The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-01-14

tracted as If we were about to start for Central
Africa, or departed on the Pataeonian mission.
He spoke about her on our ride, and told me
what treasure Of goodness and love she was to
him. told him how much really admired
her, and said l had perceived how finely and
sweetly tempered her spirit had become, and
finished by qnoting to him, old bachelor as
was, some fine lines from NARROW, which run
thus:
"The treasures of the deep are not so great
AS the concealed comforts of man
Locked up In woman's love.'
We had brilliant ride through the woods,
over the old bridge, and past the castle, which
was all shut up, the family being in London.
But the night was evidently changing, and
gathering for rain, and large dull masses of
cloud were sailing across the moons face. and
obscuring her light. In an hour, we had reach.
ed the rangers house, embosmed in trees. and
we were scarcely in shelter, when the storm
came on most violently, the thunder rafting
and pealing, the lightning flashing every minute
with brilhancy almost binding, delnring the
whole air with lire, and the rain falling in pail
fuiis the wind driving it furiously against the
WINDOW panes, and on the states of the unceiled
house in which we were sheltered. was now
sorry had come, for the prospect of our home
rioe was anything but agreeable, and / would
wnimsy nave given my Treatise on Anemol.
ogy " to its kindred winds, to be once more
safely under Earl Desmond's oak or ensconcad
IN an armchair at Mary Fonts BRIGHT fres;da
The sick man, too, was much better. !, was a
false alarm he had tainted, and thew imagined
1t to be approaching DEATH In the midst of
my perplexity, l could not but admire Harrv's
great tact and adaptation of himself as we'll az
ms tenderness and care with these poor people /:
ne seemed quite to forget self, to be deaf to the
storm and blind to the lightning, while he read
the scriptures, and prayed fervently and simply,
and was indeed among them, like his Divine
Master, " as one that serveth :" ard I confess
l was reproved, and felt ashamed of nv selfish.
ness, when compared it with his disipterested.
nees and devotion.
1t was now just midnight, and it seemed as if
the old year at that dread hour was battling
hereby tor his right, as amidst contending ele.
ments-the storm, the lightning, the thunder.
and the rain-he abdicated his sovereignty,
ana withdrew in sullen subsection to the fated
ORD OF lime. The clock in the keepers kitchen
nad struck twelve; the sick man had fallen
asleep; we sat on, and still on, listening to the
STORM, ana watching and praying for change
AND now the clock struck one, and was an.
swered by peal of thunder that shook the
house and the very heavens; the rain FLASHING
against the windows, and the wind whooping.
ana screaming, and raging out among the dense
olo WOODS, with noise and din at once horrible
and confoundiDg. Harry was urgent on me to
lie down he was dreadfully pale, yet it could
not be from fear, for he had twice ventured out
OF the house, that he might report on the prob
able cessation of the storm. Truth to speak. |
was thoroughly weary; and the keepers bed
being bright and sweet, and the sheets like
snow, undressed, and soon slept soundly. and
did not awake for many hours, when l thought
there appeared faint dawn but Harry, who
came INTO the room with candle, said" No,
It is the moonlight still but the storm, thank
GOD, is subsidiRg." He was pale as corpse,
and his clothes appeared to be thoroughly
soaked. quickly rose, and, as was dressing,
ne told me that, fearing for his wife and family,
ne had made an effort to reach home shortly
alter two o'clock. John Ashcroft had accom-.
panied HIM, and they had ridden swiftly through
the woods, keeping to the more open elades, for
the bougbs were falling and flying; but, on
reaching the Holmes, they found them all food.
ed, ana the bridge entirely swept away, and
30, SAID Harry, I'VE came back to wait till
dawn. Now, dear uncle, the rain ia over, and
your morse is ready, and let us start, in Gods
name, for l have passed miserable night for
y, uncle, the walls and the roof of nv house
never could have stood beneath last nights
storm and where is my wife, and where are
my helpless children? Oh am undone, unless
GOD has taken them under his special protec-
ton, and wrought some miracle on their be.
half his voice faltered as he spoke, and he
! turned his head aside
was indeed greatly affected, and shared his
Tears, remembering we'll the bullying walls of
the old house, and the topping mass of heavy
chimney work which beetled over the roof, be-
fhnon
| nest.
We rode very fast, getting out on the high
road, which was a long circuit, but safe and
smooth, passing over the river by high stone
bridge, which the food could not reach or in.
jure. Harry scarcely spoke; he appeared to
be engaged in mental prayer. We passed a
farm. house, with its haggard outhouse. all
wrecked and desolated, and it's strong roof
turned up. Harry shuddered, and said
If my merciful Saviour spares me this
dreadful cup, will will, indeed -
Tears choked his utterance; / soothed him
as best / could, but he spoke no more, but kept
urging his horse into steady gallop, so that
we soon reached the turn to the valley in whose
gorge the old hut stood half way up the hill.
The moon had now sunk, and it was gray dawn,
l should think. about seven O'Clock, but too
dark to see more than perch or so before
US. Presently we were at the lawn gate. O,
heavens! the great oak was down, lying like a
huge monster on the little lawn-not vestige
of the house to be seen.
Alas, alas dear Harry, they are crushed 10
death-God's will be done.
He spoke not for a moment; then he stood
straight up in his stirrups, and dropping the
bride, and clappipg his hands together, he ut
tered cry so loud, 30 deep, so shrill, in its
heart bursting agony, that it haunted me for
months after. Then, leaping from his horse,
he rushed to little path which brought US to
the back of the newer part of the dwelling, and,
bursting through lower door, he ran along
passage which led into the old rooms As he
ran, he cried, with a piercing and troubled
voice
"Maryl Mary where are your Ny wife,
my own Mary, my best wife, speak to me for
Gods sake, if you are alive. o, dearest, speak
to me-speak to me-my wife, my wife -
But there was no response to that passionate
pleading, as his feet paused at her chamber
door.
Yet no ruin. no destruction had been here,
and the first flush of hope rose family to his
brow, as he turned the handle, and we entered.
A watch light burning on the table, and
Bible open at the ninety first Psalm by its side,
and the young wife asleep in a large armchair,
looking, as thought, never more lovely. He
did not speak or wake her, but, kneeling down
at his bedside, he buried his face in the pillows,
and | knew, by the strong heavings of his
shoulders that weeping, and Thanksgiving, and
the voice of alteration, for great goodness, and
fervent supplication, were all ascending together
to Heaven, from heart which was greatly but
sweesly overtried with sudden Joy. He then
arose, and, turning to me, he cried, "uncle,"
and clasped me in his arms and then, again
kneeling down, gently and reverenly, and With
a look and smile of unspeaksble love, he took