Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-10-19
Gboit giterature,
THE PROUD HEART HUMRIEn

The March night had darkened down
upon the little New England village of Ash
dale. 1t was pretty place in summer.
lying between two hills, on whose SUBMITS
the ash trees lifted their green arms to the
sky all the long, bright days, as if implo-
ring benediction, or spread them out low
ingly over the white houses nestled round
the one church belsg.
But tonight i. woee a. f5ffazsns aspect.
3 -ss-<h was upon tbr hills. A little snow
and hail were borneupo its wings, but
not much. Chiefly i was the force of the
rushing winds, shaking the leafess ash
trees hurting against closed windows
swinging the bell in the old church tower
till it gave forth, now and then, dirge-
like peal, as if the dead were rolling their
own requiems.
Many homes there were where the wild
scene without 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 oFnother bosoms, and happy
children gathered around the knee Of faith
er or grandsie, 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 with, over all, the sunshine
of youth and hope. Twenty years from
now they would look. into the embers
again, and see those fais castles, in which
they had never come teAbide, 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 to glad
den listening ears-no soft evening hymn
hushed slumbering babes to rest-no chill
dren's eager eyes looked into the embers.
1t was the stateliest house, by far, in the
little village "a lofty mansion, cleaning
white in the trees, with the roof supported
by massive pillars. Nowhere did the eve-
ming fire burn brighter, but into it looked
two old people, worn and sorrowful, with
the shadows Of grief and fhne upon their
shrivelled faqes-two who had forgotten,
long ago, their youths fir castles, who
looked back over waste feds of memory
where not even setting suntays gilded the
monuments built to their del hopes.
They sat there silently. They had sal
4 silently 4ye~ sirsAs the. dars9e1s sss5ii5Iea
only by er sge Sc iy, and ,,f9 in tbs
beckoning Ahds and white brows CLEAN.
ing spectral through the darkness. To-
ward them, pw and then, the wife looked
with anxious searching gaze; then turned
back again tward the fire and clasped hel
hands over she heart that had learned
through man trials the hard lessons of pa
tience. n... as
Judge H9ard was stern, self-conceit
ed man. lnhis native town, where he haC
passed all hi life, none stood higher il
public esteem Toward the poor he wa
5 liberal-towfd his neighbors just anC
friendly; YET for all that, he was hare
+ man, whose will was iron, whose habits
were grantee His wife had come to know
f this even in hr honeymoon. The knowl
edge was enclosed by her sad, waiting face
p her restraining manners.
f His dauglfr Caroline, his only child
! had learned tearly, and her father becam
j to be almost a much an object of fear a
i of tenderness.
o And yet be loved those two with
strength, that weaker, more yielding nature
q could not have fathomed When his chill
! was first put into his arms; when her frai
j helpless hands groped blindly at his owl
v he felt hestrong thrill of father-loyc sw ee
r over him. For the moment it swelled b
3 soul, irradiated his face, flooded his hear
r but it did INDEPENDENTLY change or softe
IS his nature. As she grew toward woma1
g hood, and her bright head glaneing in n
n path was the fairest sight earth held, h'
,s ringing voice the sweetest music, he nev'
gratifed her whims, nor always yielded
.. her reasonable wishes.
q At length love came to her. She gav
,t her heart to one whose father Judge Ho,
II ard had hated. James Runtly and he hs
h been young together, and feud had ari
. en- between them, which Rufus Howard
: stern nature allowed him neither to forg
nor forgive. He had yet to learn the le
h son, holier than all the teachings of see
q % and sages, the lesson our Saviour live
i, wrought, aye, died to teach, of forgivene
y even for our enemies-prayer for the
y y who have despitefully used US and persec
v, W ted us. His former enemy was dead no
m but not so the judges hate. 1t had be
transmitted, like real estate, to the de
20 mans heir; and so he forbade his daue
~ ter to marry him, and sternly babe
30 choose between parent and lover. She
~ herited her fathers will, and she put
of hand in Richard Huntley's and went for
~ ~ she would not have been her fathe
child if she had not, without tear.
II From that time, for ten years, her ma
had been a forbidden word. Letters.
% had written at first during her bani
ment-bnt they had been sent back u
pened, and for years no voice or tol
= had come to tell whether she were d,
n or living. Therefore, the mother lool
lot shudderingly into the shadow haunted {
ncrs, in the long twilights, and almost
lieved that she saw there the facefor wh
'ed her mothers heart had yearned momer
om all those years.
sy. Judge Howard loved his wife, too
/, st she had but known it Every outline
that sad, waiting face, every thread off
IKE silver hair, was dearer to him now t
on when the bridal rose crowned the girl b
,ey he had chosen, but his lips never SCOT
the away the sadness of that patient tace
1t is terrible night he said at len,