St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1858-07-29

upon q Hillialuft tnal lay lnerC
before him upon the table that support
cd his arm. Low his head was bent,
till his white locks touched the hal.
lowed picture. 1t was of young
and beautiful girl, and so like life the
likeness looked. The soft, blue ewes.
the parted lips, through which you
could almost feel the breathings of
the heart trcmblc the white, trans
parent brow, where every pale vein
was plainly pcrccptiblc. Oh, it was
a living likeness to him. But why
RACES he upon that young girl, that
man Of three score years. Is it a
daughter, an idol one, given back to
God No, not that. He was never
married He had passed on through
life alone, alone. And yet how many
prayers from the widows heart. and
the orphans had gone up to heaven
for him. And ever to the poor, lone
and forsakcn, he was a friend and fa-
ther. He was known to be very
wealthy, yet at times strange and &C.
centric, yet never did the destitute,
and dcsolate. and lowly find that he
had forgotten them. And why, with
all his generous sympathics alive and
active, with all their noble and god
like feelings, with his kind and loving
nature, did he ever remain single 2
His wounded heart could tell The an
swcr. Away down in its deep depths
the low, uniorGottcn voice of past
was present, whose hidden brcathings
was the sanctuary of all that was sa-
cred and holy. Yes, and. the voice of
the early dead and the early lost, whose
sweet, low strains, so sad 50 mourn
tul, would ever be calling through the
dcsolate depths of his heart. And
memory, oh, memory would echo DER
each one, till the wild, deep murmur,
so sweet, so sacred and eternal seemed
like the bright spirit Of the hours that
had gone by forever.
And still the old man gazcs upon
that one cherished picture, and still
he listens to the low whispcrings of
the past, whose numbers still steal on
as if they awakened no wild echo in
the soul, as if they brought no woe to
the heart.
The past. He has wandered back
over years, and he is there. Chil1-
hood and youth are lived over again
childhood-what was it but all of self
louth-it was little else
than waywardncss and scltishness.-
He was never taught his duty to earth,
his responsibility to God He was
brought up to no profession. lie was
never taught sclf-indcpcndcncc and
self cXcrtion. He was taught to res
pect the rich and dcspisc the poor
And what knew he, or what cared he
for the suffering and the sorrowing,
for the woe that was all around him !?
tie was the fragile son.. His fathi3issss
and in that he would find his future
not usefulness. He mover
thought Of that. He had never been
taught how much he owed to God
that all was His.
But the hour OF an awakening was
to be. A being Of celestial lovcliness,
Of rare and angel-like beauty crossed
his path. His Imagination thrilled
wildly beneath the power of her arms.
His dreamy fancy had found its idol
IDEAL. His soul was lured to worship,
and his heart offered all its homage to
her. He sought to win her for his
own. Tie did. He had never looked
for a refusal. lie had not thought
that possible. Handsome, gifted, ac-
wealthy, an alliance with
him would be an honor. His own
happiness was ever his first and only
thought. Was it not now secured for
ever? What more could he wish OIL
earth?
The day for the marriage was named.
The day, the hour. Bnt, ere they ar
rived, the beautiful betrothcd was
sleeping beneath the dark church-yard
sod. And what a blow had struck to
that thoughtlcsS heart, which beat SO
high with hope and happiness. 1t
fcllcd him to the earth. And he arose
from thence changed being. And
though the heart was still bleeding
there was ever a holy purpose there.
The soul was smitten but to be sancti-
fed. And the holy spirit of God had
written there its words that no other
shadow could ever wholly oblteratc.
And with what vast rcproach
came up his past life to him-so use
less and valuclcss. He knew that his
Father had taken away his idol, had
taken it home that his heart too might
follow. And lowly and humbly he
bent him to the all wise mandate of
Omnipotcnce. And now his life was
spent in doing good, and in the study
of human nature. Oh, how soon could
his deep glance read the heart of each
with almost omHiscient correctness
1t was to him Il destiny.
He had ever stunned q public life.
Honors had been offered him, but to
be rejected. What cared he, SO noble
in nature, so lofty in soul, 50 holy in
heart, what cared he for the hollow
sound of fame, the praise, the plaudits
of the many, the mockinG admiration
of the multitude ?
He was often visitor at Mrs. Ash
lands and his plain, just, sensible
and unpublished remarks but too often
annoyed the proud mother and the deli
cate Nictorine. And, though there
was some policy in treating uncle
John with a show of kindness, yet
they were ashamed of him when THEN
fashionable and particular friends
were present. And his calm contempt
Of the false and unmcaning manner
they assumed, told but too plainly that
the heart of each was barred to his
view.
CHAPTER II.
And whrrn WnS Eva 1t WAS ;