Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1857-08-26

and we were already deeply engaged in
preparation for the merry season. Green
boughs, with which to decorate the
rooms, were being made into festoons
and garlands, and in a sly corner the
Christmas tree was waiting its hour of
triumph. Ellen was hurrying to finish
a picture of Santa Claus to hang over
the Christmas tree and May was
pract;cing necessarily, Let us love one
another" al the piano forte, Vile little
Harry entered with even greater zeal, if
possible, into the preparation for the
festivities.
1t was after oon, and, Ellen and l had
been discussing the propriety of inviting g
some friends to enjoy our Christmas eve
with US. We were now in daily expec
tation of Captain Fleming, and every
sound of carriage wheels made US rush
to the windows.
"Father is come!" cried Ellen, as the
sound of wheels, instead of passing ceas-
ed at our door and we smu't ,neou ly
sprang up and ran tot the window. There
indeed stood the expected coach, but
who was that old lady with green band
box held tightly in her arms, now bund-
ling out of the coach door, sending sharp
glances up at the windows willie the
coachman took down her trunks?"
"It is aunt Jane!' said Ellen, with a
long sigh of disappointment. and s!.e
looked into my face inquilingly.
'.It is too bad, too bad!" said May,
half crying. "for her to come and spoil
all, just as we were 10 have such mer-
ry Christmas"
"Well, meet her kindly and give her
a welcome" 1 said, and by that time
the hall door had opened, and Jane
Fleming stood in the midst of u, re-
ceiving our greetings with kind of a
grim smile. The girls divested her of
all her many shawls and cloaks and furs,
and Harry drew chair for her close TO
the fire.
; As she warmed her feet at the crate,
she looked around her with a singular
expression of pity, mixed with triumph.
81 have kept my promise, children, -
she said. 81 told you if anything hap
pened 1 would come to you"
l started from my seat, and shudder
of terrible forebodings passed through
me as remembered the promise to which
she referred.
"Jane! Jane Fleming, what do you
mean?" l cried.
She wiped the corner of her eyes with
her handkerchief Then she said
"Ah! it is as though. You see
that l, living on the seashcre as l do,
get news some days in advance of you.
l said to myself when 1 heard it, that
it would be printed in your weekly paper
and you would not get ii till to morrow.
So thought had better step into the
stage and ride down and prepare your
minds. Poor childrenl Poor children!"
"What is it?" said Ellen, grasping
her aunt's wrist with kind of nervous
ierceness.
This suspense was growing intolerable.
Jane fixed her eyes steadily on Eilen's
countenance, and answered slowly.
''Last week, in the great storm, the
May Fleming was wrecked!''
A low cry escaped Mays lips.
"Jane!" 1 gasped, 10y husband-where
is he?"
She looked at me composedly.
"The May Fleming was wrecked and
sunk. Save the mate and one sailor,
who foated two days on broken raft,
every soul was lost!''
l could utter neither cry nor moan
1 only looked into the face of my chill
dren, who gathered about me, indulging
their wild sorrow in pitiful cries. Ellen
only, after brief time, seemed to COM
prehend my bewildering anguish. She
put her young strong arms about me,
and led me, unresisting, to my chamber;
there, watched by her alone, lay silent
and motionless.
But my brain was busy. "Is it to
this, an untimely DEATH" l thought,
''that all love are fated to come? My
heart was wrapt in my beautiful Henry,
and be laid down to die in the glory Of
his youth. Ny love rose out of the
grave and gathered itself strong as life
about my husband; and now, SO little
while, he is gone also. Was it for this
l gave my mind, my heart, my soul to
his children. only that they should look
up TO me with their pitiful faces, and
cry "we are orphans!" Where was he
when his wife and children were making
Christmas garlands? We were singing
and weaving the holly and cedar by the
warm freight. while he. now smolhered
in the horrible wavesl''
Such thoughts as these filed my brain
with ceaseless horror and all day l lay
as one benumbed. But suddenly as it
grew dark and Ellen brought lamp
into my chamber | was struck by her
settled expression of woe. l had for
gotten that l was not the only sufferer.
That thought gave me strength, l rose,
took her by the hand and went down 10