The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1860-05-25


yer 10 cut the traces was dragged from his foot
'ng' and was lost to sight beneath the foaming
waters.
Mr.. Hamilton, his friend, caught by the pier
and clam5ered &c the top of the bridge, while
the vehicle and the noble animal that Horace
had lost hls llte in trying to save, were swept
down BY the current. Horace was seen no
more. Many had followed down the stream,
thlnking' perhaps, the body might be found
but as yet were unsuccessful. A deputation of
young men had called for Henry, and they
were now on their way to seek the beloved
dead.
'And now, my child he said, 'go to Ruth,
but keep the painful tI1ings from her as long as
sou can. My poor child, your own heart is
IS breaking, but sympathy for another, will
make your own grief less hard to bear =" Kiss
ing ne tenderly, he sent me back to my own
room.
The light was cleaning family from the east,
and IN lis soft glow could See the flushed face
OF the sleeper. The Ioosened har Law in wavy
masses over the fair temples, and every flexible,
delicate feature, Indicated sweet, painless rest
Without, was the sulen roar of the remorseless
waters, filling my ears with wild requiems for
the loved and lost. | nestled closely 10 nv
cousins side and clasped my arms tightly a
round her, gathered strength from her peaceful
unconsclousness. Oh the intensity of that ST.
lent suffering the crushing of the strong sob
that panied my throat to sufocation
The morning sun broke radIantly thro' the
folds OF the close curtain, when Ruth, clasping
my hands closely in hers, exclaimed -
Dear Annie, how cold you are =
hen Snldanlv isipo bar ha,J H.
INTO my lace with an expression OF tender sym
pathy. Noticing my paleness, she continued,
'Oh Annie you are very i'll Let me call pa
instantly
But as she was in the act OF rising, mastered
my emotion, and babe her dress herself quick
ly, as had something important 10 tell her.
HaIf-bewlldered, she pasSively allowed me TO
assist her; and then held her head closely TO
my breast, and asked her, sIf Heaven had de-
manded OF her sacrifice OF that which she val
ued most on earth, what would it be q
With an lndescribable terror in her face she
only chung 10 me the closer, and told her, as
comPosedly as | could, OF the dreadful catastro-
phe.
For little while she sat gazing abstIactly
IN my face then realizing the puTport of my
words, IN sudden Tevulson of feeling she
sprang to her feet eXclaiming -
'oh, Horace Horace let me die, too can
not~l will not live without you Oh, Horace,
my cousin ! come back and speak to ne once
more aud let me clasp the hand which | so
scorniulIy repulsed that warm tender, kind
hand Annie Annien she said almost stern
Iy. 1t cannot Se Horace dead No, no
will not believe it =
Thus at intervals, she moaned and laughed
ncredulously, looking with an eager, question
ing look into the faces of each one who enter
ed our room with words of sympathy and con-
ISOLATION.
Then, as the day wore on, there was the
sound OF wheels without, and then followed the
hurried retreat OF shutting feet in the ball be-
low. knew too well the import Of that sound.
Ruth raised her bloodless face from the pillow
on which she had been nesting. For two hours.
she had spoken no word. She moved hurried
ly towards the door, but kind, firm hand re-
strained her.
"Not yet, my child, said the soft voice of aunt
Esther. "Bear up yet little while, and you
shall go to him.
Another long blank period passed, and then,
when all was still, took the hand of Ruth, and
we descended the stars, and passed through the
hail, where groups OF anxious faces were silent
ly waiting for look al the beloved dead.
We entered the rom so dark and chill, and
together we two, whom be had loved best in
ilte, stood pale, fearless, beside hlm-dead The
noble features wore no trace of the death strug-
gle. beaming peace rested upon brow and
lip. The knife was still cIasped in the right
hand, with grasp no power could unloose.
Ruth lifted the wet hair from the temples,
until the holy repose of the dead face passed
into her own young stricken soul. I lef: her
there along with him to whom, in life, her
heart had been knit with frmnpss that not e.
ven death could sever. FASTENED back TO nv |
room, and the wild passion OF woe that had |
garnered up in my soul, found relief in blessed !
tears.
Our dead was borne from our sight, and in |
The agony OF her grief, Ruth told me how she
bad seen as she thought, the face OF Horace
looking out at her from the eddying waves.
HIS body had been found some miles below, on
he day following.
Time came TO both, with healing IN its wings,
'ut the brightness had passed from Ruth's life
forever. And now, as she passes on her holy
mission through the needless throng, MANY are
he faces that look into hers for sympathy, un-
of the death-lhroe that sanctifed her
leart, and made her one of those "who profess
,odliness aud adorn themselves with good
works, - Home Journal.
u Somebody says that lady should al
ways ask the four following questions before
cceptlng the hand of any young man
Is be honorable
Is he kind OF heart ?
Can he support me comfortably
Does ne take paper and pay for it IN ad-
'ance,?
dying West India planter, groanlng to hls
avorlte servant, sighed out, "Ah Sambo, am
nIr rL,r.n l.. l. =. L