Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1858-05-14
THE St4ADOwS WE CAST
arr. seTHBr

| Pacdrufc eWeAea WltflH LIS Re6sss re 1eit
himself to be the creator Of thing of
beauty" and was conscious of new born
power. Arch wall, butiress, gateway draw
bridge, lofty tower and battlemenss were all
the work of his hands. He wes in wonder
at his own skiIl in thus creating from an I'M
| seemly pile of blocks, q structure Of sach
rare design.
! Silently he stood and gazed upon his cas-
tie with something Of the pride OF an archi-
tect who sees, after months or years of skill
fully spilled labor some grand conception in
his art embodied in his imperishable Stone
Then he moved around viewing it on every
side. Ii did not seem to him toy reaching
few inches in hight, and covering but a
square foot of ground, but real castle, lift
ing hundreds of feet upwards to the blue sky,
| and spreading wide upon the earth It's ample
foundations. As the idea grew more and
more perfect, his strange pleasure increased.
Now he stood with folded arms, wrapped in
the over-mastering Illusion now walked
slowly around, viewing the structure on all
sides. and noting every minute particular,
and now sat down, and bent over it with the
fondHess of mother bending over her child.
Again he arose, Purposing TO obtain another
and more distinct view of his work. But his
foot struck against one Of the buttresses. and
instantly with crash, wall tower and bat
tlemeHt fell in hopeless ruin.
In the room with the boy sat his father read
ing. The crash ia the room disturbed him,
and he uttered sharp, angry rebuke; glanc-
ing for u moment towards the startled child,
and then returning his eyes to the attractive
pages before him, unconcious Of the shadow
he had cast upon the heart of his child
Tears came into those blue orbs, dancing in
light moment before. From the frowning
face of his father, to which his glance sud-
denly turned, the child looked back 10 the
shapless ruins of his castle. Is it any won
der that he bowed his face in silence upon
them, and wet them with his tears?
For more than five minutes he sat as still
as if eleeping, then in a mournful kind of
way, yet almost Hoisessiy, he commenced
returning them to the box from which he
had taken them, the many shaped pieces that
fitly joined together, had grown Into noble
building. After the box was filed he replac-
ed the cover, and then laid it carefully upon
a shelf in the closet.
Poor child! That shadow was deep one
and long In passing away. HIS mother found
him half an hour afterwards, asleep on the
floor with cheeks flushed to un unusual bright
ness. She knew nothing of that troubled
passage in his young life, and the father had
iogoiten in the attractions of the book he
read, the momentary annoyance expressed
in words and tone, with power in them to
shpdow the heart of his child.
A young wife had busted herself for many
days in preparing pleasant surprise fcr iscr
husband. The work was finished at last; and
now she waited his return, with heart full
of warm emotions. A dressing gown pair
of elegantly embroidered slippers, wrought
by her own skiliful fingers, were the gifts
with which she mean, TO delight him. What
troop of pleasure fancies was in her heart!
How impatiently did she wait for the coming
twilight, which was to be dawn, not otapproach-
darkness to her.
AT last she heard the step of her husband
in the passage, aud her pulse Ieaped with fut-
tering delight. Like bird upon the wing,
she almost few down to meet hims impatient
for the kiss that awaited her.
To men in the world of business, few days
pass without their disappointments and per-
plexities. u is nsat,'s business to bear this |
manfully. They form but a portion of iife's
discipline. and should make them stronger
graver and more enduring. Unwisesy, ami
we may say unjustly5 too many men fail TO !
leare their business cares and troubles in theif
stores, workshops or counting rooms, at the
days deciiBe. They wrap them in bundles /
and carry them home to shadow their isofse- |
holds.
1t was so with the young husband ON this
particular occasion. The stream of business |
had taken an eddying whirl. and thrown his !
vessel backwards instead of onward, for |
brief space, aHd troagh il was still in the cur
rent and glidfng safely onward against It, the
jar and disaPpointmen had freited bis mind /
severely. There was no eart-warmth in the I
kisss he gave his wife, because he had /
let care overshadow love. He drew his arm
round her, but shc was conscious of diniii-
ished pressure in that embracing arm,
care you not we'll"
With what tender coBcerRwasthe question
askeds
aVery weA."
He might be in BODY bssF Hot ID fsifd; that
was plain, for his voice was far from being
cheerful.
She pluyed and sung her fa7osae pEeces,
hoping to restore, by the charm of music,
brightneess to his spirit. But she was con-
seioes Of only partfat success. There was |
still gravity in his manner never perceived !
before. At tea-time she smiled upon him SO
sweetly across the table, aad talked to, HIM
on such attractive themes, that the right ex-
preston returned to his countenance; and !
he looked as happy as she could desire.
From the tea-table they retained to their
pleasant parier and now the tisse has come
for offering her gift, and receiveing the COW
eted reward of glad surprise. followed by
sweet kisses and loving words. Was she
selfish! Did she think more of her reward
than of the pleasure she would bestow. But
that is questioning too closely,
81 will be back in moment she said
and passing from the room, she went lightly
up the stairs. But tone and manner betray-
ed Der secret, or rather the possession of Sc
crct with which her husband was 10 be sur
prised. Scarcely bad her loving face faded
from before his eyes, when thought returned
with single bound, to an unpleasant event
of the day; and the waters Of his spirit were
again troubled. He had actually arisen;
ana crossed tHe Hoor once OF TWICE, moved
by restless concern when his wife came
back with the dressing gown and slippers
She was trying TO force her countenance in
to agrave expression; to hold back the smiles
that were continually striving TO break in
truant circles around her lips, when single
glance at her husbands face told her that the
spirit driven away BY the exercise OF love.
had returned again to his bosom. He looked
at her soberly, as she came forward.
"What are these!" he asked, almost cold
iy, repressing surprise, and affecting ingnor-