The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1859-10-13


the sunshine of youth aud hope. Tween.
ty years from now they would look into
the embers again, and see those fair cas-
ties, in which thev had never come to
abide, with ruined windows and blacken.
ed walls ..5....... ..-........ .s....
1.-THE twilight Of memory over all,
I = Aud the silence OF death within" a
But in one house no stories were told
to gladly listening ears, no soft evening
hymn hushed slumbering babes to rest
no children's eager eyes looked in the en-
bers. 1t was the stateliest house, by far,
in the little village; lofty mansion,
cleaning white in the trees, with the roof
supported by massive pillars. Nowhere
did the evening 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's fair
castles; who looked back over waste Gelds
of memory, wbcYe not even setting sun
rays gilded the monuments built to their
dead hopes.
They sat there silently. They had sat
silently ever since the darkness gathered.
The lofty, well-furnished room was light
ed only by the wood-fre's glow, and in
the corners strange shadows seemed tc
gather, beckoning hands and white brows
cleaning spectraliy through the darkness.
Toward them, now and then, the wife
looked with anxious, searching gaze; then
turned back again towards the fire, and
ciasped her hands over the heart that had
learned through many trials the hard les
son of patience.
| Judge Howard was a stern, self-con-
ceited man. In his native town, where
he had passed all his life, none stood high.
er in public esteem. Towards the poor
he was liberal towards bis neighbors just
AID friendly; yet, for all that he was a
hard man, whose will was iron, whose
habits were granite. His wife had come
to know this, even Ill her honeymoon.
The knowledge was 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.
| Yet he loved those two with a strength
weaker 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 come over him. For the
moment it swelled his soul, irradiated his
face, flooded his heart, but did not per-
manently change or soften his nature. As
she grew up towards womanhood, and her
bright head glanc:ng in his path was the
fairest sight earth held, her ringing voice
the sweetest music, he never gratiied her
whims, nor always yielded to her reason
able wishes.
At length love came to her. She gave
| her heart to one whose father Judge How
ard had hated James Huntley and he
had been young together. and feud had
arisen between them, which Rufus How
ards stern nature allowed to neither for
get nor forgive He had yet to learn the
lesson, holier than philosophy, lvftier
than all the teachings of scers and sages,
the lesson our Saviour lived, wrought, ay,
and died to teach, of forgiveness even OF
our enemies prayer for those who have
despitefully used us aud prosecuted US
His former enemy was now dead, but not
so the Judges hate. 1t had been trans,
mitted, like real estate, to the dead mans
heir; and SO he forbade his daughter tc
marry him, and sternly bade her choose
between parents and lover. She inherit
ed her fathers strong will, and she put
her hand in Richard Huntley's and went
forth; she would not have been her fa
theirs child if she had not-without &
tear. ....
From that time, for ten years, her name
had been forbidden word. Letters she
had written at first during her banishment
but they had been sent back unopened
and for years no voice or token had come
to tell whether she were living or dead
Therefore the mother looked shuddering
ly into the shadow haunted coruers in the
long twilights, and almost believed that
she saw there the face for which hel
mothers heart had yearned, momently
all these years ....
Judge Howard loved his wife, too--O
if she had but known it Every outline
of that sad. waiting face, every thread ot
that silver hair, was dearer to him now
than when the bridal roses crowned the
girl bride he had chosen, but his lips
never soothed away the sadness of thai
patient face.
at is terrible night" he said al
length, rousing himself from his long 81
lence. In the pause after his words yor
could hear how the winds shook the house
groaning among the trees, and signing
along the garden walk.