The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-09-19


aud drink aud smoke ana dance and keen oner
mouse and enjoy life to the F1ll-feastinr from
years end to years end-the eeast Of reason
and the flow of SOUL yu know, in old Amber
I mead
| And then 2
Why then, suppose that in time l should
grow old like other people, and cease to car,
Tor all these things so much as did when you'll
ana strength were mine
And then? said MI. Canute more slowly.
Why then'-and the stranger hestated =
then, suppose, like other people, in the
course of nature, l should have to leave al
pleasures of thiR life, and, like other people
die
And then,' said Mr.. Canute, fixing his eye.
gllttering like diamonds, on the young mans
face, which flushed up as he exclaimed, with
some irritation,
oh. hang your 'and thens!' But the moor
is well up, | see so I'm off. Good night, and
thank YOU And without further parley, ht
started off OH his walk over the hills; Mr., Ca
mute silently watched his guests retreating fig
use till in the deep shadows of the surround ing
groves he was lost to view. In the moonlight
In the darkness, in the valley and on the hill
side, these words haunted the wayfarer and he
kept repeating TO himself And then?' Thoughts
took possession Of his mind that never had en-.
themselves i'll sequence which gave then
quite new significance. His past life present
ed itself TO him for the first time as a coherent
chain OF events. exemplifying cause and effect
and If his plans for the future did not al thai
moment receive any determinate change, he
still kept repeating anxiously and inquiringly
as he wandered on in the moonlight the two
strangely suggestive words, And then q Il
proved long and toilsome nights journey for
that belated traveller for he had left Mr. Ca
nute's cottage 50 hastily that he had forgotten
to ask for certain landmarks on the hills lead
ing to the place whittier he was bound. In con.
sequence the stars faded in the sky and the ro-
syi morn broke through the eastern mists ere
the weary man, from the summit, of a high hill
which he had tortuously assembled, beheld afal
OIL down in the valley, the shining river, the
bridge and the church tower of the town where
his friend, with some axiety. awaited his reap.
pearance
During ali his after life. the young man new
er forgot the solitary night walk " hen he lost
MS way beneath beautiful spangled summer
SKY the stars seemed to form the letters, And
then Z the soft night breeze seemed TO whisper
in his ear, And then p
1t is true that he had not gained the inteli
gence he sought respecting the inmates of Am
bermead Hall; but he had laid bare his own
folly Tor the inspection of Mr.. Canute; and in
return he had listened to no reproof-so tire
some lecture vouchsafed from prosy age to ar.
dent youth, but simply two words had penetra-
ted his heart and set him o. thinking seriously
Mystic little words And then ??
For nearly three years after Mr.. Harwel's
deeease, the old Hall, contrary to general an
ticipation, remaiped untenanted save by do
mestics left i'll charge. Miss Clara had found
shelter with her relative, Lady Ponsonby, tho
her memory was still Fl esh and warmly cherish
ed among her humble friends in her beautiful
native village Mr.. Canute, if possible more
silent than ever, still remained the village ora
Gle perhaps more cherished than of yore, mas
much as he was the only memento remaining
OF the beloved Harwells-the old familiar faces
now seen 10 more. He would listen, and then
would talk of days gone by; he felt the loss even
more than others, for he mourned the loss of q
companion in Mr. Harwell, and Clara had beer
to the good Two Words as an adopted daugh
ter. AT length il Was rumored that Mr.. Selby
the new proprietor was soon expected to take
possession OF his property in due form; more
over that he was on the point of marriage, and
that his young bride would accompany him.
LII reports fly quickly and it had been circua
lated that in former times Mr.. Selby had been
wild and extravaganza, careless of others. selfish
and profligate. Indeed, Mr. Canute had not
contradlcted such reports, so it was generally
opined they were too true and had legal foun-
dation. With heavy hearts the Inhabitants OF
Ambermead commenced their rural prepara-
tons for the reception of the Squire and his
bride; green arches were erected and wreaths
OF flowers were hung on the spreading branches
under which the the travellers road lay. 1t was
the season Of roses and nightlngales, when Am
bermead was its glory; and never had the rich
red roses bloomed So profusely and never haG
the chorus of the groves been more full and en-
chanting than on the summer evening wher
the young aud the old of the hamlel, arrayed il
their holiday attire, waited to greet the new
corners.
Mr.. Canute stood at his cottage door, the
bridge just beyond over which the route con-
Quoted 10 the Hall through avenues of greene
RE, was festooned with roses ; and band o.
maidens in white lined the picturesque APP
proach. The sun was setting when carriage
drove quickly up,slackening its pace as it cross
ed the bridge, and stopping at Mr. Canute',
humble gate. Two Words himself, barehea1ed
stepped forward on seeing a lady alight who, in
another moment threw herself into his arms
exclaiming-' Our first greeting must be from
you, dear, dear Mr.. Canute ] need not intro
duce Mr.. Selby-he is known TO you already
Speeches. from establishment and emotion the
old man could only say, Miss Clara = as lie
gazed from one TO the other, recognizing in the
gentleman, the wayfaring guest who had de-
parted 50 absuptly on his walking expedition
over the moon-lit hills, more than three years
previously, Selling the hand which Mr.. Ca
mute silently extended, MIR. Selby said, witt
deep feeling,
1t is to your instrumentality that owe my
present happiness
How SO Z? was Mr.. Canutes reply, looking
with pleased surprise into the open face, which
on former occasion, had won his confidence
and admiration.
Too words spoken in season wrought 8
change in me which all the preaching offriend;
and guardians had failed to effect, returned
Mr.. Selby,' and without which Clara never
would have blessed me with her hand. These
years of probation have proved my sincerity
and Lady Ponsonby "a severe and scrutinizins
Ijudge) pronounced my reformation complete ere
she permitted me to address Clara Those tw'
little words And then = enigmatical to the un
initiated, convey deep and mystical meaning
to my heart; and they are of such signihcan
import that by inserting them whenever l pain
| the future, l trust to become wiser and bette
man.
Clara gazed proudly and confdingly on he
husband and the news of her arrival having
| spread through the village, crowd collected
whose joy and surprise found vent in tears ant
blessings, TO say nothing OF numerous dStdeS
| purporting that Miss Clara never would hav'
espoused bad man ergo Mr. Seiby mus: be
| worthy successor of the ancient race
The Representation proved correct and tn
pathway strcwn with bright summer roses, owe
which Clara trod in bridal pomp on her way t.
the ancestral home where she was born was in
deed emblematical of the flower path whic
marked her future destiny
The old Hall of Ambermead is still extant-
a fine specimen of venerable decay, surrounde
by ancestral groves, still famed for shelterin
iDnumerabe nghtingales when the Ambermea
roses exhale their delicious fragrance. In tn
old churchyard on the green hillside, whit
monument CLEANS in the sunshine, whereon ma
be traced the name of John Canute, specifyin
the date of his happy death, while below is Ell
craven this inscription of two words An
then p
The Western Advocate denounces the pra
tice of loungiDg in front of the church door
, because, l. 1t is unpleasant to ladies coming
church, who are stared at numerically. 2.
is unpleasant to pious, meditative member
IL