Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1859-04-12

French and English, that was sweeter in
my ears than purest Tuscan. r ,#
Then off again. like butterfly, opening
my books. putting my watch to her ear;
| and looking solemnly curious at the sound,
turning over my clothes, scribbling wild
Aourishes on my paper with pen or pencil,
and, quick as flight of bird, away again to
announce TO Mamie, that ale grand chere, !"
the great darling, was awake, and so hun
gry for breakfast.
And so through the day, however
might be occupied, she was never away
from me for an hour. Light and restless,
like some winged thing, she was to and frc,
up and down in the house and garden, ali
the live-long day; dancing, singing. talk
| ing to herself, when / was too occupied to
attend TO her; no more disturbing me in
I, my busiest hours than tire sunshine that
streamed in at my window, or the swal-
lows that built aud chirped in the caves
above il. Long walks we used to take to-
gether. she bounding by my side, now
ciinging TO my hand, now springing off
after Wild flower or berry, till lap and arms
we're full; all beamin9 and joyous until a
beggar came in sight; then the bright face
would lengthen, the step slacken, and the
small money l always carried in my pocket
| to provide against such emergencies, was
brought into request, and given with
willing hand and gentle words of pity and
coincidence, and for some PAGES further the
little heart and brain were yet oppressed
! with the impression of the sight of suffer
ing.
| In the evenings, by the dying sunlight
or the winter fire, she would climb to my
knee, claiming story; and, while related
1 some remembered history, or improvised
some original one, there she sat, with rap
tu-ed face, gazing in mine, those ruby lips
apart, showing the glistening teeth; put
! tinr in now and tho soma a'"''"-s 4 1'ee'io"'
pausing long at tho close OF the narrative
| to muse over it and fully digest certain
points that had made deeper impression
| than the rest of the tale. Then, as the
! light fell and the stiffness of evening
deepened into night, the head dropped on
nv breast, and like folded flower, the
blossom that frightened and perfumed my
lonely life, slept quietly, while L, sad and
silent, wondered mourntully over the past
| Ilook back now TO chat per od ofmy life,
and again it is not l whom l see sitting
there before me. Il is one knew, whose
affections, cares, and troubles were as my
/ own TO nae; but whose thoughts, opinions
and aspirations were quite other than
! those now hold, and on which now act
! The child seems hardly real, distinctly a.
( [ remember everv-the slightest-detal
concerning her; she comes before me in my
llonely hours like the remembrance ofsomi
vivid dream dreamed long ago; some vision
sent to cheer and brighten my pathway
through some long past stage of existence
that then seemed drawing on to its close
We know SO little what we can liV'
through and over, till the present II
emerged in the things that have been! til
the pages on which are inscribed in blacl
letter the great griefs of our lives ar
turned, and those that contain pleasante
passages are laid over them!
Mabel had achieved her tenth year be
fore l had reached my thirtieth birthday
and all that time We had never been a da
separated; had never lived any other lii
than the life have been describing.
) L had taught her to read and write
Mamie had TAUGHT her to sew; but othe
accomplishment she had none. Parh
that strange jealousy of other interference
partly horror could not control of sub
iecting my fairy to the drudgery of learn
! ing, made me shrink from calling IN othe
! aid to advance her education. It was bet
, ter that it should be so. | am always glal
now to think that did as L had done.
, NV child had been lent me, not give;
, , For ten years her blessed and soothing
purifying and holy influence was granite
, to tame and save me. For ten years Go
spared one Of his angels to lead me throug
= the first stages to Heavenl
, The task accomplished, He saw fit to re
: call the loan.
! II is thirty years and upward now, sine
Mabel died.
l have buried ano her wife since ther
; and two tair children; and four more ye
remain to me.
They are good, dear children to me, nor
: better; and handsome boys and girls to-
u But they are none Of them like my Max
my little fairy queen-and am not sorr.
I it is as we'll as it is.
6ey-If Won are threatened with hanC