The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-02-13

peace.
Ill
SIX months passed rapidly, and how plea
sanity, nay vivid recollection of them testi-
tieS. As the yillagc-scho0ls were extremely
poor, and ! was fully competent to teach the
children myself, spent three hours Of eve
~ morning in study with them. Two after
Moons in a week devoted to Mays music
and Eieu's drawing; on The other after
moons they were free TO practice 1T home, or
to visit their village friends, aud receive yis
its in return. Our evenings were spent in
reading; and in the three months Of that
summer, they gained more intelligence than
in years before Their interest IN hnowl-
edge was aroused, and whatever they read
was made subject oflree and cheerful con
versation, thus liking important facts in
their memories and training III .ir minds 10
active thought. El,n adorned the walls Of
our sittiug-roon and IitJ!e library with sew
erai very fine crayon pictur-s. and may ad-
ded TO our evening readings the charm Of
her sweet singing.
At Christmas time we eqper'ed Captain
Fleming. With what glad pride looked
upon ny happy group, and thought Of the
gratitude he would feel, when be saw their
improvement and witnessed th,ir affection
for myself looked forward with a beat
ing heart to the meeting.
Il was fortnight before Christmas, and
we were already deeply engaged in Prepara-
tOh igr the merry season. Green bOughs,
with which to decorate the rooms We're BE-
Iri- made into festoons and garlands, and,
in sly corner, the Chri,tmss tree was wat
ing its hour Of triumph. + len was hurry.
in. to finish picture OF >2ntl-C.auS, TO
hang over the CHT!-tma,-cree, and Nay was
practiciDS iuceSs 4Huy, " 1t - love one an
other ~ th- piano forte, W-Ic little larry
entered gi.H even great = Zra' i possible,
into the PREPARATIONS for the >tviLIeS.-
Seated in lis ii-lIe chair. which, with show
Of -ecre.y, vas turned with its back to the
room, be was working with h.S jack knife on
a present for 3" mother which from occa-
sioua! g!aHces, jGl ga Uol.l DC Z lit-e yes-
sci.
It vas afternoon. and Ellen and had been
discussing the prophecy Of inviting some
friends to enjoy our Christmas Eve with Us.
eming. and every sound Of s!eigh-b.!ls
made Us rush TO tire wjadow.
'' Father j. come cried Ellen, as the
sound Of bells, instead oi passing, ceased at
the door, and We simu .ancogsy Y spranc up
AID ran 10 the window. There inlee s'ood
the expected coach. but who was that old
lady. Uilh = green baai-JoX held tightly in
her aruI-, now Juuduur oGL ot the coach
door, -cal5uE sharp a'aa-,s up at tie win
dow. whsle tue cya-L:a-u took down her
trunks:
its aunt Jane sad E''en, with
,aUc "a ut G.saF roiutu.~u-, and she looked
iu'p NY face rqur.r-y.
~!tis too bod. too Lll,' said May, half
cry ing, - for hyr to come and spoil all, just
as w were = have such u merry Christ
mas
"WeN, meet h,r kindly, and give her
weld. m. "a j, aud by that time the hall
hoor had opened, and Jane Fleming stood
N the midst OF Us. receiving our greetings
with kind Of g'im smile. The girls dives
ted her Of al. her many shawlS and cloahs
and iurs, and Harry drew rocking chair for
her close to the tire.
A. she warmed her feet at the CRATE, she
looked around her with a singular express
ion OF pity, mixed VITA triumph.
- have kept lny promise, children, she
said. :" told you il anything happened |
would come to YOU
IsiaI:ed from my scat, and shuiJer OF
terrible fofebod.ngs passed through me, as
remembered tlc promise to which She re-
ferred. janet Jane kioln NJ, wha, 10 you
ueaa - / cried.
She wiped lhe corners OF her eyes with
her handkerchief Then she said,
"ih! Il is a. thought. You see that
I, living on the sca-shote as DO, get news
in advance of you. said to myself, when
| heard it, that it would be printed in your
weekly paper and you would not get 1t be-
fore tomorrow 50 thought had better
step iAto the stage and ride down TO prepare !
your minds. Poor children Poor chill 7
dren ~
"What is it? :" said Ellen, grasping her
aunt's wrist with kind of nervous tiercness /,
Thi, suspense was growing irto'erable.-
Jane fixed her eyes steadily on Eller's coun-
tenance and answered slowly.
Last week, IN tife great storm, the May
Fleming was wrecked
A low cry escaped Mays lips. Jane"
I gasped, my husband-where is he :"
She looked at me composedly. :" The /
May Fleming was wrecked and sunk. Save !
the mate and one sailor, who hoated two /
days broken plank, every soul was
lost"
could utter neither cry nor moan, so /
S unning was this terrible news. L only ,
looked into the faces OF my children, who /
gathered about me, indulgirg their wild sor- /
row in pitiiul cries. Ellen only, alter brief |
time, seemed to comprehend my bewiidel ing !
anguish. She put her young, strong arms
about me, and led me, uDresisting to my
watched by her alone, |
lay silent and motionless all day long.
Bat my brain was busy. Is II to ms,
an untimely DEATH" thought, " that an
love are iated to come? Ny heart was wrapt
in my beautiful Henry, and he iaid down TO
die in the glory Of his youth; My love rose
ont Of his crave and gathered Itself, strong
as life about nv husband; aud now, in so
little while be is gone also. Was it for
this that gave my mind, my heart, my soul
70 his children, only that they should look
IN to me with their pitiful faces and cry,
{" we are crphans!" Where was he, when
we, his wife aud children, we're making
Christmas garlands? ,Ve were singing and
weaving the holly and cedar by the warm
irelight, while he, now struggling, now faint
ng and sinking, was smotheled in the hor-
rible waves! y
Such thoughts rs these filed my brain
with ceaseless horror; and all day lay as
oue benumed But suddenly, as 1t grew
dark, and Ellen brought lamp into my
chamber, was struck by her settled express
sion of woe. had forgotten that was not
the only sufferer That thought gave me
strength. ] rose, TOOK ner py me manu-,
a nd went down to the other children. l
gathered them about me, and we all wept
together. Then, and not till then, did feel
that could speak to them OF comfort.
The next morning orr paper came, ana
it's long account of the wreck confirmed the
sad tidngs. Days passed-s!owly, fearful
". was beginning to realize that We, OF
late such joyful group, were now the
widow and the fatberless."
was evening, and we all sat in the little