The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1865-02-17
BY GRACE GREENWOOD.

Ms reader-I have sat some minutes with
my pen suspended in the air aboSe my pa
per have been debating a delicate point.
am in a position. You will perhaps recol-
lect that QUO Of Fanny Forrester's exquisite
sketches was entitled Lucy Dutton."
Now it happens that the real name of the
heroine OF the "ower trne tale which am
about to do myself the honor of relating to
you. was no OTHER than Lucy Dutton. Shall
rob her of her birth hrigh,--compel her TO
wear a aomnie de gue,rs because my sister
authoress gave tho nHTe to one OF her ideal
creations: Shall l sacrifice truth to deli.
cacy? That's tho question. "No." You
said no, did you not: Then Lucy Dutton
let il be.
Some forty years since, IN tho inferior of
my beautiful native State, New YORK, lived
the father of our beroiuc--aD honest and
respectable farmer. Ho had but t~o chill
drcn-Lucy, noble cir; Of nineteen. and
Ellen, year or two younger. The first
named was winningly, rather than striking
iy beautiful. Under q manner observable
for its seriousness, and nnnlike serenity.
were concealed an impassioncd nature and
heart of the deepest capacity for loving.
She was remarkable from her earliest child
hood for voice of thrilling aud haunting
sweetness.
Ellen Dutton was the beautiful antipode
of her sis,or; "a born beauty" whose pro-
rogative of prettoess was TO have her irro-
sp0nsiblo own way, in all things and at oil
times. An indulgen! father, a weak mother.
and an idozing sister, had uncon-
sciously contributed to the ruin of her ma.
ture, not at frat remarkable for strength
or generosity.
Whero, in all Gods creatures, is heartless.
ness so seemingly unnatural--;s selishness
so detestabIe as in beautiful woman:
Lucy possessed fine intellect, and as
her parents were we'll read Now Englauders,
6 he and her sister were far bottor educated
than other girls of hor station in that then
half settled portion of the country. In
those days many engaged in school teach.
ing from the honor and pleasure it afford.
ed, rather than from necessity. Thus, a few
months previous to the commencement oi
our sketch, Lucy Dutton left for the first
| time the flre-sde circle to take charge OF q
school some Twenty miles from her native
town.
For some while her lotters home we're
expressive only of her happy content
mont, which sprans from the consciousness
of native usefulness, of receiving wnile i'm.
parting good But, anon, there came q
change then wore those records Cor home
characterized by fifu; gaiety or dreary sad
ness indefinable hopes and fears seemed
striving for supremacy in the writer's
troubled ittIo heart Lucy loved, bu
scarcely acknowledged it to herself; she
know not that she loved; so for q time tina,
beautiful second birth of womans nature
was like warm sunrise struggling with the
cold mists of the morning
But one day brought letter which could
not soon be forgotten in the house of the
absent-and letter traced bya band thai
trembled in sympathy with heart tumult
nous with happiness. Lucy had boer
wooed and won, and she but waited for hel
parents approval of her choice to become
the betrothed of young Edwin W, mar
of excellent family and standing in the
town where she had been teaching. The
father and mother accorded their sanction
with many blessings, and Lucy's next letter
promised a speedy visit from the lovers.
To such natures as Lucy's, what an alb
sorbing and yet what a revealing of self is g
first passon-what a prodlgalty of giving
what an incalculable wealth of receiving
what breaking up Is there Of the deep
waters Of the soul, and how heaven descend'