Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1858-04-10

and fathers care for howell Of pow
erty, and graceless husband?'e
" Father,'' said she, "shall I not
leave all for my husband %
"Not for an unworthy one," he an
swered, sternly.
"But he may yet become all my
fond heart can wish"
" What knowest thou, O wife, wheth-
er thou shalt save thy husband 20
"Not indeed, unaided by Heavens
blessing but does not Paul say before
that, yet not Paul but the Lord, Let
not the wife depart from her husband
Never!" said she, clasping her hus-
bands hand. Whittier thou goest [
will 60, and where thou lodgest l will
lodge; thy people shall be my people,
and thy God my God. Where thou
diest l will die, and there will be bur-
led; the Lord do so to me and more al
50, if aught but death part thee and
me-" .....
"Oh, my God," exclaimed the con-
science stricken man, g am unworthy
of the least Of thy blessings, and thou
hast given me the greatest. Forgive
me, my wife, my dear, noble Emily,
forgive me, for have erred"
"She is >mine," said he, to her faith
err, "mine forever, and naught but
death shall part us.' ..,.
CHAPTER III.
The noble mansion was closed, Its
tenant removed, and William Ashton,s
family found q homo under a loWly
cottage. -
Great vas the change; duty prompt
ed. aid love lightened the labor.
Two years passed-the cottage home
was an Eden; the husband and the
father was an altered man; his form
and features, though not proud and VI
vacious as before, was noble and holy.
The little cottage, vine-wreathed and
half hidden by shrubbery, looked cosy
and homelike, and the fields titled by
his own hands. smiled on his efforts and
yielded a rich reward,
Now behold him as he turns from
his labor, clad in stained garments,
all drenched and dripping in the fall
ing shower. As the gate swings on its
hinges, little feet patter down the
smooth trodden path, tiny hands clasp
his own, and childish tones welcome
the fathers return. He enters the
house-his home-all his own, not be-
queathed, but earned by his hands.
and removed his wet garments, seats
himself at the open window, which
looks out upon the setting sum-
Through the green vine curtains, Its
last rays pour into the pleasant sitting.
room, and a gentle breeze, perfumed
with the fresh earth, cools his heated
brow and impaired delightful fresh
ness within.
Emily, who had placed the last dish
on the waiting tea table, draws her
chair beside him to enjoy the beauty of
refreshed nature, while little Willie
runs to the opposite window to gaze at
the beautiful rainbow.
Emily" said her husband, throw
ing his arm over her shoulder, " do you
remember it will be three years this
fall since we came here!'
Eyes, and how altered is this place
since then"
| Yes, Emily, and too, am alter
ed. Since that sad day when we lief,
our beautiful home, brighter one has
dawned for me. That, Emily, was the
crisis Of my life. Had you, in that
hour Of fearful darkness, and awful
guilt, and gathering wrath, forsaken
me, | would have been forever lost =
But you, my guardian, have ever beer
near me; your love turned my fee
from vice, and base me live for virtue
your tears and smiles, like rain anC
sunshine, nourished my dropping spirits
while on the dark cloud Of adversely
you placed the rainbow Of promise"
49," said she, her eyes gIistenine
with tears, " and ours has been ricl
reward. Beautiful, indeed" she con
sinued "is the warm, gushing spring
with its unfolding leaves and opening
buds, like the spring time of love bu
more beautiful far, the maturity o
summer, when cleansed from all earth
ly stains. refreshed nature in her purit,
offers silent, but all pervading incense
to the great Creator
Yes" said her husband, tenderly
8: and thank God for the means tina
have thus far accomplished the end
and let Us pray that the autumn Of ou
life may be rich and abundant in it
fruits and as the winter Of age silent
Iy folds its white robes about us, ex
hausted nature may calmly rest in tn
hope Of glorious Immortality"