East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1862-07-08
A NIGHT OF YEARS.
by GRACE GREENWOOD.


Mr. Reader: / have sat some minutes
with my pen suspended in the air above
my paper. / have been debating del
icate point--I am in a position. You
will perhahs recollcct that one of Fanny
Forrester's exquisite sketches was enti-
tied "Lucy Dutton."
Now it happened that the real name of
the heroine of the "'ower true tale"
which / am about to do myself the hon
or of relating to you was no other than
Lucy Dutton. Shall / rob her of her
birthright, compel her to wear momms
de gusrre because my sister authoress
gave the true name to one of her ideal
creations? Shall l sacrifice truth to del
icacy? that's the question. "NoI" You
said no, did you not. Then Lucy, Lucy
Dut.on let it be.
Some forty years since, in the interior
of my behutiful native State, New York,
lived the father Of our heroine, an hon.
est and respectable farmer. He had
but two children--Lucy a noble girl Of
eighteen, and Ellen, yaer or two young
er. The first named was winning rath-
er than strinkingly beautiful. Under a
manner observable for its serious nun
like serenity, we're concealed an impas.
stoned nature and heart Of the deepest
capacity for loving. She was remarka-
BILE from her earliest childhood fora voice
of thrilling and haunting sweetness.
Ellen Dutton was brilliant antipode
of her sister, "born beauty" whose
prerogative of prettiness was to have her
own way in all things, and at all times.
An indulgent father, a weak mother,
an idoliling sister, had unconsciously con-
tributed to the ruin of nature not at
first remarkable for strength or gene
rosity.
Where, in all Gods creatures is heart
lessness so seemingly unnatural--is self.
ishness so detestaUlo. rs In a beautiful
woman?
Lucy possessed fine intellect, and as
her parents were well read New Eng
landers, she and her sister were far bet
ter edulsted than other girls of her sta
ton In that half unsettled part of the
country. In those days many engaged
in school teaching, from the honor and
pleasure it afforded, rather than from
necessity. Thus few months previou:
to the commencement of our sketch,
Lucy Dntton left for the first time hel
6reside circle, to take charge of school
some twenty miles from her native town
For some while her letters home were
expressive only of the happy content
ment which sprang from the conscious
ness of active usefulness, Of receiving
while imparting good. But anon there
came change; there were those records
of home characterized by ftful gaiety o.
dreamy sadness; indefnable hopes ant
fears seemed striving for spremacy in
the writer's troubled little heart. Lucy
loved but scarcely acknowledged it t
herself, while she knew not that she wa
loved; so for time the second birth o
woman's nature was like a warm sun
rise struggling with the cold mists of tn
morning.
But one day brought letter whicl
could not be forgotten in the home of tn
absent, and letter traced by hanC
that trembled in sympathy with hear
tumultuous with happiness. Lucy ha
been woed and won, and she but waite
her parents approval of her choice, T.
become the bctrothed of Edward W.
a man Of excellent family and standin
in the town where she had been teacf
ing. The father and mother accorde
their sanction with many blessings, All
Lucys next letter promised a speed
visit from the lovers.
} To such natures as Lucy's what al
sorbing and yet what revealing of self
first passion--what prodigality
giving, what an incalculacle wealth
receiving--wbat breaking up there
d of the deep waters Of the sonl, and no
heaven dcscends in a sudden star-show'
upon life. If there is season when
0 angel may look with interest upon h
mortal sister, tits when she beholds b.