True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-03-31
STEUBENVILLE, OHIO, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 81, 1868.
The Homestead.
BY SYBIL HASTINGS.
CHAPTER l.
He who lOveth not, knoweth not God for
God is love u

70 He who loveth not, knoweth not God g; for
God is love T.
Some distance back from the road
leading 10 the village of MedfOrd, there
stands an old fashioned country house
Tall elm trees throw the ir dark shadow
over its antique portco and narrow
easements but the glory of summer
day-a day made up of sunbeams and
zephyrs-peneIrates the affluent June
foliage of those forest Trees, and fills every
nook and chamber, except one, with its
spirit cheering radiance.
In that chamber The blinds are closed.
The muslin curtains fall in snow white
folds 10 the mating upon the floor. But
the fragrance of flowers: and the perfume
of dewy meadow lands. that sweep in
many wide acre about the old house,
breathe mockingly to the tortured sufferer
within, of the exuberant beauty and life
without. For human being lies there,
with life's strength fainiing into deaths
mystery, and resting the while with the
unconquerablo adversary of mortality.
From the setting of yesterdays sun,
Hannah Worthing,on knew that she must
die before many hours; and with the
ebbing of her strength, the desire for a
prolongation Of her days had grown
apace. Not that life was dear 10 her in
its usual aecceptation-much happiness
and near kindred ties. The first frost OF
girlish disappointment had CONCEALED into
ice in her breast with the lapse of time.
The once gay blue eyes had grown stony
in their expression. She taught herself
to believe that the cold, passionless rou'
tine Of her daily duties was alone accept
BILE in the eyes of God, sternly refusing
any natural impulse, every desire of
softer birth.
And thus she passed frigidIy on fol
nearly half century accounting hersel
with arrogant pride, her Father in Heav-
ems well beloved and faithful child. M
charity for human fraiIties, in all thai
time had from her lips ever shed lis
divine sunshine over an erring spirit. And
yet none ever craved material aid, who
left her empty handed.
But woe to her, or to him, who failet
in the measure which she meted out as
duty, if of her they sought favor. "Gt
thou and sin no more !" fell never il
hallowed accents from her lips, when tn,
broken hearted penitent knelt suppllan
at her feet.
When or where she accepted the sterr
creed which she hugged to her heart unit
that hour, | know not. Perchance i
was born in that hour of lite's bitteres
travail, when love and faith gave way e
to their deadly opponents, faIsehood AM
despair; perchance it grew into strength
in the daily manifestation Of her owl
fathers life--a life unhallowed by low
Of God or man. However it might hav
been, in the end it gained the master.
over the home circle, and ruled ther
with despolism, like nothing else oI
earth. Even the stern old man, VIII
looked with naughty defiance on tn
passing of time, which was bearing hin
swiftly onward to the day when his Ia
figure which spurned the usual decrepi
tude Of extreme age, shall lie low in tn
grave-even he felt its subtitle infuenc
reacling on him. And now the tread q
many feet in the chamber above told hir
that Hannah Worthington, his eide:
child, she who had filed from her yout
her dead mothers place in his HON,
was dying but he stirred not.
Asian. his grey head fell the mello'
light-over his withered cheek, his CLASP
ed and trembling hands; but the sunligf
fell cold upon his cheek, with the gre
hue Of ashy terror thereon. In the Fl
rious carnage of battle, John Worthine
toms cheek had paled not as then. Th
spirit of the old Revolutionist, which hs
+ thrilled to the deafening roar Of battl
lay faint and trembling within his bosom
for he knew now Of fercer confii
going on beneath his roof.
Once, with tottering, feeble steps, b
! had cssayed to approach the death bed
but the shrill tremulous voice, prayir
E" Gods mercy for him, the grey haire
4 sinful old man," and with yet great
. anguish. entreating pardon for herse
> who had siEned even more than he--sl
' who had professed herself the faithf
disciple of His holy word, calling on Gt
/. for yet another life lease, that rising ont
4 more, she might better do His bidding
this he heard, and knew these words
}, be to her Of bitter significance.
IS Now in the sunlight sat the old ma
o driven off from the shadow Of that dea
a bed, which, had it followed life Of "
IS der charity, Of holier, broader Christi
" views had been lit by the efulgence
ID divine hope and peaceful failh-somethi
y y Of its peace and trust had, perchan
ID dispelled the gloom Of his soul.
,y1 But a sadder doubt than any viii
g grew into dogged, stubborn resolution
T. + his heart, was engendered that day in
: brain of youth, by another witness
e Hannah Worthinglon's DEATH