Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-01-01
The treasures of the deep are not so great
As the concealed comforts OF man
I-ncs ed in =. L...-.


: We had brilliant ride through tn
e woods, over the old bridge, and past tn
r castle, which was all shut up, the famil,
i being in London. But the night was evi
E IDENTIFY changing, and gathering for rain
and large dull masses of clOwd were sailin!
, across the moons face, and obscuring he
: light. In an hour we had reached tht
: rangers house, cmbosomed in trees, anC
: We were scarcely in shelter, when the storm
, came on most violently, the thunder rat
ting and pealing, the lightning flashing
every minute with brilliancy almost blind
ing, deluging the whole air with fire, and
the rain falling in pailfulls; the wind driv.
ing 1t furiously against the window panes
and on the states of the unceiled house in
which we were sheltered was now sor-
ry had come, for the prospect of our home
ride was anything but agreeable, and !
would willingly have given my Treatise
on AnemOlogy'' to its kindred winds, to be
once more safely under Earl Desmond's
oak, or encOnsed in an armchair at Mary
Fonts bright ireside The sick man, too,
was much better it was false alarm; he
lad only tainted, and they imagined it to
be approaching death. In the midst of
my perplexity, L could not but admire Har-
ry's greattact and adaptation of himself, as
well as his tenderness and care with these
poor people; he seemed quite to forget self
to be deaf to the storm and blind to the
lightning. while he read the Scriptures, and
prayed iervently and simply, anal was in
deed among them, like his Divine Master,
''as one that serveth;" and | confess was
rcprOved, and felt ashamed of my selfish
ness when | compared it with his disinter-
estedness and devotion.
1t was now just midnight, and it seemed
as if the old year at that dread hour was
battling fiercely for his right, as amidst
contcnding elements-the storm, the light
ming. the thunder, and the rain-he abdica-
ted his sovereignty, and withdrew in sullen
subjection to the fated orb of Time The
clock in the keepers kitchen had struck
twelve; the sick man had fallen asleep; We
sat on, and still on, listening to the storm,
and watching and praying for change
And now the clock struck one, and was an
swered by peal of thunder that shook the
house and the very heavens; the rain plash-
ing against the windows, and the wind
whooping. and screaming. and raging out
among the dense old woods. with noise
and din at once horrible and confounding.
Harry was urgent on me to lie down; he
was dreadfully pale, yet it could not be
from fear, for he had twice ventured out
of the house, that he might report on the
probable cessation of the storm. Truth to
speak, L was thoroughly weary; and the
keepers bed being bright and sweet. and
the sheets like snow, | undressed, and soon
slept soundly, and did not wake for many
hours, when l thought there appeared a
faint dawn; but Harry, who came into the
room with candle, said-"No, it is the
still; but the storm, thank God,
is subsiding" He was pale as corpse,
and his clothes appeared to be thoroughly
soaked l quickly rose, as was dressing.
he told me that, fearing for his wife and
family, he had made an effort to reach |
home shortly after two o'clock. John Ash
croft had accompanied him, and they had
ridden swiftly through the woods, keeping
to the more open glades, for the bOughs
were flying and falling; but on reaching
the Holmes, they found them all flooded,
and the bridge entirely swept away. "and
SO" said Harry, I'VE came back to wait till
dawn. Now, dear uncle, the rain is over
and your horse is ready, and let US start,
in Gods name, for | have passed miser-
able night; for @, uncle. the walls and the
roof of my house never could have stood
beneath last nights storm; and where is my
wife and where are my helpless children?
}, L am undone, unless God has taken
hem under his special protection, and
wrought some miracle on their behalf; hi
voice faltered as he spoke, and he turned
lis head aside.
was indeed greatly affected, and shar-
d his fears, remembering well the bulging
walls of the old house, and the topping
mass Of heavy chimney work which teetle9
,ver the roof beneath which these poor
loves had Lade thelr nest,
We rode very fast, getting out on the
ligh road. which was long circuit, but
'afe and smooth, passing over the river by
/ high stone bridge, which the food could
lot reach or ipjure. Harry scarcely spoke;
le appeared to be engaged in mental pray
+. We passed farm house, with its bag,
,ard outhouses all wrecked and desOlated,
md its strong roof turned up. Harry
huddered, and said
"If my merciful Saviour spares me this
lreadful cup, will will, indeed" -
Tears choked his utterance; L soothcd
i'm as best l could, but he spoke no more,
mt kept urging his horse into steady
allop, so that We soon reached the turn to
he valley in whose gorge the old hut stood
alf way UP the hill. The moon had now
ank, and it was gray dawn, should think
bout seven clock, but too dark to see
aore than perch or so before US. Pres
ntly we were at TIE lawn gate 0, heav-
ms! the great oak was down, lying like a
uee monster on the little lawn-not a YES
igc of the house to be seen.
Alas, alas! dear Harry, they are crushed
e death-Gods will be done.
He spoke not for moment; then he
TODD straight up in his stirrups. and drop
ing the bride, and clapping his hands
,gether, he uttered cry so loud, so deep,
0 shrill, in its heart bursting agony, that
haunted me for months after. Then,
,aping from his horse, he rushed to little /!
ath which brought US to the back of the
ever part of the dwelling, and bursting
trough lower door. he ran along pas
lge which led into the old rooms. AS he
IN, he cried, with piercing and troubled
oice-
"AIary! Maryl where are you? My wife, \
" own Mary. my best wife, speak to me
+ Gods sake. if you are alive. o. dear 7
It, speak to me-speak to me-my wife, /
y WIFE" '
But there was no response to that pas .
n L