The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1862-06-12


last time upon the home of my father
The moon was out in all her splender;
she was kind to me, lighting up, with her
silver touches, all the spots my eyes might
wish to rest upon before [ went out into
the world wanderer. The broad fields
lay out smooth and shining before my
gaze the fields in which l had worked
by my fathers side since [ was little
boy-ah doar, kind father, he had
been! CAT this juncture my throat be-
gan to swell) l turned away from the
window.
If 1 could but see my mother once
more;" / exclaimed, rubbing my eyes
with my coat sleeve. "No one ever had
better mother than [ have"
/ sat down in chair and sobbed out
right. | looked around for something to
take with me that my mothers hand had
blessed with her touch. There was
spinning wheel in the room where [ slept;
and at the end of the spindle hung
wooden roll. With my knife / half cut
and half tore it off, pressed it fervently to
my lips, and then placed it tenderly Ill
my vest pocket. | had no time to do
more the old clock in the kitchen warn
ed me solemnly that my appointed time
had arrived and with a slow, sad, yet
noiseless step, L left the house. Once
out In the open air, my wonted hghtness
of spirits returned consoled myself
with the thought, that in q few short
years / should return again, strong,
healthy, wealthy, and influential man, an
honor to my parents, blessing to friends,
and the husband of Janet.
have otter wondered since, how |
succeeded in getting away from home with
my horse andseart without arousing any
one. But az good luck would have it,
made triumphant exit from the old
place, and in few moments was jogging
along towards the home of Janet. My
only dread was Of the sprite little Fanny
if, after all, she betray Us, what dread
full, direful, desperate mischief it would
be! l groaned aloud at the thought
/ said that if it was right that we should
go, We should go; if it wasn't right, in
all probability we should stay at home
yet, right or not right, if that miserable
little Fan did betray US, I'd spend all my
days in avenging the wrong--that was
certain. Was IN earnest did | mean
it ? But we shall see.
How earnestly and anxiously [ gazed
towards the chamber window Of Janet, as,
after fastening my horse by the road side,
[ walked cautiously up the long lane that
led to the doctors. Oh joy inexpressi-
BILE! The waving of white handker-
chief in the moonlight told me that every
thing was right that in few moments
should clasp Janet to my breast, mine
forever! All. how happy I was so
happy, indeed, that [ stood still there IN
the moonlight, with my two hands pres
sed firmly to my left side, for fear my
overloaded heart would burst away from
me entirely. What figure | must have
cut then What an Appollo l must have
looked, with my fine proportions wrapped
up in my wedding suit | was slender:
| was tall; was gaunt | am sure [ was
ugly looking at that moment.
What possessed me | cannot tell, but
from an old chest [ had taken blue
broadcloth swallow-tail coat, which had
belonged to my grandfather in the time
of the wars, and, in the pride of my youth,
had got into it. The tails came nearly to
my heels, while the waist was nearly up
to my armpits. The sleeves reached down
to the tips of my fingers, hiding entirely
from view the iuxuriant pair Of white silk
gloves, which l had allowed myself for
this important occasion. Above this un-
couth pile of broadcloth was perched
hat. Oh ye stars and moon that looked
upon it, testify with me that it was hat,
hat and not a stove pipe, hat and not
a boot leg That hat looking back as
if through the mists of twenty-five years,
seemed to have arisen t. the stature Of
two full feet, while the brim appeared
little wider than my thumb nail. My
eyesight isn't quite as perfect now as it
used to be, and SO [ may not see quite
rightly. Make all due allowance, dear
reader.
l say l must have looked ugly at that
moment. Be this as it may, l thought
was looking splendidly. [ thought that
the figure cut was an honor to the name
Of Brown, and felt proud Of it; proud as
| walked up to Janet's window, and pla-
ced the ladder carefully there that was to
bear her to my side. Everything was
quiet about the house. Fate was surely
with us, and Fanny had been bribed into
service. AS [ stood there, | could see
her light, 1.-the, little figure fit noiselessly
to aud fro by the window, and ah how
blessed her-blessed her, from the very
bott ,m Of my heart, for her kindness.
At last Janet commenced descending
the ladder, and as she did SO, the inoou