The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1854-12-14

wants; and none OF tnem tnaC trust Ill Mn
shall be desolate."
Z Elizabeth, said he, you may select thu
parable to night. She quickly turned t.
!, the fifteenth chapter Of Luke, as it in tn
4 delay OF a moment her courage would fal
her. How had she yearned for years t.
j. give utterance at the family altar to thi
II beautiful parable. And should she now
on the sixth anniversary of their great sor
row. AS if impelled by voice within,s sh'
5 could not resist, she read with clear tone
$ but soft and low as a harp the parable o
the 'Prodigal Son. AS she proceeded
she permitted the dark curls to fall lowe
and lower, for her eyes were swimming il
o. tears. She ceased, the hoary man drop
8 ped on his trembling knees, and with al
/ impassioned fervor which seemed TO lif
: him to the very gates of heaven, he pouret
out his soul unto God.
For the 'Prodigal Son. he prayed. the
son lost, and wrostled, like Jacob, for s
blessing. Low sobs and sighs escaped
from heaving bosoms, and little Willie
name Ike Of the lost one-his own, sweet
eyes dcwy with sympathetic tears, kissed
away the drops, that fell on his grandmoth-
cr's hand. They rose renewed by strength
from above, and as Elizabeth turned to leave
the aged pair, Mr.. Carleton placed his
hands on her head, calling her My daugh-
ter and blessed her
No sleep came to the eyes of Elizabeth
Bell, as memory brought the pictures of her
life before her. Some bathed in sunlight,
with the dew ofhope and happiness spark
ling on every flower, the heavens without
cloud, the earth without thorn, 9th
ers, with darkening sky, but decked with
golden spots,-and others, alas! with
clouds, dark, 0, how dark, without tinge
to show the sun behind. She sees herself
a lone orphan, clasped in the arms of her
fathers friend and taken home to his heart
and hearth. William Carleton stands be
fore her, in all his boyish beauty, affection
ate, generous and noble, striving, without
n selfish thought, for months, yes, even
years, to win her from her grief and loneli-
ness. is it strange she asks herself, Il
loved, aye, almost worshippcd him?'
The picture moves-it changes. She is
a woman with woman's hopes and fears.
He. treading with rapid steps, the roal to
fame. She is the star that beams on his
path, and in mutual love they look down
the long vista oflife without fear.
Agaia it changcs-O that she could
close her eyes, weary with weeping on the
sad reality. That eye, so full of beauty,
burns with fire which love nor ambition
can never inspire, cheek is sulfused
with a flush which an unsullied soul never
brings. and all the holy, pure and God-like
attributes are sinking deep, deep in the
slough Of inebriety; the cloul deepens-
the tempest dcscends, whitening the raven
locks of father and mother, and he forsakes
them and her, a miserable besotted wretch
Hope has faded out from her young life.
leaving it dark and dreary, and she longed
for death--the grim monster seemed to her
an angel of mercy. Then the sad faces of
the agcd beings who, so meekly and un-
complaining, bore the cross, looked re-
proachfully on her, and she prayed God to
forgive the wish of her heart, to die.
The thought of the duties to be done,
fell Ikea blessing, soothing her to sleep.
Still the pictures moved before her, but
the clouds grew thin, and now and then
stray sunbeam would pierce the blackness;
when suddenly, scene of wondrous beau
ty burst on her vision. William Carleton
was before her in unsullied manhood, "a
garland of pure white flowers encircled his
brow, which shone in the brightness of a
star, that burned in glory above him. AT
his feet flowed crystal stream, and at his
right hand an angel radient with lowell
ness, stood with an open scroll, on which
was written in letters of gold, Though
your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as ,chite
as snow;though they 6ered like crimson, ,Mey
shall be as aco0l.'
She awoke and the sun was shining
brightly in at the window. With a cheer
full zeal she went about her hospitable du-
ties so necessary to the comfort and full
enjoyment of friends, and as the hour of
the feast approached, sons and daughters,
with their merry troup of children, gath
cred round the welcome hearth. Little
Willie the youngest lamb of thehock, ,clung
to his mothers knee from whom he had
been separated few weeks, with pertina-
ciuus devotion, still casting affectionate
glances at his grandmother, as if to assure
her of his unwaning love. q
The family. circle was unbrokcn, save
one link. As they gathered around the fes-
tive board, the ono vacant seat seemed a
mockery of hope. Six times, in six long,
weary. wedyy years had it stood there, and
still it was empty. They stood reverently,
while the venerable patriarch besought a
blessing-the little ones, with folded hands,
vainly striving, with fast winking eyes, to
shut from their gaze grandmothor's tempt
ing viands. For the "Prodigal Son." a.
gain he prayed, the son lost lost, while
the tears rained down his wrinkled cheeks,
when low, musical voice was heard,
sweeter than any earthly music to the ears
of Elizabeth Bell Father haze sinned a.
gGinst Heaven, and in thy sight, and am no
more ,OOrtdy to be called thy SON. and Will
liam Carleton appeared to their wondering
gaze, his eyes fastened on the faceof Eliza
beth, which changed like summer cloud.
He stood before them, man, with the i'm
press ofa high and noble soul on his broad,
white brow.
The old man seemed paralyzed for mo-
ment, then opening his arms, which trem-
bled like an aspin, he clasped his son to his
aged breast. Manly tears of penitenco
mingled with that mothers tear ofjoy, as