ds--so passet
year.
She was growing fairer and more beau
li(u(-too brilliant for anything earthly
Once she knelt at the altar in the liul
church, and listened to the words uni,in
her with the "SaviDr" redeemed on earth
but it was only an outward form, for he
heart had long been in the keeping Of an
gels. Again she watched the waning q
The summer days, and when The soft wind
swept over the silvery rye fields. sh,
thought of the ocean oiar, with its broa,
waves. All through the winter days sh,
grew more spirilual in her beauty and tn,
slender white hapds were ofre, folded Of
her breast, as she prayed for those who
would soon be la desolale; for she knew
she was dying.
1t did not slarlle her; she had frl lonl
ago that the fair green earth would hoI,
her puseless heart ere il had left the cluis
ter Of girhood. Life was sweet and beau
lirul, yet in her sinlessness death had nc
agony, save her sorrow for hose lett in
loneliness. 1t was only very liule way
to the land of rest, and her feet had never
grown weary; yet she longed to luok once
more upon the flowers, and have them
braided in her hair; and SO she fingered
Till Tho voice Of Spring was heard on the
hill top.
One morning when viewless hands were
gathering back the misty curtains IF the
night, and the stars grew din IN lhe glory
Of early morn, sweet ALICE stood on the
'hrestoll of Paradise, and the golden gates
were opened to the fair, meek GIRL