The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1854-04-21


sun went down. 1.-the and blithe was III,
squirrel, and the emigration song of the for.
est birds sounded cheerfully. But the pleas.
ant days passed, and once again Lilly and
sat in our cheerful room at Glentborne, while
the sky grew gray and wintry and the holly
berries ripened in the sunshine OF November.
Lilly passed the Christmas holidays with
her aunt, and came back sgan--very hopeful,
very happy. She had seen him, and he was
as handsome as ever, and twice rs dear. In
those winter days her young heart seemed
keeping holidays, you would have thought
that in all the world there were no such things
as change and death, and that Lilly was walk
ing in the unchanged glory of Eden.
For myself, ! 70 $50. pgs s-lsveJ her, that /
shared IL all her Joy. I brgot for the time all
my strange mystical fances--buried my Ger
man tronscendentalism in the same grave
with my Italian passion, and walked onward
in the clear light of love!
But there came change. A letter sealed
in black, and few words most kindly and
gently said, but in their import crushing and
terrible, telling Lilly that her noble lover was
dead-buried. Her name had been the last
word on his lips, and the hope of meeting her
in Heaven had cheered his journey through
the valley of the shadow of death.
Lilly did not shed a single tear as read it
to her,-even the chastened glory of calm
smile passed over her face, as she whispered
swell then, Louise, will go to him very
soon; after all, we shall be welded sooner
than we thought"
For moment thought the blew had de-
prived her of her reason; and it seemed she
OWNED my thoughts, for she replied to them
with calm, sweet smile
"No, Louise, am not mad. Paul is gone
and it will not be long before shall go to
him. l shall surely be his in Heaven"
This was new phase in Lilly Dale's char
acter made known to me, knew how fond
ly she had loved Paul Clifford, and that slight
delicate, shrinking girl was the last one to
whom should have looked for patient endu-
rance. But so it was;--she suffered, and ut
tered no murmur, though it nearly broke my
heart to see the rose dying out of her cheeks,
and her figure growing every day thinner and
thinner.
The winter gave place to the spring, and
the spring to the summer, and not yet had my
bird OF Paradise flown from my arms. But |
held her by a slight tenure, and felt it more
than ever, on bright mid summer morning,
the anniversary of the day ON which had
first come to 0lenthorne.
What glorious dSSSy tfSt was. It seems
when look back on it, as if had never seen
one like it, before or since. 1t was day to
live n-better still to die in. The very blue
sky seemed to bend downward, typing our
Fathers infinite mercy; there was over all
the earth strange brightness and splendor,
and all day Lilly and sat quietly in the great
glory. Towards night Lilly grew very tired,
for it was the first she sat up in many weeks.
But she seemed much betler-so much, in
deed, that she walked to the bed, with only
the support of my clasping arm, and lay there
smiling on all around, as if already her soul
had pa taken Of the riches of Infinite Love.
set there watching her with the sunset
glory in her hair, calling to mind the day
when saw her first, and the sudden love be-
gotten then which time had only strengthen
ed And 10! as ] looked over her face there
passed change. 1t was not ghasty or fright
full change; nay, it was strangely lovely. Did
you ever watch, dear friend the shadow of
the death Angels wing on the brow of the
good and fair! Ifyou have, you will under
stand me. My soul cried out in agony, and
my heart ceased to beat as mechanically II
pulled the half-rope, and in five minutes a
physician and clergyman stood by the bed
side, together with our teachers. The one
could do nothing, for already was the death
dew heavy on Lilly's brow; and for the other
her pure spirit had small need.
Lilly bade them all good bye gently; and
then she turned her large, bright eyes on me.
s"Louise, dear LOUISE" she whispered, as
she casped her hand more closely still "you
have been good to me, darling, and | pray
to God to bless you. amnot afraid, Louise. for
| know HIM in whom | have trusted. My
parents wait for me in Heoven-Paulis there,
and I've only you to leave; make haste and
come, darlng!"
drew her head. &C ;say bosom, and pressed
my lips to her browi already it was cold and
chill like marble. A brgh; smile passed over
her beautiful features glad and joyous as il
the Infinite Glory were all eady ilumining
her soul; and then she cried in a clear, strong
voice, though her lips did not move-"Paul,
| am coming!" 1t was the VOICE OF HER
SOUL, and with the last word it passed away
forever.
There is mound near sweet Glenthorne,
and over it a stone. Itis where the sun-beams
fall pleasantly through the chestnut trees;
and the wild. flowers nod over the brook side,
and on that stone is written, "LiLLY DALE"
go there every year at midsummer, to scatter
flowers over the mound; and in few hours
midsummer days, shall lie down beside her,
to 90 hence no more until the resurrection
know not why wrote you this sad tale;
but am no romance weaver; l must write
of my own life; and it is life which has
"more shade than SUM-" Years have passed,
and other hopes and loves have struggled
with the old ones, and conquered, but there
never has walked another presence--there
never has sounded another voice thro' the
heart chamber, where long ago shrined sweet
Lilly Dale.