True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-04-07
A GOOD STORY.
The Homestead.
BY SYBIL HASTINGS.
TcoNcLUDED.1

All at once she caught the reflection
OF herself in the glass, above the mantle
piece, and reason questioned, stern and
true, if the flushed and careworn counte-
nance reflected therein, was such as the
blessed realization of pure hearts hopes
should have stamped in peace and joy
thereon; and as the girl looked, with a
sudden, sharp pang Of terror at her heart,
che saw that the innocence and gulleess
ness once depicted there had faded pre-
ceptibility with the deeper colorng of the
cheek--lhe darker light Of The eyes.
Presently the clear, ringing chime of
the far.off cburch,bell broke upon the
silence ofthe morning land turning round.
che beheld The frost-work melting slowly
from The window panes the first time for
many years ungarlanded BY the green
leaves and red berries Of winters ever
green's on Christmas morning. An earn
est desire, an irresistible impulse, carried
her to her chamber, there to envelop her.
self in her cloak. She did not stop to
adjust, with the little harmless vanity Of
olden times, The ribbonds Of her hat, or
the braids within; but went hurriedly
down again, as if fearful tina. the sudden
impulse which was leading her, for the
frs, time in many week to church,
would leave her as swiftly as it had come.
The deep snow which covered the
ground was hard.frozen the trees wee
laden with many a pendant Of glitering
ice. and over all fell the dazzling rays of
the unclouded sun. Something there was
in the invigorating atmosphere Of the
morning, and the exercise OF her long and
rapid walk, that cleared the shadow from
her brow, and lifted the gloom from her
heart. Exit.
The old church was dark with the dra.
perry Of its Christmas wreaths. The
choir was chanting the anthem Of the
Nativity, when Hope Raymond kneeline
where she had knelt since early childhood
with her head bowed low, felt her limbs
tremble, her cheek pale, with the agony
Of the mockery Of that position on the
part Of one, as she now, for The first time
clearly and fully realized, had trembled
on the verge Of infdeli'y.
But soon the burden of the weak ant
erring spirits prayer. "save us from
temptalionl" reverberated through tn,
chaos Of her despair. God and the angels
alone knew how great had been her dan
ger aud temptation, how abiding was he
penilerce.
All alone, in the moonlight, sat Hop,
in the deserted studio. She had sloleI
away from the ccmpanionship Of Aun
Bessie; she could not join in 'he ole
lady's gossiping humor that night--worl
and agitated as she felt herself by tn
experience of the day.
There was no FIRE in the room. but .h
girl felt neither the cold nor the absenc
Of light: for the moonbeams came dow
through the window in the roof. an
balhed her in their frigid glory, as she 81
there in Harry's easy.chair, with drea
Of coming grief minglng with the new
born peace Of the morning. Gradual
phantom fancies took possession ofhel
strange visions fitted before her mind :
In the still evening she was dreaming
wild dream Of joy and Of woe. i,
She stood in the shadows Of tbos
Christmas wreaths, and the mooulig,
which then StTsamed over her sleepln