The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1859-07-21

the vast prairie seemed laden with the sweet
breath Of many flowers; as we rode along en-
joying the calm beauty of the scene, Violet ut
tered a cry of SURPRISE and turning to look in
the direction she pointed, in a deep slough al
most in our path, we saw poor star standing,
trembling with fear, and up to the saddle girth
in the soft black mud, while Rose was creeping
away on hands and knees, her long riding skirt
trailing in the wet dirt, and her hat fallen from
her head, and hanging by the strings with its
once graceful plume dropping and broken. With
sad look of trouble, Rufus was the first to re-
cover from his surprise, and with Harry's as
sstance, soon extricated poor Star, and his
mistress, from their unpleasant predicament;
while for herself Rose declared that she was
perfectly delighted with her adventure, but so
sorry that good-hearted Uncle John had not
been there to share the excitement" Rufus kept
by her side the remainder Of the way home,
playfully calling her his wild Rose, and some
times too, thought his tones more loving than
hat, could have called forth. The next morning
after our pleasant ride, poor Violet arose weak
and i'll, one cheek was white and cold as if al
ready touched by the hand Of death, while the
| looked at my poor delicate flower that sad
morning, it seemed as if the heart in my bosom
almost grew cold; / felt that this was but the
commencement of heart-crushing woe !. it SEEM
I'd n +oho RI
pour its troubled water over my heart; but for
the sake of my loved one must bear up and so
[ did, for weeks while the fever flush frightened
on her cheek, and I had no power to cool its
burning; while the cherry lips grew parched
the fever thirst which could not alleviate and
it seemed as if my heart would, indeed, break,
when she asked for Willie, and when | carried
him to the bedside, she raised her feeble hands,
and tried to play with him as was her wont, but
even while making the effort, the smile died away
from her lips, and the light faded from her eyes,
and the dear hands fell weak, and poweress
across her breast. Ah me prayed so fer
vently that the fever might leave her but when
it passed away, the red cheeks turned to an ashen
hue, and the lips grew rigid, and all the love
light passed from the dim eyes; and then they
told me that she was dead and with deep sor-
row we laid her away in the grave; my delicate
flower, my blighted Violet. After that my lot
seemed hard one, indeed Rose was as proud
and naughty as before; her loss did not soften
her heart; and often times when she would be
away with Star riding over the prairie; and
Harry would be out at his work; would [ take
my little Willie, and go to Violet's lonely room,
and there weep over pictured face; and battle
with my tears, shining tress Of hair, which
had saved from the grave And then, too in
those sad hours of loneliness, and bereavement,
there would come to my heart, doubt of Har-
RVS love; i sought to Danish the wrong thought;
but then my hands were brown with toll and
was SO weary, and it seemed to me that he never
had the kind, encouraging word for me- as in
the sunny days beneath the cottage roof; and
somehow a thought of Archie Sane would now
and then intrude itself, and [ thought why did
Harry neglect me so often, and why was he so
eager for gain? One day after much coaxing,
I persuaded Rose to take care of Willie for me
while rode to the timber" Twas pining for
ramble under the old forest trees once again;
and going to the stable sadlled Archae, dear
Violet's horse, and rode away. When passed
Harry at his work he did not even seem to no.
tice that it was I who had escaped from my
prison for few hours. I was deeply wounded
by his neglect, and rode on almost unconscious of
the bright beauty Of the prairie. over which
was passing; and when Archie would crush
some fragrant flower beneath his heavy foot
steps, it would remind me of the light dying in
my heart, being churshed out by my husbands
seeming GOODNESS. Arriving at the wood, dis
mounted, and tying my horse to tree, seated
myself in the shade Of lofty oak and even
there the same old feeling haunted me thoughts
Of my happy married life in the pretty cottage,
contrasted with the tedious hours which were
then passing slowly away; Of the what was
and the what might have been, passed through
my heart and brain, and almost unconsciously
sighed aloud oh Archie