Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1862-08-05
A NIGHT OF YEARS.
BY GRACE GREENWOOD.

Lucy Dutton.'
Nov, it happens that the real name Of
| the heroine Of the "'ower true tale VI hich
| am about to do myself the honor Of re-
lating to YOU, was no other than LucI>Dut-
ton. Shall | rob her Of her biuhright,
compel her to wear . aomame daquerre
because my sister authoress gave Tie true
name to one Of her ideal creatures Shall
sacrifice truth to deicacy? that's tile
question mo You said no, didn't
you3 Then Lucy Lucy button ct Il Be.
Some forty years since, in the interior of
my beautiful native State, New York,
lived the father Of our heroine, an honest
and respectable farmer. He had but two
children Lucy, noble Girl Of nineteen,
and Ellen year or two younger Tie
first named, was winninglY rather than
4 stfiki8ly beautiful Under a manner OBJ
selyable for its seriousness, and nunlike
serenity, were concealed an impassioned
nature, and heart Of the deepest eapaci-
ty for loving. She was remafkabl9 fl 10
her eailiest childhood for a voice Of thriIl-
inc and haunting sweetness.
Ellen Dutton was the brilliant antipode
Of her sister, 'born buty," whose prtrog-
alive Of prettness was to have her own
way. III all things and at all times. An
ndulgent father, weak mother, and an
Iidoiizng sister, who lad uneonsciousIy
contributed to the ruin Of nature not
first remarkable forstrength and generosity,
Where, ID all Gods creatures, is heart
i lessness so seemingly annatufal--is sci
fshness SO detestable, as in beautiful wo
man!
Lucy possessed a fine intellect, and ~
her paleats were well read New England
efs. She and her sister were far better edu-
Gated than other girls Of their station IN
that then halfsettled part Of the country.
In those days many engaged il school
teaching, from the honor and pleasure
which il afforded, rather than from neees-
sHv. Thus, few months previous 70 the
commencement of our sketch, Lucy Dut-
t6n left for the first time her firside circle,
to tske The charge Of school some eigh-
teen or twenty miles from hef native town.
For SO time her letters home were
expressive only Of tie happy eontentment
which atraag from the consciousness OF ne
tive usefulness, Of receiving good bile i'm
parting the same But anon there came
{ change; then were those records for home,
characterized by ftfu gaiety or dreamy
sadness; .ndeiuaIle hopes and fears seem
/ cd striving for supremacy IN the writers
troubled heart. Lucy loved bat scarcely
acknowledged il to herself, while She knew
not hat she was loved; 50 for time, that
second brit Of woman's nature was like
warm sunrise struggling with the cold mist
: Of the morning.
But one day brought letter which
IA could not re forgotten IN the home Of the
y absent, nd a letter traced by hand chat
~ trsmbled in sympathy with heart tumalt
"a nous with happiness. Lucy had been
wooed and won, and she but waited her
parents approval Of her choice, to become
4 the betrothel of Edwin W, Il man
o Of excellent family and standing in the
+ town where She had been teaching. The
father and mother accorded their sanction
with many blessings, and Lacy's next let
= Ter promised speedy visit from the
lovers.
10 such natures as Luy what an abb
sorbng and yet what a revealing Of self is
a first passon-whata prodigality Of Civ
! Ing, what an incaleulable wealth Of re-
ceiying-what breaking up is there Of
the deep waters Of the soul, and how
heaven decends ia sudden stal-showef mp
on life Ii there is a season when an an
Gel may look with interest upon her moral
sister, lis when she beholds her heart pas
from its bud-like innocence, and freshness
Of eirlho 4, and taskiug to is very core
The fereil light Of love, glow and crimson
into perfect womanhood.
AT last the !lighted lovers caae, and
welcomes aud festivities awaited them.
Dir. nv. gave entire satisfaction TO talhar,
mother, and even the exaeting "beauty
lie was handsome man, with some pre-
tentions to fashion; but in manner and
| apparently in character, nearly the opPo-
site Of his betrothed.
1t was decided that Lucy should not
again leave home until after marriage
which, at t3e request Of the ardent lover,
was to BE celebrated within two months,
and on the birthday Of the bride. Il was
therefore arranged that Ellen should re-
tarn With Mr.. Nv. to NJ. 0 take charge
of her sisters school fer the remainder q
The term.
The bridal lay had come. II bad been
ushered il by a May morning q sufnass-
ing loneliness; the busy hours Ind worn
away, and now it was nigh sunset, and
neither the bridegroom, nor Ellen, the flFst
bridesmaid, had appeared. Yet N her
neat little chamber sat Lucy, nothing
doubling, nothing fearing. She was Il
ready III a simple white muslin, ---and her
few bridal ornaments lay On the table hy
her side. Miss Allen, her second brides
maid, d bright-eyed, atfsctionate gIfl. her
chosen friend from childhood, was arfang-
ING 10 a more graceful fill. the wealth Of
light nnglets which swept herTowy neck.
TO the anxious inqairers of her eonlpan-
80. saes,ae4fn4s 4bs .bsan4 .St,aa& I.urv