The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-03-20
PART SECOND.

PART SECOND.
'Ah! now the Fontaines know what it ].
to suffer!' cried the envious. Now theil
pride will come down; now behold theil
boasted cheerlessness!' But ah! how many
truo and pure heart bled for them ant
what tears ran down their furrowed cheeks
as their clasped hands were held towards
Heaven, and fervent supplications were, lif'
ted 10 the Throne of God for the suffer.
ing.
i Whom have we now to dayp they ex.
claimed, as they passed the Threshold oI
their stately home, and saw its splendor
mockingIy but dimly shining through tears
How spread the anguish of that loneliness
over their mourning souls, as they murmur.
ed again. Whom have we now to love!'
'God and each other,' was the noble re.
ply; yet more devotedly, more tenderly
than before
And they grew sweetly resigned as years
sped on. They forgot not the poor; they
ministered to the stricken; they blessed lit
tie children. Happiness had again spread
her shining wings above them, when spec
ulation in which Caspar had invested large
ly, fell to the ground, and carried with it
nearly all the possessions of The good old
man. 1t had been deemed SO secure, that
Caspar Fontaine stood bondsmahs for sew
eral parties involved; but for that, he would
still have retained competefice.
| One little cottage, the only one left Of his
money, (for Caspar was honorable to the
payment of the last farthng,) was neatly
yet scantily, furnished, and thither the ageu
puir proceeded. They would not accept the
many pecuniary gifts which many, who Low.
ed and revered them, were willing, nay anx-
ious, to bestow upon the venerable head OF
the town.
Our Father intends to draw US nearer
himself by loosening and sweeping away oil
earthly Props said Caspar, while benign
smile still played over his noble features. -
"Tis well; let US how in sweet submission
to his gracious will. We still have each
other gt a#t.s
yes, we still have each other echoed
his wife, on whose yet lovely face his pa
tient smile was reflected,
To toll with his own hands, the old man
now went. Hisweekly wages, and the lit
tie he had saved from the wreck Of his prop
erty, enabled them to live frugally, yet with
comfort.
A winter day, with its waIiag wind, had
passed into eternity, and left in its stead a
calm glorious night guarded by millions of
stars, that were almost mirrored in the
smooth and dazzling SHOW. The town lay
hushed as if in calm slumber. nesting amid
the old mountains that lifted themselves in
solemn grandeur towards Heaven,
In the cottage of Clspar Fontaine the
working stood before the cheerful FIRE, and
the great family Bible, that had descended
through many generations laid with its huge
covers open and the heavy clasps fallen up
on the clean linen beneath.
The old man had been reading in the ho-
ly volume, as was his wont, before retiring
and the good wife had laid by her knitting
on the stand beside them, and, with folded
hands, sat gazing into the face Of her ven.
erable partner.
Thought was very busy with him, he was
reviewing the pages OF. the past, that some-
times luminous, at Others as with a thick
veil, were slowly unfolded before his minds
eye: There was no record Of crime there;
SO the old mans face wore cheerful but
subdued expression. Suddenly he. looked
up. The calm, clear eye of his wife met
his own glance, and he started from his rev.
eris.
Lucia, my love, we are getting very DID,
he said.
THAT was what was just thinking Of my
husband, she replied, while endeayored to
call back the feelings with which I first
heard you call me wife, but found them al
ready in my bosom, and they have been
there ever since that day, increasing in depth
and strength as we draw nearer to the grave.
1t tore my heaftto part with our lovely Cas-
par; but it would have broken it. to layigoa
in the grave, my husband. How white your
locks are!' she continued, fondly stroking
them back from his lofty yet mild brow; but
to my mind they are more beautiful, curling
in pale waves upon your shoulders, than
when they fell over ruddy cheek in ring
lets of jet
.Those were happy days murmured Cas-
par, partly to himself. q.
sAnd are we not happy now, Q! my hus-
bandit .l..a .. s.s.sg u a
Happy while we are together; too happy
he whispered bach, as the quick tears sprang
to bis eyes; there is only thing that mars
my present enjoyment, and fear. In that /
distrust the goodness which has led us from
joyto joy
what is 1t .Caspar r. n
.Ths fear that may be taken, and you
may be left; you. alone in your old age,
with none nearer than friends and acquaint-
aices.'
\ Lucia was silent for moment, Let Us
put our trust In God i, sheat length exclaim-
edi sif Fam lefs Caspar itcannot BE- for
lnn0s r. II n Efsgss 81