St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-10-20

served efforts were resumed con-
sciousncss returned; hope revived :;
prospects frightened both life and
health was restored.
Years changes occur ::
Mrs. Arvine becomes a resident of a
little village in distant State.
Little Emma is sleeping, as | told
you, and Henry and Willie are quite
large boys and as Mrs. Arvine and
myself had, from our girlhood, been
on terms of intimacy, unceremoni-
ously dropped in upon her one winter
evening. She met me at the door
with her accustomed smile, but soon
perceived that | had unfortunately
happened in at the wrong time
Though she sought to appear cheerful,
her features truthfully told that her
heart was the seat of painful, conflict
ing emotions. The family had com
pletcd their evening meal. Mr.. Ar
vine had gone down street to adjust
some business matters. Henry and
Willie were sitting by the stove, each
with book in hand, looking unusually
thoughtful. while Mrs. Arvinc seemed
mechanically arranging her household
affairs. quietly took seat by the
table, ON which were laid valisc, q
few single articles of clothing, and a
small, new bible. Feeling myself
rather unplcasantly situated, and
wholly at loss how to extricate my
self, took up the bible, and after
looking at its bright, new cover, for
the twentieth time, perhaps, | opened
it. On the blank leaf was written, in
the wellknown hand of my friend,
flames A. 4rriae,' for whom she de-
signed the book as a kecpsake,) and
beneath, the following lines:
Forget not thy Maker thy children, and wife,
Guard over thy person. profession, and life
In whatever danger, be cheerful, and hope,
Faith, courage and prayer form good an,idotc
For the tolls and the ills which crowd in thy path.
Man oft lives unblest, though abundance he hath,
And if at our tresde never more meet,
Yet daily, III spirit, at Ch1'ists mercy seat
I'll NEE, thee, my husband,-yield not to despair
For while have breath I'll wait for thee there"
closed the book and laid it upon the
table. l felt choking sensation in my
throat, my eyes were filling with tears
At length, Mrs. Arvine, (or Fanny, as
| generally called herr approached
the table, saying, Ruth, | hope you
will not attribute our extraordinary
silence to indifference or disrespect,
or think we deem you an intruder this
evening. At six o'clock tomorrow
morning Mr.. Arvine leaves for Califor-
MIA. have prepared these few arti-
cles in accordance with his direction,
and shall pack them now in his alb
sencc. This bible he will Of course
find after he is away, and its value
will be increased by the circumstan-
ccs. He will need it when he shall
have become hcmcicss stranger" |
made no reply, and she continued, Il
have often feared, during our misfor-
tunes, especially during this last year
of priyation and pressure, that he
would fall victim to the prevailing
"cpidemic," and have constantly en-.
deavorcd to exert what influence !
possessed to avert this calamity. But
his determination is fixed therefore |
must yield. The little that remained
to us after sickness and death had ac-
complished their work, co-partncrship
and its consequent evils has swept
away, and we are, as you well know,
an entire tcreck. The perplexitics and
embarrassments, which he finds Who'll
ly beyond his power to obviate or con-
troll, have at last induced him to make
this sacrifice, with the hope of even
tually rendering to every man his due.
| have not given my consent, neither
do believe he will return successful.
To say nothing of the hardships and
dangers which he unavoidably incurs,
the misery which he inhicts on his
family and friends far outstrips all the
gold which any one man can reasona-
bly, hope to obtain. But | shall seek
to make his departure as quiet and
peaceful as possible, and will endure
his absence as best can. have not
yet shed tear there will be time
enough for tears when he is gone.
While suffering some years since, from
an attack of inflammation in the chest,
| wondered that my life was prolonged;
and afterwards, when my darling child
was drowned, l wondered still more
at the dispensations Of Providence, as,
apparently, l only lived to sutler.
Subsequently was restored to health
and to the society of friends. l felt
that the sum of my life was relied
back some twenty years or more, and
the year following was, all things con-
sideed, the happiest year OF my life.
The past year has been peculiarly try
ing, but the present bids fair to be the
bitterest Of all"
As she concluded, the footsteps of
Mr.. Arvine We're heard in the hall. |
arose, and hastily bidding her good
night, passed out. Surely, thought l.
as walked homeward in pcnsive ST.
lence, "'Tis not in him that walketh
to direct his steps" | Isought reposc