The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1859-09-21
THE PROUD HEART HUMBLED.


nut 70 rJigIse .sspa-s1s, ,.,II.sI
will your Father forgive your tresspasses."
The Marrh night had darkened down up.
on the little New England village Of Ashdale.
u was pretty place in summer. lying be-
tween two hills. on whose SUBMITS the ash
trees lifted their green arms To the sky ell
the long. bright days. as il imploring bsne.
,liction. or spread them uut lovingly over the
white houses nestled round the oHe church
below.
But Tonight il wore different aspect. A
storm was upon the bills. little snuw and
hail were borge uppn its wings. but not much.
Chiefly il WAS the force nf the rushng winds.
shaking tll- lealless ash trees; hurtliug against
closed windows; swinging the bell 30 the old
church tuwer till Il gave forth, now and then.
dirge.iike peal, rs il the dead were tOlling
their own rsquicns.
MANY haines there we're where the wild
scene without seemed but 10 heighten, by
the i0rce of contrast. the blessed caln
within--homes where smiling infants slept
warm and still through the twilight. 10
the soft hush of mother bosoms, and hap
py children gathered around the knee oi
father Or srandsire, 10 hear again some sim.
pie story or thoughtful ones looked intn the
lire. aud ia.hIoned irum tie embers brave
castles. IN which ,hey we're TO dwell ia the
coming time. with. over all, the sunshine Of
youth aud hope. Twenty years IRON now
they wnuld luuk into tie embers again, and
see those fair castles, ia which they had never
come to abide, with rune windows aud
blarksnrd walls
=" The tsilishi Of memory over all,
Aad the silence Of death within
Hut N ane house 40 stories were to gladden.
listening ears---no soft evening h,mn hushrd
slumbrring babes 10 rcst--uo ehiidren'. eA.
ger ewes lacked into the rmbers. II was the
ststeliest huuse, by Ear, in The little village
liity mansion. cleaning shite IN the trees.
with the rooi supported by massive pillars.
Nowhere did the evening fire burn brighter.
but into il looked twO old people, worn and
sprrowfal, with the shadows ~ gtlel and time
upon their shriyellcd idces--twU WIN had fur-
gotten. long agu, their youths fair castles,
who looked back over waste fields Of memory
where not eyeu setting sun.rays gilded the
monuments built to their dead hopes.
They sal there silently. They had sat
silently ever since the darkness gathered.
! The lofty, well furnished raom was lighted
only by the wood fires glow. and 70 the cor.
ners strange shadows seemed to gather, beck.
oning hands aud while brows glraming spec
trally through the darkness. Toward them,
now and then, the wife looked with anxious.
searching gaze then turned back again To-.
ward the fire and elasped her hands over the
heart that had learned through many trials
the hard lessons Of patience.
Jndge Howard was a stern. seli.cOnceited
man. In his native town, where be had pass
ed all his life. none stOpd higher 10 public
esteem. Toward the pour he was liberal
toward bis neighbours just and friendly; yet.
Tor all that, be was a hard man, whose will
was iron, whose habit. we're granite. His
vile had come 70 know this even 10 her no.
nrymoon. The knowledge was endorsed by
her sad, waiting lace, her restraining man.
ners.
/ Ills daughter Caroline. hi, only child, had