Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1864-03-18

4 cheerful and content in the quiet seclusion
my home. had taste for reading, and m
library contained quite collection of faYorit
!, books. Sometimes l would wander to th
woods, or orchard, reading, watching th
lengthening shadows, listening to the musi
Of the birds, and singing some familiar tun
in reply. Then, again, Estelle and l Uoul
take long rambles, gathering wild flower
curious stones and leaves. I was going to th
orchard one morning for some early apple
SWinging my basket carelessly and humming
} 1.-The years they come,
And the years they go
But where er roam
'Tis sweet to know
Thou art still the same
As when first we met.
Thy smile and thy name
I'll never forget
don't know what strange fancy put tha
song into my head then. l had nearly reaches
the orchard when some one sprang lightly
over the fence and came towards me, saying
+" Good Morning, Lucy. That's quite senti
mental"
1t was Edward. How surprised was t.
see him and more Surprised to see what
change those two years had wrough: in him
He had grown tall, and graceful and dignifed
did not then realize that greater than thit
external change had entered his heart, and be
was different being. Had any one said tc
me Beware! The world has transformed
him into firt, trifer with affections ;-his
words and smiles may beguile, but his heart
echoes not the sentiments he expresses,'-I
could hardly have believed. So, neither hear
ing these warning words, nor thinking be
could be other than true and earnest,-is it
any wonder that when he smiled upon me, and
whispered of pure and deep afection,-I
thought he was sincere. We walked, we
rode, and sang together and, the evening be-
fore his departure, he braided for me wrea th
Of flowers, and, placing it on my head, called
me Queen of the Summer" and himself my
most devoted and sincere subject. Smile il
you like, Nellie; it is all buried in the past
now, and smiles will avail as much as pity.
He went away promising to write Often
have sometimes thought that if our friends
could always remain with us, instead of sepa-
rating and going so many different ways 10
the world, we should be happier. As think
of this instance, however, see the folly of my
ideas. With his departure came my awaken
ing from the idle, delusive dream. /, who had
all my life longed for affection and love, found
l had bowed to an idol instead Of an angel
The days grew into weeks, and the weeks
heightened into months before he wrote
l heard from him occasionally through indi-
rect ways. When I was almost sure | would
get letter from him to-day" evening
brought me disappointment !; and reproach-
Cd fnr oil in II nd
caring for one who cared, in reality, nothing
for me. thought over the words be had
said, and they sounded hollow. l almost de-
spised myself for having thought they were
true. Summer faded into Autumn, and the
last rosy brown flush of Autumn died, and
Winter reigned supreme. l was going to
school, and borrowing warmer light and
life from the books around me. At last a let
ter came from Edward. He wrote that he
had been dreadful busy, and was now more
than ever SO {; was studying day and night
almost consoled himself in his hours of
study and occasional loneliness by thinking of
a sweet little girl al home whose heart he
knew beat for him alone called her the best
girl in The world and said he knew 1 would
like her.
answered his letter kindly, though briefly
He should never know that l cared for him;
never, never. I schooled myself to my duties,
firmly resolving not to let one ray of sun
shine or happiness die out of my life, and to
make seeming or real present ills work the
ends designed through them by the Great
Ruler of men and events. The winter ended, |
and the warm breath Of Spring awoke the
tender grass and flowers to fresh life. II |
was my birthday. | was twenty years old. |
thought over my past life, and il seemed TO
me that many strange events had been crowd
ed into those few brief years. was entering
a new year. would begin it with free un-
selfish earnest purposes. 1 would strike out
the folly that had blurred the last page ol
my life and begin life anew. Mother, Estelle |
and had been sewing all the afternoon, and
busy thoughts chined with Dimble fingers
Mother put by her work and went up stairs.
Estelle went to the kitchen to prepare supper,
laughiDgly fOrbidding me to come. A sudden
purpose seized me. [ went to my writing !
desk and took from it package Of letters
his letters. l sat down before the fire that
hiekered up in the broad, old fashioned fire.
place and slowly tere them into shreds.-
Then laid the bits of paper on the hearth,
and lighting them watched them burn. The
last faint blaze died, leaving only ashes.
swept them into the FIRE, and said " So perish |
all worthless memories" l walked to the
porch and for a moment watched the breaking
clouds and coming sunshine after our April
shower. When the clouds pass. the sun
shine must not be obscured," 1 thought. l
plated my hair into broad, smooth braids, and
changed my dark dress for one of more cheer |
full hues. Estelle came TO announce that
supper was ready and as 1 entered the kitch |
en-, Mother smiled upon me, and Father said |
az Why, child you look as though you had
some secret to tell" He always called me
child EsteIle uncovered cake Of famous
size, declaring must 'carve it," twas mine,
Its your birthday, sure enough" father
said. "I ought to get lot of roots and flow