Litchfield enquirer., 1857-04-16

was one that told him how the ship the one in which Ellsworth had sailed, had been , wrecked off the coast, and every soul had per:
 shed.
 Then the voice of the father woke up in the heart of Deacon Grant. He staggered toward Ellen with white, haggard face aud wild, , fearful cry.
 My boy my boy !' It was more than his proud spirit could bear.
 "Oh, Ellsworth Ellsworth p and his head fell into the lap of the frightened child
 After this Deacon Grant was a changed man.
 Eight years had passed It was summer time again. It was in the morning, and Dea- con Grant sat under the porch of the cottage. 1 Those eight years had greatly changed the deacon. He seemed to have stepped very sud denly into old age, and the light wind that stirred the green leaves, shook the gray hairs over his wrinkled forehead, as he sat there, reading the village newspaper with eyes that had begun to grow dim.
 And while the old man read the paper url- der the hop-vne, and young girl hummed and fiuttcred between the pantry and the kitchen table, young man opened the small front gate, and went up the narrow path to the house.
 He had firm, sinewy frame, of middling height he was not handsome, but there was something ill his face you would have liked
 The door was open, and the young man walked into the wide hail. He stood still a moment, staring around the low wall, and on the pam-euvrd paper that covered the sides
 A ,f.p Loc cto in, tbo Way of the kitchen, watching the fair girl, as she removed the small rolls of yellow butter from wooden box to all earthcn plate
 The last roll of butter fell from the little hands of the maiden, as looking up, she saw the stranger standing in the doorway, and her rosy cheeks actually turned pale with the start of surprise.
 The exclamation she made seemed to recall the young man to himself He removed his hat.
 Excuse me-" he said, with bow of u- stinct!ve grace, " but can you tell me, mad am, if Deacon Grant resides here !' ~....
 "Oh yes, sir Will you walk into the par'or and take seat Uncle, here is gen | tleman who wishes to see you ?'
 Aud in tuttcr of embarrassment, she hur- ried towards the door.
 The gentleman did not stir, and, removing his silver spectaclcs, the deacon came ill, and the two men locked at each other the elder with some surprise and a good deal of curiesI- i ty in his face the younger with strange, longing eagcrness in his dark eyes that seemed wholly unaccountable.
 Do you know me, sir?" he asked after a moments silence, and there was shaking in his voice.
 II do not know that ever had the plea sure of meeting you befure, sir, said the dca- con.
 But here a change came over the features of the girl, who had been watching the stranger ntently all the time. A light, the light of a long buried recollection, seemed to break up from her heart into her face. Her breath came Gaspingly between her parted lips, and with quick cry, she sprany forward.
 Uncle, it is Ellsworth ! it is surely Els worth 7"
 The old man tottered few steps forward, and said
 "Is it you, my boy Ellsworth 2"
 It is l. father. Are you glad to see me ?" and that strong man asked the question with d sob and a timid voice like that of child
 "Come to me come to me, my boz, that thought was dead, that have seen every night for the last eight years, lying, with the dark eyes of his mother, under the white waves Come to me. my boy "
 And the old man drew his arms around his sons neck, and leaned his gray head on his sons breast, and for while there was no word spoken between them.
 "You have forgiven me, father 2" asked the young man, at last.
 " Do not ask me that, my boy How many } times l would have given everything 1 pos sessed on earth, to ask, Forgive me, Els worth 7" and to hear you say" Yes, father :" And ths-this is Nellie? how she has :. altered. But knew the voice." said Els worth, at last. as he took the girls hand in r his own. and kissed her wet cheeks, adding very tenderly, My darling sister Nellie "
 And at last they all went out under the cool shade of the hop vine, and there Els. worth told his story l The merchantmen in which he had sailed , from home was wrecked, and many on board perished, but some of the sailors constructed a 9 raft, on which the boy was saved, with several s others. They were afterwards rescued by a f vessel bound for South America. Here Els. , worth had obtained situation in large mer- P cantile establishment first as a clerk, then as l a junior partner.
 He had written home twice, but the letters f had been lost or miscarried As he received Q no answer, he supposed his father had never : forgiven him for < running away" and tried to reconcile himself to the estrangement VI But he had, of late, found it very difficult ! to do this, and at last he had resolved to re , turn to his home, have an interview with his n parent, and try whether the sight of his long 7 absent son would not soften his heart }, Another year went by, and one bright sum a mer morning the old grey church on the green was opened and crowded with curious, smiling faces. sHe~a #@ " '' Suddenly there came hush oyer all ths