Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1865-06-10


While her parents lived. lbey. by
their watchfhl care aud uoweary efforts
10 some measure coutolled this sad pro.
pensity; but, when they died, their stricken
child became wanderer, homeless, friend
less and forloru.
Through laughing spring and rosy sum
mers, golden autumns aud temestuous win.
ters, II was tramp, trsmp-no rest fol
her Of the crushed heart and crrzed brain.
remember, her, as she was in my early
childhood, toward the last Of her weary
pilgrimage. As my father and eide
brothers we're frequently absent. aud as ID!
mother never closed her heart or door oil
tSe unfortunate, Cray Lucy" often spent
an hour or two by our freside. Her np
parrel was always patched with maDy
colors and her shawl and mantle worn
gpd torn, until il was open work aud fringe
The remainder Of ber miserable wardrobe
she carried in bundle on her arm, aud
sometimes she had number Of parcels OF
old rags, dried herbs, &c.
Ia the season Of flowers, her tattered
bonnet was profusely decorated with those
which she gathered in the woods or by
the way. y.side. Her love for these, and heI
sweet voice were all that were left of the
bloom aud music of existence. Yet no
her meek and d.cbildlike piety still fingered
Her God had not forsken her; down il
the dim chaos of her spirit, he smile oil
His love still cleaned fainlly--iu the waste
garden of her heart she still heard His
voice at even tide, and she was not afraid
Her Bible went with her eveiywhere-a
torn and solid volume, but as holy still;
and may be as dearly cherished. my reader.
as the gorgeous copy now lying on your
table, bouud in purple and gold, aud with
the guiding untarnished GU lis delicate
leaves
! remember to have heard my mother re.
late touching incident connected with
one of Lucy's brief visits to US.
The poor creature once laid her hand OF
The curly head Of one of my brothers, anC
asked his name. In
"William Edwin" be rep led With {
timd upward ,glaGce. She caught away
her hand, aud signing heavily, salo:
| knew an Edwin once, and he made
me brokeL. .eai ted
This was the only instance in which she
was eyer known to revert TO the sad event
which had desola,ed her life
Thig'y years from the time of the com
mencement of this mouruful history, on q
bleak aui umnal evening, rough, country
wagon drove into the village Of c.
II stopped at the aims house. au attenuated
form was lifted out aud carried in. and the
wagon rumbled away. THUS was Lucy
Duttou carried to her native town to die.
She bad been in decline for some
months and the miraculous strength which
had SO long sustained her iu her weary
wanderipgs at last forsook her utterly
Her sister had died some time before, aut
the widowed husband had soon aiterremov
ed with bis family to the far West; SO Lucy
had no friends, no some, but The ulms
house. r... ......
Que day about q week from the time oi
ber arrival Lucy appeared TO suffer great
". aud those who we're about her looked
for her release almost impatieutly; but al
night she was evidently better, for the
first time she slept TRANQUILITY until morniug
The ma'ron, who was by her bedside
when size awcke, was startled by the clear,
earnest gaze which met her owp, but she
smiled aud bid the invalid Good morning
Lncy looked bewildered, but The voice
seemed to reassure her, and she exclaimed
Where am Il-aud who are you FL do
not know You.
A wild surmise flashed across the mind
of the malron; the long lost reason of The
wonde.er had returned! But the goot
woman replied calmly and sooth'ng'y-
Why you are among your friends, and
you will know me presently.
May be you have seen Edwin and Ellen.
reioining The invalid, have they come2-
on | had such terrible dream! dreamed
that they were married! Ouly think Ellen
married to Edwin? Strange It's that !
dreamed-that. .r. +"
My poor Lucy. said The matron with a
gush of Tears, That was not dream. twas
all true.
All trueY cried the insalidl then Edwin
must be untrue, and that cannot be, for
he loves me; We loved each other well,
and Ellen is my sister. Let me see them
| will go to them.
She endeavored to raise herself, but fell
back lainting on The pillow.
Why, what does this meant said She
What makes me so weak?
just then her eyes fell on ber own hand
that old and wihered hand! She gazed
on it in blank astonishment.
Something is the matter of my sight
she said smiling family, for my hand looks
ike an old yotnan's
And so II is, said the matron gently -
and so is mine; yet We had fair, plump
bands when We we're young. Dear Lucy
do you know me? am Maria Allen; ]
was to have been your briGs maid!
win not say more--I will not make the
vain attempt to give in detail al that
mournfnl revealing-to reduce in express
i've words the dread sublmity of that hope
less sorrow -..gr,. .,....'. y ..uH q .t21
To the wretched Lucy, thirty years
we're as though they had never been, VI
not q scene, not an Incident, bad sue the
slightest remembrance, since the recent
lover and traitorous sister stood before
her, aud made their terrible announcement,
The kind matron paused irequeu " 10
the said narrative Of her poor iriends mad
ness and sapderipgs; but the rinyalid
would say with fearful kindness,
n -. = ~ thanoh tho drons of auonv