Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1860-03-08

never will again But must / say farewell
/ here 2"
at is better" / said.
Goodbye, then, dear friend dear
friend !" he whispered. "If you ever love
any better than yourself, you will know how
to forgive me-"
felt his kiss on my hand, and felt, rather
than saw, his last look, for dared not to raise
my eyes to his and I knew that he had
! turned back, and that | had seen the last of
! him. For one instant thought | would fol-
| low and tell him that be did not suffer alone
| but before my horse was half turned, was
myself again.
Fool !" | said. /" If you let the dam down
can you push the waters back again? Would
| that man let anything upon earth stand be-
tween him and woman that loved hin Let
! him 90 so. He'll forget you in six months"
| had to endure farewell call from Lucy
and her mother Mr. Ames had received
\ a sudden summons home, and they were to
accompany him a part of the way. The elder
/ scrutinized me very closely, but I think she
got nothing to satisfy her the younger kissed
aud shed tears enough for the parting Of twin
sisters How | hated her In a couple of
| days they were gone, Mr.. Ames calling to see
NE when he knew me to be out, and leaving a
! civil message only The house was closed, the
| faded leaves fell all about the little lawn.
That play is over, and the curtain drop
ped, | said TO myself, as | took one long iool-
towards the old house, and closed the shutters
that opened that way.
You who have suffered some great loss. and
stagger for want of strength TO walk alone,
/ thank God for work. Nothing like that for
bracing up feeble heart ! worked restlcssly
/ from morning till night, aud often encroached
on what should have been sleep Hard work,
| real sineway labor. was all that would con
tent me and l found enough Of it. TO have
/ been proper heroine, | suppose | should have
devoted myself 10 works of charity, read senti-
mental poetry, und folded nv hands yeVy meek.
| y and aud prettily but did no such thing
/ ripped up carpets, aud secured paint, and
swept down cobwebs, ! made sweetmeats and
winter clothing | deg up and set out trees,
and tramped round my fields with the man be-
| hind ne 10 see if the fences needed mending,
/ or if the marshes were properly drained, or the
/ fallow land wanted ploughing Ii made me
better. All the sickness Of my grief passed
| away, and only the deep-lying regret was left
ike weight to which my heart soon became
accustomed. We can manage trouble much
better than We often do, If We oaly choose tC
( try reSolVtelg.
had but one relapse. 1t was when | got
news Of their marriage. remember the day
with q peculiar diStincinesS for it was the
/ first sl0w-Storm Of the season, and | had been
ont walking all the afternoon. II was one Of
I those soft, leaden-cOlOred, eEpectant days, Of
late autumn or early winter, when one is sure
/ Of snow and / went out on purpose 10 see il
fall among the woods for it was just upon
1 Christmas, aud longed to see the black ground
covered. Bv,aud-by a few Cakes sagntercd
down, coaIetting as to where they would aligAt
then a few more followed, thickenjng and
! thjckeuiGg until the whole upper air was alive
with them, and the frozen ridges wh.tened
along their backs, and every little stiff blade
| Of grass or rush or dead bash held al It could
carry. 1t was pleasant to see the 6Biet w0B3
Ct 20 on, until the landscape was completely
/ chluged-to walk home eea5THg the snow
from the frozen road on which M feet lad
ground as | came that wav, and see the fences
full. aud the bellows dead in level, and the
birches bent down with their hair hidden, and
the broad arms Of the fr-trees loaded, Ike SON.
bre cotton-pickers going home heavily laden.
Then to see the braSSy streak widen in the west
aud the cold moon hang astonished uPoa the
dead tops Of some distant pine trees, was to
enjoy most beautiful picture, with only the
cost Of q little fatigue
When I got home, | found ameng ny letters
one from Mr. Ames He c0uld not leave the
couatry without pleading once more for NV
esteem, he wrote. He had not intended TO
marry until he could think more calmly Of the
past but Lucy's mother had married again
very suddenly into family where her daughter
found it nct pleasa-t to follow her. She was
poor, without very near relatives now, and
friends, en- beth sides had urged the marriage.
He had told her the state of his feelings, and
offered, il she cosld overlook the want Of love
to be everything else to her. She should neYer
repent the step, and be prayed me, when l
thought of hiu, 10 think SIS leni ntly as possible
Alas now | must not think at all.
How | fought that tAOught,-hoT | work
ed By day, and studied deep into the night,
,fllug every ho1r full to the brim with activity,
seems row O feEerish dream 10 me. Such
dead thoughts will not be buried out of sight,
bat lie cold and stiff, until the falling foliage
t of seasons Of labor and experience ediies round
them. aud moss and herbs venture 10 grow
OTer their decay, and birds come slowly and
carioosly TO sing little there In time, the
mound is beautiful With the richness Of the
growth, bat the lord Of the manor shudiers as
be walks that way. For him, il is always
haunted.
: Thus with me- I knew that the sorrow was
doing me good, that it had been needed long,
and tried to profit b. it, as the time came
when could think calmly of it 81. thought
I had ceased 10 lore him but the news of her
, death for she died in two years. taught me
better | heard of him from others,-that be
had been most tender and indnlgent to sell
| fish, heartleSs woman, Whe trifed With his best
feelings, and almost b-oke his heart before she
, | rrs,- hsari that ha had me child q nor