Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1865-04-06
MoraI Gale.
From the Iady's Friend for Ami, 1866
GRANDMOTHER'S STORY,

VIsANUMVlA Ab0 y OlVh j, q
Zone more year will 60 to sleep to
night" murmured Lillian Moore. nest
ling down more costly upon her otto
man at grandmother's knee, where sh,
sat with her fair young face presse,
against the shining folds of her satil
I dress. Do you know, grandmamma
that 1 am sad over its death f1 tn,
first time in my life? Hitherto hav,
rejoiced when the hoary-hcaded yeal
dropped into the death-struggle, be
cause knew that bright young lift
would spring into the car of time, ant
with merry splendor whirl inc nearer
and nearer to womanhood, until al
length | should stand amid gay scenes
joyous and content. But now that
am here, with my feet upon thresh
old flooded with rosy light, my ears
encharted with the strains of musi,
from beyond, still linger regretfulIy
casting a glance back full of sadness
that will not be banishcd. | know
what the past has bcen--what those
years as they came and went have
brought me- But | know not what
the future will bring. | pass forever
tonight from the anticipations of the
future to the realities. 1t will no ION
ger be dream and conjecture. an
no longer Child. This night | CLASP
the iand of society for the first time
and share its responsibilities as u wo
man. VIII it be friend to me in JOY
and sorrow? Shall gather wisdom
from its lips words of sympathy il
woe assail me words of courage il
faint, as have in the past, whei
you and Father Hueston made my
world? Grandmother, it makes me
afraid. Perhaps it is only tie gloom
and storm of the night, wailing and
sobbing, torn by the piteous death.
throes Of the poor old year but il
makes me very, very sad"
My darling !" and Grandmother
Moore bent to kiss the white forehead
tendcrly, her withcred hand gently
resting upon the bowed head ; then
she raised the sweet face, and search
ing the earnest eyes of her petted
child, said impressivcly-" 1t depends
much upon yourself, my little Lillian.
Naturally enough, you feel sad, and
anxiously question the future, for you
are more thoughtful than most young
maidens. You see dimly outlined du.
ties and responsibilities which others
ignore or never dream of therefore
you pause to reflect and question, and
it is well Still, there is no need to
shrink back with fear and trembling.
The world, with its manifold phrases,
is like a nettle, that will sting if you
grasp it lightly. Seize it with firm
hand, tread the paths with steady feet.
and the thorns become silken in their
softness. / advocate no unwomanly
boldness ; but we, as a sex, have a
work to perform, and we cannot ac-
complish our ends nobly without clear
ness of sight, elevation of principle,
firmness of purpose, steadiness of ac-
ton. have watched you year after
year, unfolding a character from which
| hope much of good and in what you
have uttered tonight, on the verge of
the gay, beautiful world, which will
receive you with honeyed welcomes
for many reasons, gather much en-
couragement. | know that my Llli-
an was not born for purposeless life.
She will not be content to flutter with
the butterflies of pleasure and fashion,
with no thought but to sip all the
sweets from the fair flowers Of life,
needless of the miserable creatures
that crawl beneath, famishing for food.
But, my darling, each day will bring
its cares, and let it bring all its gra-
yer thoughts too, for the occasion. At
least, we will Danish them for tonight.
Ask for tea, my child and then You
must repair to the drawing-room to re-
ceive our friends
Lillian obeyed readily, but resumed
her seat after making the request. 1t
will be more than two hours before
they come, and want to talk to You,
dear grandmamma. just now my
heart is so full, and it is on my lips to
ask you once more To tell me some
thing about myself have asked you
many times i'll childhood, and you have
always bade me wait until was ready
to come out when you would tell me.
We are both dressed for the evening,
and you can talk while we are at
tea" .a
Her eyes We're fixed earnestly on
the old lady's face, and Il sad, sweet
smile dawned upon the dear old fea-
lures as she noted the girls eagerness.
Lillian's face frightened hopefully
"fes, child, will tell you,n She an,
swered with grave tenderness. 1.-The
time is ripe for the fulilment of my
promise. But want father Houston
to hear 1t, so You may call him, child
Lillian sprang through the door in
search of the old man, who was half
brother of Mrs. Moore, and had come
from long distance to be present at
Llllans introduction to society. lie
was and had been widowed and child,
less for many years, living alone and
dcsolate in his grand old home, refus-
ing to come forth into the world for
companionship.
Once, when Lillian was tiny little
girl, he had been induced to visit Mrs.
Moore for few days, and was surpris-
ed to find chubby child an inmate of
her house, whose earnest, gray eyes
and sweet, smiling mouth reminded
him strangely Of one he had loved in
his youth. He did not know how
warmly his heart went out to the child
of his sisters adoption but as the
years went by, he came and went at
intervals, happier for seeing her face
and listening to the sweet, child
ish voice, whose every tone was mu-
sic to his ears in his loneliness.
In little Lillian came back with
her arm thrust through Father Heus-
tons, and the three sat down around
the tea-table, Mrs. Moore upon small
sofa, her brother in his easy chair, and
Lillian seated SO as to face them both
easily.