The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-01-08
Written for the Telegraph.


Through the black night the wind without L.
driving the dreary December ram against me 10"
roof but within, my lamp burns brI&ntIy' anH
can find employment in looking over this PACKET
ofletters. Unite the string carefully and lay them
down one by one, looking curionsly At the awiS
ward scrawIs on the brown envelopes. wonder
how could be so proud Of such letters, as re
member TO have been when / received those
But was young then and easily pleased Here
is one that looks like white rosebud ~ bea oil
red peoples it is III a tiny white envelope, iran
scriDed in a delicate, yet firm aud beautiful han"
writing ] pause, and the moisture dlms my eyes
as gaze and gaze on that letter while fresh, ENID
like memories are lifting up the veil OF those i"h2
years that have interviewed since was child
open the letter, and softly read over the fair
lender lines that Times hand Is sweeping from the
cream-colored pages Busy thought goes back TO
the writer as she was seven years ago. Carrie,
fair and lovely in soul, l am sure she was Twas
never so privileged to listen TO the tones OF her
voice. or To- look upon her face Butt have often
read over that one cherished Letter. and imagined
a personality fair and slight, with th,Ughtfui, ten
der eyes, where loveight likes to ljnger, beneath
a smooth white brow shaded by masses Of wayy
shadows were playing at 'hide and seek, with
every rnctiou ct the little head; aud II low, soft
voice which bioheiuto ripptes Of 7itvery laughter
or cheered earths stricken ones with words %
f,,th an trust. Sueh | often picture my Carrie;
but she might have been very differ mt for ali
kuo0 Her soul was beautiful at least full Of no.
bic and true thoughts
And shall I Tell you now ca ne by that letter
the br=t thai ev.c received addressed &" ne
alone Long agn there dweit in the CITY q, { --
a kind editor uE the p F. He loved iit i
folk7 and he gave us II Co uer IN his paper, wheht
he printed our feeble attempts at letter writing
provided we were clrel ] t. 1peu oar words cor.
recly, and obey his d.ree IONS abon: writing. /
We did not, b. srGvey put !hem III the edit'ri1
stops and told us t" "try tiH" among InRn,
Others sousht an obscure corner OF He cornac-
where / could see Il great deal without being mach
seen or nil the corner folks, or corner letters
ratne-, / most loved Carries anI when she invi-
ted those who would to write directly to her.
gladly embraced tine opportunity. lwrnle and
received this in repyin which learned that Car
RE was q young lady, seventeen year- OF age, and
was about to rmmeuce teaching school. | nd
mjred aud oyod her letter 1t was my frst-ai
mine-aud IT was much Superior q anything
could DO. mad many beginnings TO an aaswe"
but on comparing nine with that they I'll appear
ed so feeble aud 20 very childish, that at last
gnve up the attempt IN despair ,conciudin to wal
till | was older and could write better So ~ the
weeks and months aud years rolled on, l woul,
look at the etter and long % answer it i'll orde
to get another; but the necessary exec Hence seem
ed to advance ever the years advanced, ant
now, when have stood in the place that Carrit
stood when she wrote to me and borne the weary
cares Of the schoolroom, my heart Goes reaching
on through the darkness Of these later years, try
ing in vain TO find her, whose words awakened suol
loDgings in my soul for the coed and beautiful
She must be, she as know, one Of those pure be-
ings whose influence though but o1ee felt, fingers
around us ever, helping us to the light and right
Such persons would there were more Of them
never Gle We kaoig that they are immortal, lor
they We in our hearts.
e., H. ~ 1880