Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1856-10-01

tTclseu THESE powers upon IIuhuiu )
but they were scarce ripples in the broad,
steady current of his love, and it flashed
over them and rolled on.
But now it was different she was
ever there, and the ripples became lar
ger, more constant, deeper, till they
merged into one strong, Kissing eddy
that bubbled. and foamed, and seethed
up in his love stream, and troubled and
made mrbid all It's waters.
Yet he never spoke of the inward
wrestlings he was kind, and gentle,
and c;ressing; and she felt that the
barrenness of her triumph was a defeat.
So rolled year and half; and all this
time of alternating shower and sunshine.
smiles and tears, the reaper was level
ling fibre he~A fiirre-A4tlsr. }ifessfnfks of
Edmund Staunton's existence. She saw
not the lay of in gathering approaching
she would not see it; he felt it, but he
would not tell her. Yet it came, un-
hastened by earth pangs. Oh, hope and
believe il was not thus hastenedl Kate
Staunton, for your souls peace, hope
and believe it ]
1t came, slowly, silently, with nothing
of strife, nothing fear nothing of long
ing. 1t came peacefully. solemnly; and
the softened chimes of distant bells Gua-
vered through the still air Of the Sab
bath morn. faint and broken. as if with
sohs, yet fragrant and with holy har-
mony, until they gently. and as with a
Iimid awe, yet lovingly, trembled through
the half closed lattice. and mingled their
last strain with the faint sigh of Edmund
Staunton's freed spirit.
III.
And Kate Staunton was a widow
In the sad, solitary, storm.racked
night that cast It's first cloud and poured
its first quickening rain upon the fresh
sod Of her husbands grave in that night
of moaning wind, and cursing thunder.
and shrieking forest, and the measured
tapping of the rain-drops on the case
ments, with sound as of funeral ham
mers; in that night Of vigil and woe, as
she lay crouching upon the bed so late
y, and alas so lightly, pressed by her
husbands wasted form, did there not
creep across her heart the cold, ghastly
shadow of seif-reproach, likethe clam
my trail OF serpent over the warm
breast OF sleeping savage, causing her
to shrink and shuider, and leaving in
It's track the poisonous slime ofremorse !
But morning came. and the sun burst
impetuously through the gloomy cloud
host, and The birds hymned their song
of gratitude, and the breeze whispered
IFS tuneful ove-iale TO the trembling
leaflets; nature awoke. ami drank in re- /
newed life, and health. and JOY from the
glorious day fount. Morning came, and
peeped in, laughing, at the window.
where still lay the crouched form and
the aching heart and. with rosy smile,
and glad bird voicrs, and gentle breeze
murmurS, the heart was eheered, and
sung and lulled into soft dream of
hope.
What a glorious expression of ele-
mental power is the ocean in its wild
war with the storm-king With what
gustv malice the wind blades strike
their keen edges through the spray
shields, and bury their points in the
very ho,om Of ocean. With what
stubborn strength the mighty waters
rush up to close the chasm. and hurl
their shouting foe ,far off upon the foam
ing crests of their wrath-hillows!
And amid all this wrestling and roar
ing, right on through the battle din.
speeds gallant vessel, shaking the fu-
rious spray from her cleaning bows.
bending with careless grace before the
artillery of the blast. yet fearless and
unscathed. :" she rides the plunging char
gers f the Deep" bearing her freight Of
soul life to It's destined haven.
On that vessels deck. his eve flashing
back the spirit of the storm, his whole
frame buoyant with the fiercest svmra-
thy for the awful scene before him.
stands Carol Avory, after six wears of
wandering in almost every cline of
EARTH now strainiug his sprav-clouded
vision 10 catch shadowy glimpse Of his
native shores, stretching dim and dark
( Ike the hither side of fabled Hades, far
along the horizon.
Has he found the twin mysteries Of
his search? Perhaps not but he has
found two stars ins'cad, whose constant
lnstre will tighten his pathway, even
/ through the valley of shadows
Faith and Hope.
Three wears since Edmund taunton
died. and time. the soother. has mellow
ed the remembrance of sorrow in the
breast of the widowed Kate.
On this halmy evening Of spring, she
sits, as of old. heneaih the Spanish oaks
on her uncle's lawn and. rs the shad-
ows grow longer and the stars come QUE
one w one. Pickering ike fre-Hies
through the waving foliage. she thinks
of such evenings few short years ago,
when beneath this olden shade. with a
light heart and happy presage, she
listened TO an impassioned voice whi7-
pering bright hopes and love-iIluminea
plans of future happiness. The silent
tears drop all unseen upon the darken-
ing turf at her feet: but they are no
longer teirs wrung from an agony Of
fresh sorrow. hot ard bitter with the
gall of a sharp remorse. They are cool
ing. grateful, pearly tears, that spring
/. from the gentle fount Of a chastened
: spirit, mellowed grief. and they fall
as soo'hinely as falls the freshness ofthe
evening dew upon the thirsty leafet.
. With these tears vet lingering on her
cheek. her thoughts are borne a little
/ further back upon times current to $
! rr,nrla sh.dnnr-r- nat ..r,d .bn h.nr. IL.