The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-07-30
Gales an6 Sketebes ,
THE LILY OF THE GLEN.
BIZ CHARLOTTE A. sAwrELLE.

the din and the dust of the city, must
cal with the song of bro oklet and bird.
and fragrant with breathing of trees and
flowers, hidden almost out of sight by
the old gray mountains, lies the fair
little village of Glen. And in one of its
suniest spots, sheltered by elms of a
century's growth, mossy itsslf with un-
counted years, overrun with luxuriant
vines and EN- bosomed in roses, stands
the fairy little cottage whero dwelt the
pride of the village-its fair young Lily
an orphan from the hour of her birth
but so loved by her aged grandparents
that the name had never meaning
Beautiful as the flower whose name
she bore was the Lily of the Glen, and
as holy and shrinking in nature, too,
breathing out her sweetness in lonely
places, and coveting ever the lonely seat.
Scarcely more was she idolized in the
humble home whose life, and light, and
heaxty she was, than in every other one
of the scattered village, for wherever
she went, she carried blessing, and
from every threshold bore one too, now
from the growing lips of baby face,
and then from the quivering ones of
wrinkled age Pure in heart, not daz-
zlingly but softly brilliant in intellect
gentle and loving, for eighteen years the
maiden had led that happy life which
only the good and true can know-a
sunny life, scarcely daikened by single
cloud--a dowery one, scarcely prickled
by single thorn--a holy one, scarcely
Scared by single sin.
But her heart was saddened then.
First one ard then the other aged rela-
tive grew 8 ek, and for many weeks theG
lay side by side on the game couch
moarning in feverish dreams. Patiently
and tenderly did the young grandehild
nurse them, needing their slightest wish,
and giving 1p cheerfully the demands of
her pulse, that she might be ever with
them, and striving with all loves earnest
ness to win them back from the valley
whose shades seemed yelling them. Aud
even in the last fearful hour, though her
heart was sore and bleeding, she ealmed
herself and sung in sweet, though trem-
ulous strains, the hymn they asked for,
that on the breath of music their souls
might be waited into heaven.
But then, when all was over, her
strength gave way, and for weeks she lay
like frost-bitten flower ber checks
like snow and her lips voiccless. Yet,
thou Oh alone in the world then, never
had an invalid kindc, and more consid-
crate care. There was mono in the
whole village that did not render her
some service, happy to pay back debt
of love, and sad that it must be paid in
such way. Aud when at length she
recovered, and on the arm of the gray
haired pastor, slowly passed up the aisle
of the little church TO the seat that had
been vacant for nearly year, there
went up from every heart thanksgiv-
iugto the Father ia heaven, and when
her sweet, lute-like voice rose and fell
in waves of thrilling melody as she join
ed in the grand old hymn. tears Of joy
streamed fast from many eyes, and when
the service was over and the little group
passed out of the holy place, every right
hand was kindly clasped by her, and
from every lip there fell blessing.
But one among them did not greet
her, though his gaze followed her intent
ly from the moment she entered till she
left. It was q stranger, tourist, who,
charmed. by the rural beauty of the Glen,
had resolved, as the stage left him there
on Saturday evening, to spend few
days in rambling about its sunny spots,
and sketching its picturesque riversi
highly gifted, noble young man. dover
ed with princely fortune, who, having
completed his collegiate course, had
nought to do but while away his time in
the most agreeable way. But now, sur
feited with the pleasures of fashionable
life, he had turned away to seek in COM
munion with Nature and her true-hearted
children, that congeniality for which his
spirit ionged but had not found. either
in his aristocratic home or his wealthy
friends. His own mother had been one
of those spiritually organized beings to
whom holiness of life and devotion TO
duty is an neeessitous as breath, and
though spared to him but seven brief
years, she SO inwrought her nature into
his, that all the unfortunate circum-
stances of later years could not eradicate
1.-THE angel sung so sweetly in the far
depths of his bosom, that the syren
voices of temptation sounded to him
ever like hideous discords.
The proud lady, who ere two years
had left their greenness on his mothers
grave, was installed as mistress of her
home, gave no affection to the pining
boy, while his father, stern, grave,
tseiturp mss, though deep in his heart
-avaa of passionate
there welled strong 49,
feeling, manifested them only by seeing