Litchfield enquirer., 1862-03-20
Alisfellanp.
THE NIGHT OF YEARS.
BY GRACE GREENWOOD.

native State, New York, lived the father of oul heroine, an honest and respectable farmer He had but two children-Lucy, noble girl oi nineteen, and Ellen, year or two younger The first named was winningly rather than strik- ingly beautiful. Under manner observable for it's seriousness and nun-like serenity, were con. cealed an impassioned nature, and heart of the deepest capacity for loving. She was remarka- ble from her earliest childhood for voice of thrilling and haunting sweetness.
 1 Ellen Dutton was the 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, weak mother, and an idolizing sister, who unconscious ly contributed to the ruin of nature not at first remarkable for strength or generosity. 1 Where, in all Gods creatures is heartlessness so seemingly unnatural-is selfshness so detest- able as in beautiful woman?
 Lucy possessed fine intellect, and as her pa rents were we'll read New Englanders. she and her sister were far better educated than other girls of her station in that then half settled part of the country. In those days many engaged in school teaching, from the honor and pleasure which it afforded, rather than from necessity Thus, few months previous to the commence ment of our sketch, Lucy Dutton left for the first time from her freside circle, to take the charge of a school some twenty miles from her native town.
 For some while her letters home were expres- sive only of the happy contentment which sprang from the consciousness of active usefulness, of receiving, while impaLting, good. But anon there came change; then were those records for home characterized by fitful gaiety or dreamy sadness; inde6nabe hopes and fears seemed struggling for supremacy in the writer's troubled little heart. Lucy loved but scarcely acknow- Iodo fo Sb Jypa fbot eb was loved so for time, that second birth of woman's nature was like warm un-rise strug- gling with the cold mist of the morning.
 But one day brought letter which could not be forgotten in the home of the absent and a letter traced by hand that trembled in sym pathy with heart tumultuous with happiness Lucy had been wooed and won, and she but waited her parents approval of her choice to be- come the betrothed of Edwin W-- man of excellent family and standing in the town where she had been teaching. The father and mother accorded their sanction with many bless ings, and Lucy's next letter promised speedy visit from the lovers.
 To such natures as Lucy's, what an absorbing and yet what revealing of self is a first passion what prodgality of giving, what an incalcu- there of the deep waters of the soul, and how
 
 lfe If there is season when an angel may look with interest upon her mortal sister, it is when she beholds her heart pass from its bud like innocence and girlhood. and taking to its very core the fervid light of love, glow and crim son into perfect womanhood.
 At last the plighted lovers came, and welcomes and festivities awaited them. Mir. W. gave en- tire satisfaction to father, mother. and even the exacting beauty" He was a handsome man, with some pretensions to fashion but in manner and apparently in character, the opposite of his betrothed.
 It was decided that Lucy should not again leave home until after marriage, which, at the request of the ardent lover, was to be celebrated within two months, and on the birthday of the bride. It was therefore arranged that Ellen should return with Mir. w. to M., to take charge of her sisters school for the remainder of the term.
 The bridal day had come. It had been usher ed in by May morning of surpassing lovelness; the busy hours had worn away and now it was nigh sunset, and neither the bridegroom nor FL len, the first bridesmaid, had appeared. Yet in her neat little chamber sat Lucy nothing doubt ing, nothing fearing. She was already in sim- pie white muslin, and her few bridal adornments lay on the table by her side. Miss Allen, her second bridesmaid, bright eyed, affectionate- hearted girl her chosen friend from childhood, was arranging to more graceful fall the wealth To the anxious inquiries of her companion re- specting the absent ones, Lucy smiled gently and replied:
 "Oh, something has happened to detain them 1 a while we heard from them the other day, and all was we'll They will be here by and by, never fear" D.
 Evening came, the guests were assembled. and yet the bridegroom tarried. There were whisp- CTS. surmises and wonderings, and a shadow of anxiety passed over the face of the bride elect. At last carriage drove rather slowly to the door.
 "They have come r cried many voices, and Ellen entered. In reply to the hurried and con- fused inquiries of all around him, Mir. w. nut tered something about unavoidable delay" and stepping up to the board, tossed off glass of wine, another and another. The company stood silent with amazement. Finally rough old farmer exclaimed Better late than never, young man-so lead out the bride."
 w. strode hastily across the room, and placed himself by Ellen and took her hand in his l. Then, without daring to meet the eye of any l about him, he said: "I am under the painful necessity-that is, have the pleasure to an nounce that I am already married. The lady whom now hold by the hand is my wife p Then, turning in an apologetical manner to Mir. and Mrs. Dutton, he added Il found that had never loved until I knew your second daughter"
 And Lucy? She heard all with strange calmness, then walking steadily forward, con- fronted her betrayers. Terrible, as pale Nem- esis herself, she stood before them, and her looks pierced like keen, cold blade into their false hearts. As though to assure herself of the dread reality of the vision, she laid her hand on Ellen's shoulder, and let it glide down her arm but she touched not Edwin. As those cold fin gers met hers, the unhappy wife first gazed full into her sisters face; and as she marked the ghastly pallor of her cheek-the dilated nostril 1.-the quivering lip and the intensely mournful eyes, she covered her own face with her hands and burst into tears, while the young husband awed by the terrific silence of her he had wrong ed, grasped for breath and staggered back against the wall. Then Lucy clasped her hands on hel forehead and first gave voice to her anguish ane despair in one fearful cry, which could but ring forever thro the soul of that guilty pair, and fell in death like swoon at their feet.
 After the insensible girl had been removed te
 her chamber stormy scene ensued in the room ragged against w.; but the tears and prayers O . his young wife, the petted beauty and spoiled
 child, at last softened somewhat the anger o
 her parents, and an opportunity for an explana . tion was accorded to the offenders.
 o A sorry explanation it proved The gentle man affirmed that the first sight of Ellen love
 ly lace had weakened the empire of her blaine :. sister over his affections. Freuuent interview : had completed the conquest of his loyalty: bu ! he had been held in check by honor, and neye ' told his love- until, when on his way to espous