The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-03-06

only KNOW tnat o4uHo ""o0'e' "N "
son were at tho bottom Of 1t, and that Luc!
Reid went to the altar believing that Justir
Keep had teen false to her."
"Dear me, now dreadful Did he e'el
como back?"
"Yes, the next May. Lucy had been a
wife two months. Justin had not heard ol
her marriage. She was at home visiting her
father. When she met him at the door she
fell down like one suddenly stricken with
ft.
"But he carried her into the house, and
there they learned oil. Both had been do
ccived.
at was q terrible scene that old front
room witnessed. Justin swore terrible
oath Of vengeance; and 1t was not III, with
clasped hands and streaming eyes,tho young
wife kneeled to the only man she had ever
loved, and pleaded for the lifo of her hus-
hand, that ho had promised for sake to spare
him.
"But from the day ofJustin's visit. Lu-
cy was charged woman. All the light and
gladpcss of her being seemed dead in her,
and she moved about her house. pale and
quiet. with q look Of patient suffering in her
once sunny eyes that made my heart ache
to behold"
"And her husband Did she ever tell
him what she had learned?'
81 think not. His father and Lucy's
died in less than two years after the mar
riage. The Squire was much less wealthy
than people supposed. The next spring Lu-
cy and hor husband removed West, and
somehow people lost sight of them"
"And Justin 2"
"You know tho rest, my child. He be-
came moody, unhappy man, asking no
sympathy and giving none. But he was al.
ways smart at q bargain. and in few years
he laid up enough to buy out Deacon
Platt's farm, when his son moved to the
South.
"Eyer since he has added acres to his
lands and hundreds to the banks; but for
all that he's man soured toward all his
race-a man who was never known to give
little child a smile, or bcssara crust OF
bread. have sometimes thought his heart
was like great desert, without tree to
shade or stream to gladden. it. And yet
it bore o bright blossom once; and, believe
me children, for it is the word Of an old
woman who has seen and known much of
the ways Of man, it Is so always. The
heart may be great wilderness, Jt in some
of its by-ways there has grorn ao'oer."
Cora and looked at each other, and at
uncle Charlie. Just then aunt Myra came
in. She had been out, and had not heard
of grandma Deans visit.
But Cora stole up to her unclc,and wind
ing her arms about his neck, whispered
al shall believe it always uncle Charlic,now
have heard that story about Farmer Keep,
that there as blossom in the wiiderness Of
erery heart"
1t was sultry Angus, day, in the sum.
mer passed at Meadow Brook. The wind,
low and slumberous rs the hush of moth
er's voice at nightfall, crept up through
the corn, and down among the rye and
wheat fields, that lay like broad green folds
about the dwelling of Farmer Keep. There
was no poem of flowers written about the
front yard; no graceful harmonizins touch
es, Of creeping vine or waving curtains
about the old red homestead; (; and yet 1t had
q quiet. substantial, matter-of fact physiog-
nomy, that somehow made home feeling
about your heart.
think it must have been this unconscious
feeling which decided the course of the girl,
who stood at the point whcrc the two roads
diversed, and gazed wistfully about her tina,
afternoon.
She seemed very tired, and her coarse
straw bonnet and calico dress were covered
with dust. If you had looked in her face
you would not have forgotten 1t. 1t coult
not have seen more than fifteen summers
, 1t was very pale, und its sweet, sad beauty
made you think of nothing but forest flower
drenched with summer rains. Her eye
+ were of that deep moist blue that rolls on
, from under the edge of April clouds, ant
/ her lips ripe and full Us meadow strawber
ries, had that touching sorrowfulness abou
, them which tells you always the heart be
, neath is full OF tears.
The girls hand clasped tightly tho littl
: boys by her side The resemblance betwecl
r them would have told you ut once they wcr
o brother and sister, but his life could no
have covered more than third Of hers
The little fellows large eyes were full O
!. tears, and the bright curls that crep, ou
|, from his hat were damp with moisture. ii
was hungry and tired, and motherles :
What sadder history can one tell of littl
D child
"Thefe, Benny, cheer up. We'll 90 I
that old req house, and see what we can dc
Don't 1t look nice with the great trees
front 2" SAID the ,yirl, in tone Of assume
, cheerfulness, as she quickened her steps.
EYES; but I'm 80 tired. Lucy. If onl
hada big picc, of bread and butter y
"well. dear, Ill try to get you som
, there. 1t don't seem like begging to asA IL
| it in the country"
o "A few moments later she opsnsd the oroa
Q hack gate, and went to the kitchen door,
Farmer Keeps housekeepcr-an old woma
' with yellow white cap, and check apro
/ tied over her lnsey woolscy skirt-answere
. her knock. .-....
o "Do you want any help, or do you kno'
c Of anybody round here that does Z sim'a'
b asked the girl. .s