Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-10-13
miscellaneous.
lFrom the Watehman and Reflector
THE PROUD HEART HUMBLED.

"But if ye forgive not men their trespasses.
neithel will your Father forgive your trespasses.
The March night had darkened down up
on the little New England village of Ash
dale. 1t was pretty place in the summer,
lying between two hills, Oh whose SUBMITS
the ash trees lifted their arms to the sky,
all the long bright day, as If imploring a
benediction, or spread them out lovingly
over the white houses nestled round the
one church in the vale below.
But tonight it wore different aspect.
A storm was upon the hills. A little SHOW
and rain were borne upon its wings, but
moi much. Chiefly it was the force of the
rushing wind the leafess ash trees; hust
ling against closed windows; swinging the
bell in the old church tower, ill! it gave
forth, now and then, dirge-like peal, as
if tho dead we're tolling their own requi
EN-.
Many homes there were where the wild
scenes wi;out seemed but to heighten, by
the force of contrast, the blessed calm with
.in-homes where smiling infants slept
warm and still, through the twilight in the
soft hush of mother bosoms, and happy
children gathered round the knee of sire
or graud sire, to hear again some simple
story; or thoughtful ones looked into the
fire, and fashioned from the embers brave
castles, in which they were to dwell in the
coming time, amid the bright sunshine of
youth and hope. Twenty years from now
,,.o,,ll l,al- .rt.> o,,l
see those fair castles in which they had
never come TO abide, with ruined windows
and blackened walls,
"The twilight of memory over all.
And the silence of death within"
But in one house no stories were told 10
gladly listening ears--no soft evening hymn
hushed slumbering babes TO resi-no child
ren's eager eyes looked into the embers.
1t was the statliest house, by far, in the
little village-a lofty mansion cleaning
white in the trees, with the roof supported
by massive pillars. No where did the even
ing fire burn brighter, but into it looked
two old people, worn and sorrowful, with
the shadows of grief and time upon their
shrivelled faces-two who had forgotten
long ago their youths fair castles; who
looked back over the waste fields of men,
ory, where not even setting sun-rays gilded
the monuments built to their dead hopes.
They had sat silently ever since they gath
cred there. The lofty, well furnished roor,
was lighted only by the wood fires glow,
and in the corners shadows seemed 10
gather, reckoning hands, and white brows
cleaning spectrally through the darkness.
Toward them, now and then, the wife look
ed with anxious, searching gaze; then
turned back again toward the fire, and
clasped her hands over the heart that had
learned through many trials the hard les
sons Of patience.
Judge Howard mas stern, self-conceit-
ed man. In his native town, where he had
passed all his life, none stood higher in the
public esteem. Towards the poor he was
liberal-towards his neighbors, Just and
friendly; yet, for all that, he was hard
man whose will was iron, whose habits
were granite. His wife bad come to know
this, even in her honey moon. The knowl-
edge YVES endorsed by her sad, waiting face,
her restrained manners.
His daughter Caroline, his only child,
had learned it early, and her father be-
came to her almost as much an object Of
fear as of tenderness.
And yet he loved those two with a
strength, which more yielding natures
could not have fathomed. When his child
was first put into his arms; when her frail,
helpless hands groped blindly at his own,
he felt the strong thrill of father love sweep
over bim. For the moment it swelled his
soul, irradiated his face, flooded his heart
but 1t did not permanently change or soft
en- his nature. As she grew toward wo-
manhood, and her bright head glanced in
his path, she was the fairest SIGHT eartl,
held, her ringing voice the sweetest music.
he never gratified her whims, nor always
Welded TO her reasonable wishes.
AT length love came to her. She gave
her hand to one whose father Judge How.
ard hated. James Huntley and he had
been young together, and feud had ariser
between them, which Rufus Howard's sterr
nature allowed him neither to forget no
forgive. He had yet to learn the lesson
holier than philosophy, loftier than all the