The Sierra citizen., 1854-12-16
For the Sierra Citizen.
Sketches from Life.

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BY ALICE.
1t is long time, Isabelle, since you and
walked hand and hand down the branch,
and built play-houses on the big white
rock under the beech tree; it is long too,
since we whispered words of childish love
across the benches in the little log school
house, watching the master the while; still
l have not forgotten how we cried when
the master died, and how we hung piece
OF Grape on the door-latch, and shrank
away from the deserted house as though
the Angel of Death sat in the masters
chair.
It was at home that Isabelle was ap-
preciated; she was not one of society's Or
naments, for she mingled little with the
world, and her diffidence and sensibility
deferred her from active manifestations of
interest in others, though her heart was
warm anu genial as sunshine of spring
day. 1 never properly understood Isa-
belle until sorrow had entered her bosom
and was doing the silent work of DEATH
l had seen her in the sunny days of youth
and girlhood, and l knew that she was
about to become the wife of William s.,
and everybody said that William was
noble minded boy, worthy even Of Isabelle
the pet of the village He was not rich,
to be sure, but he had the energy and
ambition and hopeful heart, which prom
ised competence and happiness to the
trusting girl who was to be his bride =
Very warm were the congratulations they
received on their wedding day. l for one
thought that their life was to be one long
cloudless day, and loved to hear her
talk half childishly, half womanly, of her
new home, as she busted herself with her
needle, and / joined with her triumphant
laugh when she took from the old wooden
chest various articles of her handiwork.
For year there was no happier home
than was theirs; but in the memorable
Forty-nine, William heard of the golden
streams of California, and began to talk
of going thence to be miner. As the
fire cracked on the hearth and the sleet
and snow smote against the window panes,
they sat talking Of the long days of sepe-
ration, and building castles that were to
be finished after his return. AS they
talked of their future separation the young
wife said to herself: "and what if he should
become the victim of RUM" But it was
too improbable. Williams manly, sun
Drowned face could never be bloated, or
his eye bleared by the damning fluid that
has swept away so many hopes, and burnt
out the germ of affection from so many
trusting souls; and he too would as soon
think of suicide as dissipation aud dis
honored name. In year he would be
back, it would not be long, and then, oh,
how brightly the FIRE would blaze on the
hearth, and how merrily would the cricket
chirp in the wall +!
TWAS at length settled that William
should go to the gold mines. Every pleas
ant haunt was visited, and every VOW of
affection was repeated, the last hallowed
kiss of love was given-aye the last-a
William was gone!
After while bis first letter came, and
it was so full of manly expressions oflove {!
Another, and another came, but each one
was colder and shorter; they ceased to
overflow with endearment, and she began
to fear that the fountains of the heart were
dying up like the springs on the hillside,
thai only gushed out from among, the
rocks while the snow was melting away.
Again she wandered along the same path
they hata trod together year before, and
sat down under the chestnut tree and cried
till the stars came ont, and then she re-
turned to her room and re-read the letter,
trying to spell out from the careless scrawl
onesentence abandonment, but all in vain.
VIII you follow him to the new I'll Dorado,
and lsee what changes time brings whit?
Sometime in August, 1852, i arrived
in old Hangtown, and in passing gam
bling and drinking saloon my attention was
arrested by the music, and among the
drunkenB acchinsk and idolaters Of chance,
/ saw my old friend William, the husband
Of Isabelle He was fighting over few
dollarslonia hank, With the evil genius
thatpredded there: Half petri6sd with
horror at his fbloated face and haggard
mien, ! watched him staggering toward