Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1858-09-09
2 EATON, PREBLE C0I[TTY o SEPT eo

i.-,5so,r1is - EulLe1G9 hIBoS b. s.s 81
-ugiiFIrE .1lA Hab a,.j - upis.3- isE.
III TusHu3 si.Ul "a ig. issizs:i- 30 oil
-...E -. ..I.-.i ......I!... :............
before we shall be able to account for
either present or future Developments
E. GTnce Bernard was an only child,
and. the sole remaining tie to earthly
love, that bound heH fathers heart
Her mother died Yhep, she was young,
so young that Grace remembeTed little
except the devoted affection which had
left deathless iplp preston on her heart,
and the daily pr$V FER, which her meth
efs teachinS had made familiar to, her
Ups, apd By means Of which a Divine
Influence had sauctified her spirit, -
- The faiith 81 ald II,
nard. whose Business called Him much
abroad, arrapgged, to .fansSaet it by cor
respondence, aud retired to the village
home which he had ,purchased,as a. re-
treat. for his. wife In her. failing health.
Oracle s. intellectual advantages were
limited to occasional instruction by her
father, and, to what, was, far more inHu-
entail in her progress, a varied and ex
tensiyc course of,reading. Books were
her companions, her recreation-and
her youthful memory treasured from
them large stores Of Knowledge II
Mr., BERNARD became sensible at last
that Grace needed more Systematic train
ing, aud, anxious at the same fine to
Improve the means of public. instfuc /
ton, he secured as teacher in the VII
hge school, a young eollegian of high
literary Standing, but whose health. i'm :
paired by TOO close application, together
With his limited means, compelled him
to suspend study. aud seek some such
employment. - !. '--' ''.,' /
Gfacie's .sympathies in his misfor
tunes, of which the. wNorld. knew, moth
ing, strengtheneds her interest in one
who gained an. uncommon hold upon
the Affection of all his pupils. Mr.
Grant, attracted, FIRST by her dociIity,
| then by her rapid mental development,
Pand feeling a great debt of obligation
to her father, bestowed no ordinary at
eftenffSetnH upon her culture" The result
VAS that teacher and scholar, were soon
United By friendship, which on Oracle S
part, amounted to actual veneration.-
Mr.. Bernard wondered at the intellec-
tual maturity she was acquiring in SO
brief period, and gratitude was no less
strong than Gracies. v.
2; Thus, when the school term closed,
and Mr.. Grants contract for one year S
services expired, Grace was in her six
teenth ycaraand upconsciously growing
into, rare beauty both. of mind and .fca-
ture. But her, feelings and affections,
aud manners, still seemed those, Of child
hood. Only month had passed since
the end Of school, and Grace grew day
By day Increasingly lonely. Il was this
weighed heavily upon her thoughts in
the morning, and Of which she had com
planned in her journal. Going to her
room at night, she took up the book,
aud glanced over the record.
She had written, II cannot understand
it: With all the enjoyment have dis
covered in books, 1 ought to need less,
instead of more society than did year
ago Ny father and l are surely one
in heart, SO deep and pure is our affec-
ton; Perhaps my absorbing studies fOr
three InIohths, past have separated our
channels Of thought. No, that cannot
be, for has he not appreciated my pro
gress and ;epco draged me with the clos:
Here leaf fell from between nth the
pages of the book, and she read as she
took it from the floor: *. ~ f.....-..-
.Chisel in hand stood sculptor boy,
With his marble block before him;
And his face lit up with a smile of joy,
As an angel dream passed o'cr lin.
He carved it then on the shapeless stone,
~ ith many a sharp ineision.
In heavens own light the sculptor shone,
\ He had caught the angel=yision.
Sculpters in life, are we, as we stand
With ou. sou2s. uncarred, before US;
Waiting the hour when at Gods com
mand, -.r '..-...
Our life-dream shall pass DER US.
If we. carve it then on the, yielding stone,
- With; many a sharp ineision, ,,,,,.ii,,...
Its heavenly beauty shall be our own
OR lires tn 1T angel vision. ..,.i
. 1t was in Mr.. Grants writing, quoted
for her upon arslip of paper, in answer
to a question she had asked him the
day before he went away: "What shall
lido when school is closed?' -.e
Grace took up her pencil and wrote
rapidly under, her first entry Il have
found clue to the mystery. have
been idle, when I should have been
earnestly endeayoring to shape my life
for some high aim. 1 will begin study
with my father, to o-morrow." And hav-
ing promised something to the yearning
which was SO restless in her heart, Grace
slept peacefully, ~ -, r.,....=,s..s :.
With Grace, as far as outward action
was concerned. the will was signal for
the deed; and she Immediately com
menced the course which her decision
had suggested. Her firm resolve, and
strong love oflearning kept her steadi-
ly to her purpose; yet her faithful
journal had strong reason to suspect,
that some charm, which had drawn
Grace to her student life, was wanting.
But this was to be year of events to
Grace, a year of cares; each as it came,
l'Fcasting its shadows before" and eclips-
ing it's predecessor. 0nenight Gracie's
journal-page was blotted thickly with
tears. ff'My father is very ill; fear
-" Gracie's fear, the fear that she
had no power to name, was too truly