Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1865-12-07

} sunlight of their own when they see
the young feet they have SO carefully
watched, go forth without their gui.
dance ! shed not tear Why should
| J. when If might would have sprung
to the brides place would have giv-
en- myself-hand, heart, everything,
my very soul, my eternity, to WalterI
/ would have bound myself to him in
a union of nature and life that could
scorn both fate and death. could not
have wept but neither did tremblc.
nor turn pale. did not so much as
: let my heart throb. / lay still under
! the command Of my will.
My Father led me up to salute my
sister My tears fell in holy blessing
on her |; but when I took Walters
hand, and his lips met mine in the icy
coldncss Of formality-when he called
me sister, they dried. The blood be-
gan to leave my heart. l drove it
back. My will controlled me still I
went through all my part as / had be-
| gun, and often met my Fathers eye
resting upon me with such favor a.
might have satisfied many He paus-
cd 10y me once to complain that | had
attired myself too plainly, but shook
my head, and answered, Nay, am
, naught tonight
! When all was over, the guests de-
Il parted, l waited till Walter taking
i Grace by the hand, had called her
wife. waited for this. / knew it
must come. And would hear it then
hear that blessed word when for the
first time it fell in blessing on the head
OF Grace. | heard it, There was NO
more. All was over for me.
Do you think escaped suffering
that night by the power of my will?
that my self-control preserved meY
! Smothered fires are intensest-h hidden
agony most terrible. What l bore
that night made me never more afraid
of pain or woe., Was there aught I
could not bear when l had borne thatr
4 Walter made for Grace beautiful
home, and was left alone with my
father. rs .ms8t.,ss s.-.q ra.vaE.. g.-
| A twelvcmonth passed, and was
summoned by the bedside Of Grace.
She was dying. Near her lay cher
ub babe, the very image of myself.
Grace knew that she was dying. She
, tried to lift the child and reach it tn
me. / have named it Margaret She
! whispered. 1t is yours She drew
me to her and kissed me- Il go ear
II ly. 1t is well--though have been
very happy. Life has been all beau
!, ty, all love to me- And then her eyes
rested on Walter; and filled with tears.
) She stretched out her arms towards
nim He bent to them. She clasped
Q him round the neck, laid her lips to
his, aud so died. There was one more
angel in the unseen world--one less in
the seen. ...s
wept freely then. 1t was time
| to weep. | wept for my own loss-for
the motherlcss child before me-for
Walters grief And when the thought
! came, there is nothing now between
r YOU and Walters love- | drove it
: away 1t seemed monstrons then and
J there. subdued oayself, rcnounced
myself at the burial as at the bridal.
t When il was over, and Grace was
/ asleep in her grave, took the little
1 Margaret, my child by the mothers
gift, mine by resemblance and by ma
, ture's claim, to my own home, for
, Walters home was now SO dark, sO
: lonesome, that he abandoned it and
prepared to travel. The only tie that
1 seemed to hold him back was the
1 child He loved her with extreme ten
!, derness for her mothers sake, and la
c mented that she did not wear her moth
: er's face, that she did not even wear
!. her name a $50
Let us. change her name, Walter,
/ | said.
y No, no; Grace named her !; the
touch of her dying hand was a bap-
!. tism.'
Walter went abroad, and did not re-
: turn till the little Margaret could rum
| to meet him, and lisp his name. 1t
was her first word l had taught it to
: her. When he heard it, he caught her
, in his arms and his face lighted up
! with a new joy. @ -sr r
: How kind in you, Margaret he
/ said, and blushed in womanly happi-
6 ness at his approval.
Il The little Margaret was exceeding
/ lly beautiful, and Walter seemed to de-
| light in her beauty. wondered if he
l now regretted that she had not her
/. mothers face. One day as he sat by
/ my side, caressing his child on his
: knee, he turned to me, and said, Mar
. garet, will You be my wife = 1t was
SO sudden, SO unexpected, that ! was
| silent. He took my hand. His eyes
) We're on mine. In low, thrilling tone.
he added, Margaret, you love me.
Nobly, wisely, kindly as you have en-
i deavored to conceal your love, have
1 known it. Ihave felt it. / don't offer
h you love in return, for my heart is
| still with Grace. But l would make
G you my wife. Our little Margaret
i should be daughter to US alike.
Ipressed the hand that held mine,
n and my tears fell like rain. You
d wonld have wondered to see the
y strong, proud woman so like child.
| laid myself upon Walters breast.
t whispering, 'Yonr wife He bent
n ID me, and his lips answered to mine.
I Ny, heart was full. Twas blest, richly
! blest, because though unloved, /
| could now love without stint or meas
4 ure, without restraint or blame. The
Q damned-up waters might now flow on
Q in their own beautiful channel the
d fire might flame upwards to the sun,
y its source.
+. became the wife Of Walter-the
o mother of his child. know not
u whether he loves me noae. | ask not.
Why should IL The flowers breathe
II out their fragrance, asking naught /;
|, the river pours out its waters, claim
a ing no return. 1t is for me to love
!. Walter-to serve him-to live for him
yl-to die for him, and would do all
y with joy and rejoicing, counting my
5 self favored among women that it -
;, my lot,
:, IL avar on snf,I9 in love | am now a