The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-08-06
sT'E From the Springfield Repablicrn. T7a@
LIGHT OF THE BLIND MANS HOME.
A Story Of the Granite State.

"What is it, Ann ?'' asked Mrs Warren,
as she came from the pantry, well laden
with ediblss. " - 81, .a.
"Nothing, mother, only letter from
William The flush that bathed her face
and bosom with crimson belied her quiet
reply. But Mrs. Warren was too busy to
nstice that, and Ann too, was much accus-
toned to conceal emotions to continue her
efforts at emulating the roses.
"Perhaps you would like to hear what he
says, mother?' she asked, turning her eyes
from the closing words of tender adieus
almost reluctantly, to look for some prosaic
lines better fitted for her motner's hearing.
"Anything particular? I guess shall
have time to sit down a minute. The men
folks amt in sight yet," replied Mrs. War
rem, satisfying herself upon that point by a
protracted gaze down the quiet country
road, before she dropped upon a chair to
listen. L.. .... -.
eyes, William writes that he is doing
we'll, mother. Hear what he says - and
Ann read as carefully as though it had been
a legal document. She was rewarded by
ga very sensible letter, Ann, very. How
William improves. He always was schol-
ar. l feel proud of William. lie means to
make something in the world.'
Ann smiled brightly, and the rose tint
again ditfused itself over her fair face till it
glowed like summer sky at sunset.
"Hlgh ho! father and the boys are com
ing" cried Mrs. Warren, as she began to
hustle about. She could not lose m oment
for it was her pride and pleasure to COM
plete all preparations for supper at the ex-
act time the "men" appeared, with clean
and shining faces, in the kitchen, after hav-
ing taken their turn at the pump, and the
round towel in the back room.
Ann glided like spirit through the half
closed door, up the stairway, and into her
own little room, the precious, prosaic letter
clasped close to her bounding heart, her
whole face aglow with hope, love and en-
thusiasm. Then she unfolded the letter
once more to re-read it in security.
We do not wondor that it satisfied the
loving heart of its reader. Words of n fec
ton, Of hope and enthusiasm, bright pic
lures of the home now so near to them,
through his own uoaided eifcrts, ambitious
plans, inklinss of what he could do for her
sake, indted in bold, free hand, which of
itself bespoke a manly strength and energy.
All this in a letter Yes, Ann saw it all
there, and it made her SO happy that we will
not quarrel with her for painting her lover
thus, Il halo Of saint grace encircling his
human head.
Cam! Ann Warren, why, didn't you
know supper was ready long ago.
'Fm coming in a moment, mother" an
swered Ann to the shrill summons which
! broke in so harshly upon her day dreams,
as, hiding her treasure hurriedly, she paus-
| ed to make n slight addition to her toilet BY
smoothing her hair.
While she is absent let US employ our
selves in turning over leaf or two in her
| past history.
Ann Warren is the only daughter of a
! New Hampshire farmer, who had slowly
/ accumulated comfortable fortune despite
the draw backs of early poverty, and rocky
soil, for by no poctical license can We speak
| of fertile meadows, so called by courtesy,
upon a hillside. If he had earned his dol
+ lars hardly, he knew how to keep them. Il
cannot therefore be supposed, that either he
or his thrifty spouse would propose love
match for their only daughter with William
! Bradley, who had neither money nor expec-
| tutions, while DR.. Greeuleaf5 ouly son had
prufrssed an entire willingness to marry
I her at once, if he could but obtain her con
/ sent. There were pretty girls in the village
/ who wondered at Ann Narren's taste. The
! dashinC, rattle Drained, black eyed Green
, leaf charmed those who could see nothing
: remarkable in the modest dignity Of William
! bradlny's demcanor. After the usual
method had been pursued by Williams fall
/ ing 50 unexpectedly and desperately in love
with Ann, that ho he must needs consult
her upon the subject, they bothought them
selves Of acquainting her father and mother
A.: Of the fact.
as MATES ef cou>c, this opened the
ewes Of the worthy couple at precisely the
worst time of interference. But in their
zeal to mako everything right, they did not
uudeistn nd this any more than other wise
heads have done since tho days of Adam.
The law was laid down so emphatically that
the youthful couple were united in heart by
the very effort made to separate them. Ann
was an obcLllcnt daughter, for, although
she could not forget William, she could and
did break of al, intercourse with one whom
she dreamed Of day anI u;sht. Resolved
to convince Josiah Warren that he was
worthy Of better tres atment, William Brad
lev hurried away to Lowell, where he found
employment in machine shop. This proved
so lucrative that he returned 20 " Nostown at
the expiration of tho year, TO invest con
siderable saving, and talk with pardonablc
ostentation of his expectations. II AIMS
obedience to her parents had for Il laoment
shaken his faith in her constancy, he read
the history of her truth in the pallid cheek
and ustrress eye which cnchained his at
tention during the entire afternoon service
at the village church.
Old acquaintances greeted him at the
church door to make friendly enquiries, and
some, too dull to interpret Alright his abb
stracted and down-cast air, inquired, sig
nifcantlv, if he had met Ann Warren.
William hurried away from them to find
relief in the retirement in his fathers house,
but his mother, while ostensibly busted IN
LAYING aside her Sunday garb and preparing
dency of the Warren family.
"Therc was Ruby Warren-you remember
her, don't you, William Though, come to
she pined away till spring come. | knew
she'd live till spring, after she fingered
along through the winter. Almost always
consnmptive persons will drop away about
the time the leaves fall, but she didn't, she
fingered along, as I said before, till spring
COME was Just the age Of little Betsey
tudt pullSu tCiOiO ySh Neo oSAh' -'SAS
Warren, she went next after Ruby
William could endure no more, and seiz
ing his hat he hurried out of the house,
while the old lady ramblcd on her family
history, addressing herself to her husband,
and mildly wondering, now and then, why
William hurried off so, just as supper was
Almost all on the table.
William had directed his steps to the old
or,borI hob;,J bo I,rollipr houSp spot
savage and sterile enough to encourage all
the melancholy forcbodings Of his troubled
soul. From the granite ridge, he caught
sight of the village burial ground, desolate
field of graves, from which he instinctively
turned away, only to fix his gaze upon Jo-
siah WarrcI's three story house, standing
out bare and white, without sheltering
tree, or other ornament to relieve its unat-
tractive aspect. Thus his thoughts hurried
from Ruby and Mercy Warren, whose names
and ,ras he had often snellad off the gray