The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-05-30
Sntcresting Gale,
THE NIGHT OF LIFE,

Linda Walden was an orphan; not one
who walked through poverty's dark valley,
desolate and alone; not one of those sad
souls who dwell face to face with care and
want, and misery. who despairingly 60 on
through life, toiling, suffering, and enduring;
who by withered hopes, and blighted joys,
and crushing labor, lose all faith; whose
life is very weariness, and who long, but
long in vain, to die. Wealth had ever
gladdened her pathway. and smiles ever
greeted her; and she had grown in child
hoods freshness 10 the deeper beauty Of
maidenhood, the admired and lovely.
Yet there was void in Lindas heart
which wealth, with its gifts, could not fill;
lorging for love more deep, more beauti-
full, than she had ever known--a yearning
for a fount of affection as yet undiscovered,
for words and accents Of endearment,
which had never sounded in her ears. She
found no sympathy with her cold, stern aunt,
the only relative she had ever known; none
with the villagers in their business and ex-
citement; and with yearing, passionate de-
sire for some object to be loved, her lie
went slowly on. So she made friends with
the quiet rivers and mountain crags; and
as on the faces Of old friends, she gaz-
ed upon the holy stars: but no heart
from them gave back the affection which
she had banished; and her soul was still
unsatisied.
OF the mother of her childhoodthere lin.
pered no remembrance, save in quiet twl-
light there would rise up before her sunui-
er and fairer land, where no cold snow
fell, nor blighting frost, but the air was still
and balmy. Then as forgotten dream
would come face surprisingly lovely, witt
deep Italian eyes like her own;and woult
seem to hear soft and thrilling voice warble
some simple strain, and by her side young
mistress, gazing musingly on the glorious
face; and words of love we're mingled will
the mothers song, as she luled her child tt
rest, and all was blissful and happy. Then
a proud, and quick step, which blanched the
beautiful cheek, and made the other clasE
his hand on his sword and seek TO fly, bu
7itwas unavailing, and there stood man il
che midstp with cold, calm eyes, wondrous
" like those of her aunt. There were bit
Ger words and passionate breathings, ant
quick movements there, and the sharl
stiletto did double vengeance, and the warn
life-blood flowed, and the child was alon'
with the. dead.
In her earlier life, this had been to Lind
but as dream, with her years it had deep
ened its impression, and she now felt it al
,a dark reality. Once, on calm starry ev
.esninp. she yentured to ask her aunt Of he
father and mother, so long gone, but sh
never repeated the question; for dar
!. irown rested on Mrs. Clinton's9orehead, an
her cold gray eyes were fixed on Linda; an
after 4 silence that seemed the lapse
years, she said. "Speak of them no niore!-
The past is sealed up bookl Know,chi!'
there is agony in that bitter past which
would close from you forever" And
Linda dared to talk no more Of that visio
which had interviewer itself into her ow
being; Of which she thought first at clei
morning, and last at Silly evening. b
thought did It's Office all the more perfect
now that the tongue !. was fettered, and
moulded and fettersd all her lhe.1 'Moti