New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-12-19

I all that remained to be thought Of was his sacred
charge, the orphan May Noble. She was a little
1 thing Of thirteen years, so childish in face ant
manners as to appear even younger. shy, bu
| withal graceful and arch, and Intellectually o
| much promise.
After many days of grave and prayerful delib
Grafton, Judge Hawthorne arrived at the conelu
sion that he could do nothing better than leave he
under the care of the estimable ladies who presided
over Greenwood Hall, until the prescribed cours,
of studies had been accomplished, and she hat
graduated.
He wrote to her and to her teachers to tina
effect enjoinea that no pains or tenderness shoult
be spared in her rearing, informed them WHERE
their money could be obtained as it fell due, ant
with his affairs thus arranged, soon away from
the scene of his great sorrow, and shortly borne
on the heaying waves of the mighty ocean to the
shores of Europe. @
| CHAPTER H.
The end of five years found Judge Hawthorne
| still wanderer. The time that had seemed sc
| long when looked forward to, had glided mper
| ceptibly to the past.
! Ii had dealt gently with him in its Silly flight
The beginning Of it had found him alternating be
knween rebellious questioning Of Divine will, and
I ss6Hy indifference to life and its duties. Event
nally, sincere appeals for Divine aid had brought
unqnestioning faith, and necessarily perfect resg
nation.
A tender sorrow that must be lifelong, still re
manned with him, but while straying among the
sublimest works Of the great Creator, he had fell
himself elevated and strengthened, and while ex
aminng all that was marvellous in art and science
he awoke once more to the sense that man does
not live for himself alone.
In appearance he was scarcely changed. The
hopeful, anticipative glance was probably not SC
bright as of yore in his eyes, and around his ex
pressive mouth there fingered lines of seriousness
unknown to his earlier days. But his fine figure
was as erect, his carriage dignifed and pleasing
and the profusion of his dark brown locks were
unprofaned by the presence of a single thread OF
white
He had wandered far and wide, and had added
rich treasures to his previously well-stored mind
From Norway to Greece, every kingdom of the
Eastern continent was familiar to his footsteps
and in every principally from Ireland to Russia,
he had made himself temporary homes. He had
Travelled far into the East visited some of the king
doms of Africa, and was but now returned to Paris
to replenish his purse and mark out the route of
renewed journeyings.
His only correspondence at home had been with
Mr.. Haywood, and that not Of very frequent occur
renee; SO that, after months of ignorance it was
with real anxiety he sought for letters.
One awaited him from Mr.. Haywood and one
from Greenwood Hall. The latter announced the
fact that Miss Noble had completed her studies and
graduated in the most satisfactory manner, and
that in the absence Of any instructions from him
the principal Of that institution wrote to be advised
Of his further duties with regard to her. Enclosed
was little note from the young lady herself, ex-
pressing gratitude for the advantages he had af-
iorded her for obtaining good education, and
requesting that he would intimate to her his wishes
as to her future arrangements.
Judge Hawthorne thought the ehrograplly of the
note very graceful, and the phraseology unusually
elegant, and in being told that the writer had com.
peted her course at school, was for the first time
forcibly reminded Of the immense extent of time
he had passed abroad. He did not however, have
very realizing sense of the change those five
years might have effected in his ward: and associ
ating her as he did with his dead child, who had
never grown to him. lie thought of her as a child
still, and murmured pityingy " Poor little one, for
lorn and desolate.'
Then he fell to musing, and then the thought
came as to whether he was not neglecting sacred
charge, and then came the long-waited-for yearn-
ing for home the desire to 60 back and take IN the
burden of his responsibilities where he had laid
them down, and in it he found that the heart so
grievously torn was healed, the energies SO para
lyzed were restored to new strength, and life again
had charms. sn5.:....
Emerging from his meditations, he immediately
dispatched letter to Mr.. Haywood who. as it was
now the fall of the year. he knew would be return.
ing from his annual trip North requesting him to
make it convenient to stop in PHILADELPHIA and
take his little ward, May Noble under his protec-
ton, and carry her South with his family. That.
when arrived at home, lie would please be kind
enough to sec their old neighbour Widow Cseodall
and ask OF her the favor to permit one of her
daughters (Mss Polly he would preferl to take
charge of May, and preside over the household
until his return, which would probably take place
in about two months. Furthermore. to tell the
overseer to attend to all their requests, and he
careful that they were provided for and made com.
Portable in every respect.
Judge Hawthorne then wrote two short letters
addressed respectively to the Principal of Green.
wood Hall and Miss May Noble, informing them
that his friend Mr.. Haywood, would be in Philadel-
pha, he could not say exactly at what date but
probably soon after the receipt of those letters.
and that Mr.. Haywood would conduct Nav to her
home.
6.i. CHAPTER III.
BY the middle of the next month Judge Haw
thorne was embarked homeward bound. Two
weeks later saw him in New York, and the week
following in Montgomery.
1t was his fancy to arrive at home without any
more definite announcement as to the time of his
coming; SO taking lodgings at a hotel for one
night he proceeded the next morning, in hired
conveyance, to traverse the comparatiyely few
miles that interviewed between himself and his des
tination.
The feelings which now animated him, marked
how entire the change was that had come over his
spirit The last time this route had been passed he
had sat with closed blinds, hopeless and despondent
now in an open vehicle, his eager gaze wandered
from side to side of the familiar road finding in each
tree landmark, and in every hill an old friend.
u It occurred somewhat strangely, that through the
entire days travel he met no one from his imme-
date neighborhood and it was only when the sun
had sunk low in the west and the road had entered
upon his own possessions, that far down the lane
formed by the substantial fences on either side he
perceived two persons on horseback. AS he drew
nearer he found them to be male and female, and
he scanned them as closely as the distance would
permit. to see if they might chance to be acquan
tances. There was nothing, however in their air