Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1854-02-02
From Arthur's Home Gazette.
IF i u w q O d.
BY LILA n. LAIRD.
CHAPTER /. ..
BY LILA n. LAIRD.
CHAPTER l..
AUNT ETHEL.

The nigh, was setting in cold and cheer
less Overhead stretched a wide. grey
storm sky. the ground was covered with
snow, and from the great, white. drif,ed
heaps The thick bushes and tall trees stood
forth dark and grim. For little time.
looked in vain; but. as gazed down
the whi,eneG road, black figure came
IN view, riding slowly along. a
doctor Blyth 10 coming now, aunt
Ethel" SAID. turning from the window;
'hs has just crossed The bridge"
"Then will &c, up. Agnes come
and help me-"
Sol passed my arm around my aunt,
aud. ruisiog her from the bed. led her
gently to her great. cushioned chair
When had wrapped aun, Ethel in her
shawl. sat down on a low seat beside
her. and, hulf unconsciously, with low.
ing motion. my fingers stole towards the
shriveled hand which lay upon her lap.
Bu, aun, Ethel shrunk from my touch.
She drew her hand quickly away, and
her words were cold.
"Go down stairs, Agnes, | would ra,h-
send Margare, up with him." -.
mu,ely obeyed. With fearful eyes
l closed ,he door. and wen, slowly down
The broad stairs. ST.. .~E. s@
Old Margare. had Ii, the candles. and
placed them on the mantel. She had
swept the hearth, too, and from it sprang
up high, ruddy blaze. in whose light
the iaded red damask curtains grew bright
again. and the well polished eide board
shohe not dimlv. So the parlor looked
pleasant and cheerful. bu, my hear. was
heavy; and. as | sat by the fire. began
TO muse sadly, and not without tears, a.
hout aunt Ethel. Over the mantle hung
sun, Ethel's picture. Il had been paint
ed in her girlish days. and radiant then
was her beauty. Moreover, around ner
mouth there hung an expression of the
most winning sweetness, and her full,
dark eyes shone with loving, copiiding
light. Like and yet unlike aun, Ethel
was this picture. The proud, high fore..
head and the fiuely chiselled features
were hers. but the sweet. joyous high,
sparkled no longer in her eyes; grea,
floods Of tears had for ever quenched il;
the pleasant. kindly smile had gone from
her face. and in ito stead was q settled
expression Of wre,chedness and gloom.
And 10 me il seemed almost impossible
,hal,his fair. J oung creature smiling from
her msssive frame, and the sad, stern
woman in her sick chamber above, were
one aud he same person.
I was a merry. hearted. little child OF
only seven summers when went to live
with aun, Ethel. q, Firwood; but il had
been my home for thirteen years. and in
dat time my spirit had CO igh, somewha.
Of the gloom in which il lived. had
grown up grave and thoughtful woman.
My fathers name was Eugene Field.
He was aunt E,hel's only and well -lov.
Cd nephew. She had brought him up
by her own heath stone. and cared for
him - though he were her child; bu, he
married 10 displease her. and. in . fit Of
anger they parted. nor did they meet ..
gain for many years. My mother died
when | was bu, little child, and The
Spring flowers had scarcely bloomed
upon her grave before my father was
stricken with disease. was an only
child. and when my father found ".hs
messenger tsrried not, but was Fastening
10 call him hence" he grieved. most Of
all. ,has lshould be left poor and lonely
in the world. And he wrote 10 aunt
E.hel-haughty, aunt E,hel-,elling her
he was dying. and begging her to forgive
the past. snd take to her heart and home
his little orphan Agnes. And. from her
grand, gloomy home in the North coun. /
try, aunt Ethel came quickly. She stay.
ed with my father until his death, and
have atthis momenta vivid remembrance
Of seeing her knseliog by his coffin. and
weeping bitterly. All that passed be-.
tween my father and his aunt is unknown
10 me. Indeed, those days, now 90 far
back in the past, seem much TO me like
. blank
Aun, Ethel took me home with her,
and il was m Autumn evening bleak and
cad when We came 70 Fiswood. Al our
carriage rolled UP 10 the fais snd stately
home OF my aunt. nsny sssvsnts came
90. upon the wide porch. one or ,wo Of
,lIem carry Ing ligh,s; and when ] was