Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1860-11-22
4 Gooo STORY,
HEARTS UNVEILED:
THE FOELED STNATAGEN
BY VASA MoNROsE.
CHAPTER /.

"From a neat cottage by brook
Beneath empowering trees,
The lullaby of mothers love
Came sweetly on the breeze;
And by that brook SO clear and bright,
! An early primrose grew, .a-
| And the birds songs mingled with the light,
| And with the evening dew,
| And around that humble cottage door
little maiden played
Whose voic is blither than the birds,
Beneath her native shade;
And as she cropped the primrose sweet,
And laughed with infant glee,
thought that earth had naught SO glad
SO beautiful as she.''
Twilight dews were stealing gently
over the spring robed earth. The last
faint glimmer Of a declining sun had van
ished from the waters of the Merrimac riv-
er, and the gold crimson clouds that had
hovered in the glorious West, were slow
ly fading away. Near the banks of that
river was a small, white walled, vine clad
cottage. A cushioned lounging chair
had been wheeled upon the porch and a
lady was seated there, with her head rest
ing upon her thin white hand and on
her pale cheeks, and in her hollow in
tensely bright eye, could be read her
doom.
Radiantly beautiful had Mrs. Mernard
been in her youthful days, yet now scarce
a vestage of beauty was remaining, al
though those days were hardly passed
She had married when but a girl Of
sixteen: sorrow had been her portion since
then, and relentless death would now
soon claim her as a victim.
A fair child, about eight years old, was
sitting on the green before the door, with
her lap full of flowers, but it was not
those fragrant blossoms that occupied her
attention. Caught by the bright hues of
sunset, she had watched until the last
crimson glesm faded and when the bright
ness had even vanished from the waters,
and deep shadows were lingering over all /,
the first star of evening rose in the heav-
ems. Lower into the reverent heart of
that little child sank the star beam, and
she sat intently gazing mp into the blue
ether, where one by one the lamps of heav-
en- were being lighted, rr -
Mrs. Menard watched her child with a
look ofdeep, yearning affection upon her
countenance; as she thought how she was
to leave that fondly cherished blossom to
battle with the storms Of adversity, she
clasped her thin hands together, and rails
ing her eyes to heaven, she exclaimed:
Oh, Thou, who hast promised to be
father to the fatherless, the guide and pro-
tector of those who have no stay but Thee,
keep thoumy orphan child underthe shad- :
ow of thy wing-lead her home to Thee
and me. .ss.s 'tf.i.,a- ..-.
At the sound OF her mothers voice the
little girl turned, and gathering up her
flowers, came to her side. rat
Mamma, did you say anything to me"
she asked.
No, my darling, where did You get
those flowers?' .-....... .'.......
Some OF them came out of the weeds,
down by the river, and some of them
came from the garden. Mamma, why
don't you take me walk about now like
you used to?' '. '1 a'.t''
Mrs. Menard sighed deeply and an
swered the child's question by asking an
other. .......-.. ar
'Valesia, how would you like to leave
this little spot and go down into the far
south?' a' e
Valesia's dark eyes were raised to her
mothers face with look of inquiry.
Where mamma? To uncle Georges
with your ~ i, .a Doc s-sgarJ yt1 #
Not with me Valesia, my own dar-
ling child-it is not long that l have to
stay with you. ] am going where your
father is. and when leave you. your
home must be with your uncle George.
! ooh, my dear mamma. You will not die