Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1855-04-25
From Peterson's Magazin,
LAVENDER AND PINKS.
BY FANNY SMITH.

quet of lavender and pinks is like? Can
you conceive that the far-famed airs from
"Araby the blest," are dull in tbeil spicy
fragrance compared with them?
One pleasant June morning, as was
tearfully watching the long willow branch
es sway back and forth in the light breeze,
thinking how in their graceful motions
they were like the loving arms which once
had entwined my neck, and were now
palsied and cold in death, and saying TO
my heart "there is no sorrow like to my
sorrow"-my hostess entered with bunch
of lavender and pinks. Their perfume
filled my room, and as turned from the
window by which | was leaning, to re-
ceive them, Mrs. A. said quietly,
"Will you have these flowers? they are
my favorites, and 1 never like to put any
others with them," and knew by a slight
quivering of the mouth, and the hasty
manner in which she turned away, in
stead of the usual few minutes chat, that
there were'sad memories connected with
my bouquet.
The summer months passed pleasantly
by in the little, low, old fashioned cottage,
with its two huge willow trees in front,
and giant walnuts at the back, whose
branches swuyed amicably together over
the roof; and always on my toilet table
stool bouquet of fragrant roses and state
ly lilies, or of larkspurs, lady's slippers
and coreopsis; but always in a separate
bunch, as long as they were in season,
were few spears of lavender and pinks.
There was a quiet melancholy in my
hostess face, which had from the first in
terested me. knew by the silvery hairs
which so thickly threaded her raven
bands, and by the quiet kindness in her
dark eyes, and by the low, unexcited
tones of her voice, that the trials Of life
had swayed fearfulIy around her, and that
now she was exhausted and asked only
for rest.
In the course of time | learned her his
tory.
As girl, self-willed and high h'spirited,
she had married against the wishes of her
friends, and after a few months of wild
happiness, she awoke from her fever dream
10 find that he, for whom she had left
friends and the luxuries of a wealthy
home, was unworthy of the sacrifice
Year after year passed, and she found her
idol shattered and but clay at her feet;
but with woman's undying faith she
hoped on, through poverty, and desertion,
and contumely, and she curbed her high
spirit TO gentle words, and went meekly
about 10 make her home attractive, but,
alas! in vain-and after years of sorrow
and hope, she rested his dying head upon
her bosom, and listened with an appalled,
heart to the blasphemous rawlings of his
delirium. And she laid him in his grave,
and stilled the moaning of her heart, that
she might care for the little ones vet left
to comfort her.
But few months passed, and a new
anxiety awaited her. The little babe that
was just beginning to lisp "ma-ma" 50
lovingly, that was so winsome in its ways,
so cooling and happy through all her irou.
bles-the "man child' to whose future
she was already looking, when he should
be her comfort and support, sickened and
died.
She laid him in his little coffin, compos-
ed his golden curls and waxen fingers, and
knelt down and tried to thank God that he
had been saved from the trials and tempt
atoms to come. Wild sobs at times es.
capped her, as she thought of putting him
from her warm bosom, and tender encIr-
cling arms, into the cold, Implying grave;
but the appeal of the dear Jesus, ".Sgfer
little children to come unto me and forbid
them not" should it be in vain? and with
a fervent "Thy will be done," she laid
her baby away from her.
Time wore away TO Mrs. A in the
quiet discharge of her dulles to her two
remaining children. Hopes for the COM
ing future were beginning to dawn family
through the dark sorrows of the past, when
a terrible accident befel her youngest
child. Still the mothers heart and hand
were not palsied. Day by day she lifted
the little sufferer to the window, to feel
the cool breeze, or to gaze on the trees,
the flowers, the sunset; night by night
with trembling fingers she wiped the cod
dews, caused by the racking pain, from
its forehead; and stiled the wild cry that
was going up from her own heart. 10 sing
it 10 rest with sweet lullabys.
At times, indeed, her strength would
almost lail her. She would rush from
the room, TO escape the wall from the
white parched lips, and the longing, i'm
ploring glance of her child's eye, to moan
out, ''oh, God oh, God!' the only prayer
she could utter for strength, and 60 back
with smiles and cheerful tones 10 the bed
side.
At length the hour for the mortal sirug-
Gle cane, and in her own arms the moth
cr held the child, repulsiny with sharp,