The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1858-10-21

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nobody knew what had become of him.
A length there came reports to o.
of thin, haggard youth, who wan
dered about the country, begging his
bread from door to door, giving in re-
turn for charity, the touching songs,
which he sung in a soft, melancholy
voice, and the musical tones of an ac-
cordeon he carried with him, which he
played with peculiar feeling and skill.
Everybody treated him kindly, for,
although he was evidently of an insane
mind, there was mildness, melan-
choly enthusiasm about him which won
all hearts. Search was made for him.
His friends were not mistaken in their
suspicious. He was the wandering
| Gilborne."
"Oh, aunt - exclaimed Isabel, tears
filing her eyes.
"They carried him back to c..
For several weeks heseemed contented
to remain at home, but at length his
disposition to wander returned, and he
disappeared again.
"One chilly, rainy day, was sitting
alone in my room, amusing myself with
nv first child-then about six months
old-when there was airing at the door.
Our domestic had gone out, and there
being no one in the house but me, |
left Ella playing on the floor, and went
to open the door.
{" / started back with an exclamation
of alarm. Gilborne drenched with the
cold rain, was standing on the steps.
My first impulse was of fear, and l
would have shut the door in his face,
had he not looked up to me and said in
a melancholy voice
I" 1t rains. May I come in %
was touched. / held the door
open while he entered There was a
fire in the sitting room, and / made him
sit down before it to dry his clothes.
For ten minutes not a word was spo-
ken by either of us; but his wild eyes
followed me about the room wherever
| went. / trembled with an undefna-
BILE dred, and, oh how / longed to
hear the footsteps of Edward in the
hail. / tried to speak to the wretched
1 Il ,
and his eyes still followed me in 81
lence.
" At length, to my dismay, 1 heard
Ella crying in the next room. Gil
borne started.
:" Is that your child ?" he asked.
!" ! trembled as replied that it was.
Turning deadly pale. he started from
his seat and approached the room from
which the cry proceeded. Much as |
feared him, caught his arm. The
thought, that in a moment of frenzy he
might do harm to my child, made me
desperate.
"You must not 90 there!" / said,
can hardly tell what followed. l re-
member that his eyes glared on me
with momentary blaze of maniac
passion, that he pushed me from him,
that dizzy sickness came over me,
and | fell upon the floor.
Z" When l recovered my senses
saw him bending over my darling Ella,
as she lay on the rug, gazing up with a
baby wonder into his face. With a
cry of terror l sprang forward. He
raised his head. There was no frenzy
in his eyes; but tears gushed from
them; and then rolling down his shall
low cheeks, fell like rain upon the face
Of my dear child.
"He kissed her, and raising from his
knees, begged my pardon in a soft,
melancholy voice and words so delicate
that | burst into tearss. Before could
speak, he was gone.
How singular % exclaimed Isabel.
From that day, Gilborne's insanity
disappeared. He is now minister in
&C."
" Is that the man, the pious, bencvo-
lent, mild preacher, whom everybody
loves so well ?"
"The same. He turned to Heaven
the affections which were thrown away
upon my unworthy self. believe he
is happy, but even now when / hear. of
thoughtless flirtations, | am panied by
the reflections which they call up"
"But they seldom have such a mel
ancholy termination, dear aunt" timid-
ly suggested Isabel.
"True. Disappointment in love
generally leaves sorrow in the heart,
without shattering the brain. BIT
there are beings of such fine and SEN
sitive natures, that the health of both
mind and body depends upon the
soundness of their affection"
i Isabel bowed her head to hide a
blush and tear; and from that time
she was never known to indulge in
thoughtless fiirtations.