Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1864-01-08
CALER GRAYMARsR.

..a. CALEB GRAYmARsH.
Z Old Caleb Graymargb dwelt in the Ne
England village Of M, hard by his ston
walled. black cbimueyed factory. which be
ched forth FIRE and smoke all day, and sher
like some ogre's palace half OF the night wit
the fires which gIimmeFed through ibe vii
doWs, and shed crimson gIeam over III
waste and barren land around the building =
. For it was stirring place, this factory, an
7 the work people were there among the wbir
ring machinery night and day-streng stal
wart fellows, with begrimmed hands AID faer,
4 old men who could Just totler up iLe stair
women. tidy and trim. and some of then
Il very pretty, and The little children, who, bar
they been born of wealthy parents, would onll
have been permitted 70 leave the nursery un
der the guardianship Of a maid g..
There was occupation for all NJ at the
great factefy, and, in the eyes of The employ,
ees, Caleb Graymarsh vas man of mighty
wealth and power Fabulous tales were told
Of bis possessions IN real estate, and The w6-
nrer folks had legend among them that the
tea service, which some Of them bad seen gilt
tering on the factors table, was made of solid
dollars, melted down for the express purpose,
and throughout the houss was covered with
real silk velvet II was pity. they said, that
poor Mrs. Graymarsh could not have lived to
see all this, But had died when Caleb was a
young man, struggling for the fortune which
was now his. "A dew years before there had
! been simple white slab in the graveyard
bearing the words a Kitty Graymarsh aged
2O."-B But of late splendid marble monu-
ment had arisen there, with howery inscrp-
| tien on It's face, and figure of an angel bend
ing ever IT. A snowy thing, with nothing
artistic about II; yet, though the dead girl,
who would have been an elderly woman by
this time had she lived, slept no more peace
| fully under the costly structure than she had
beneath the simple slab, there was something
in TIE sight when one thought that by IFS
erection the old nan had sought to make his
lost vile participate in the only possible way
in the wealth which lie SO valued
II is hard to think Of Old business men as
young lovers-strange to believe that smiles
or frowns from the women were once of great
er moment to them than the rise and fall of
stocks has now become. And the grim old
factor, whose brow was puckered into a con
tinuaI frown, and whose mouth had become
straight stern line, with grooves like rinkles on
either side of it, scarce looked 'fthe hero of a
love tate.'' Yet Caleb Graymarsh had been
voting once, and had loved his little Kitty
with a strong, manly earuestness. She was
the sole love Of his life, the only woman who
had made bis heart beat. When he won her,
simple country girl though she wa, no mon
arch was fonder Of his queen, although al! bul
his wife believed him cold-hearted, and wen.
dered what charm young blue eyed Kitty had
found 10 his stern face. Only Caleb Gray
marsh himself knew how well he loved his
wife, and when the sod was piled above her
breast, he knet above it fearless and speech
less. 1and prayed Silently that God would let
him die also zsoialii - g.
. WetalK of wishing for death very oIten,
but only those who have drained the cup of
suffering to the very dregs, ever pray for it SO
earnestly that they woald not shrink and
tremble if their sinful prayer was answered,
and the bolt from Heaven was seen descend (
ing. One of these rare ard terrible moments
came to Caleb Graymarsh as he kneit above
his young wife's grave, but none who knew
him ever guessed it. They saw, lev mo
mentS afterwards a plain, homeIy, working
man, with a Grape about his hat, srse to his
feet, and plod slowly homeward,- and, seeing
no tears ia his eyes, and hearing no complaint I
from bis lips, thought he did not feel much, so
left him. But Cdieb' Graynlarsh having no /
living kindred, and not being rich enough at
that time to have made friends, took tie vail {
ing baby from the woman who cared for it, 7
while be had followed it's mother t6 the grave,
and nursed it aiF night. feeling strange eoal-
fort inAthe toft cheek he held against his own ;
and in The unconscious trifing OF those tiny /
fingers d bout his face.
He had thought very little Of the baby
while bis wife lived, save as pet and play
thing it was well enaugh for him to have
but now be experienced a new feeling towards .
it, It would grow perhaps to have her form and
features. He wished il were girl instead OF
a boy and yet even now he felt he was not
quite desOlate Stree God had LETT him thus
And 50 when the morning dawned. and the
golden sunbesms crept through the bed
room window, they fell on Caleb Graymarsh
last sleep, with his baby on bis bosom
He put the child to nurse the next day and
went dDOul iio NbIh as uoudi. w Ual6ftf
we're his feelings he never spoke Of them to
my one, ard young he was be hod a grim
lnsocial way with him which encouraged
lone 10 sc, / his confidence, On Sundays in
tead of going with mosl Of the other mrn 10 .
rink and lruIicll. or joining lhe lew more So t
Ter minded al church Caleb Graymarsh went
o the cennry place Where his baby was al /
iurse and KEEP! il with him under fhe green {
rees all day long And he child, nncun-t d
cious it really mus have been, was sn !
Tragedy happy ard contented thai On~ I
night easily have iNagiued its little eyes /
ould see and read the tender secret of that j
Working mans soul. .-- d
Year after year passed By, and ploding 5
are and industry helped Caleb Graymarsh to i
limb the ladder Of fortune. At first, some a
EFF handiwogk brought higher wages then
e became foreman, and at last pArteuer in the 9
cry es Adjustment which he had entered first h
friendless boy, ordered and cufed about by a
ny one who chose 10 lake the trouble. The i
leps were short and easy after this, and TWEEN
v years from the day on which be had knelt ,