Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1865-08-31

home, and kept his things all about me,
even his cap hanging on the wall For
getshim? Does love ever forget
Hastings did not die. He recovered,
and made a public statement. He was
more in fault than Tom was. Then ha
put notice in all the papers. telling
Tom to come back bu. he did not come.
The winter passed away with long,
long nights of bitter remorse, and ten
der recollections of the dear husband,
whose strong arms had once been my
stay and support. The spring came-the
summer-another winter. Three years
went by-crept by.
My child, Toms little baby, grew to
be fairy little thing, with blue eyes
and golden hair, and tongue that new
er wearied Of it's childish prattling. All
day long she sat on the doorstep, where
the evening sunbeams slanted in, lisping
to ner doll and listening, while I told her
Of the father who would come back to us
some day. For surely he would come.
Surely Gods mercy would vouchsafe
some compensation, some pardon for such
repentance as my soul had poured forth
That third spring was peculiar some
how, the far off sky seemed to drop down
in nearer, bluer folds the sun wore a
softer radience the trees, the grass, the
flowers, diviner, tenderer beauty. |
rose every morning and looked out of
my little window at the kindling glories
Of morn, with feeling Of strange trem-
alous expectation. I seemed to feel the
shadow of some great event that winged
its fight above me-the one prayer of
my heart seemed about to be answered
One evening-oh, that evening A
May sky, soft and blue, hung over a
green, blossoming earth. The turtle dove
cooed in the distant wood, and the rob b.
in twittered to her young brood amid
the milky bloom Of the orchard. Gods
love shone in the golden brightness of
the westward going sun. My child, lit
tie Efie, sat on the door step talking to
her doll, and watching the birds. All
at once. she clapped her dimpled hands
and bounded to her feet
Nanny" she cried gleefully, ''pap-
py comin-pappy comm Effie 60 meet
him y
The words stirred my heart to its ut
most depths, and dropping my work, I
followed her out of the door. A man
was coming up the garden path-his
garments tattered-his step slow and
uncertain. A beggar no doubt I call
ed to EAie to come back, but she ran on
needless of my command. Toms little
spaniel, that I had petted and taken
care of for his sake, darted from his ken
mel with a peculiar cry, such as l never
heard from it before. What did it all
mean? Ny heart throbbed, and my
knees trembled. Little Efie ran on,
holding out both dimpled hands, her gold
en- curls blown all about her rosy face,
"How -de-do, pappy !-Ts yonr little
EAie," she lisped, as she reached the
mans feet.
He stopped and raised her in his arms
and then his glance rested on me. And
such a glance-such face Pale, hag-
gard, worm by sorrow and suffering to
mere shadow Toms ghost come back
from the grave. Not that either, for my
frantic arms graspcd some tangible form.
"Ob, Tom,' I cried ''is this you ?
Speak, speak and tell me-
Eyes, Lucy, it's me. [ could bear it
no longer--I'm dying, I believe-and I
couldn't 60 without seeing you and the
little one again."
My arms held him fast. tattered gar
ments and all my kisses fell on his poor
pale face like rain. ] would never let
him 60 again.
"Tom, Tom," I sobbed getting down
on my knees before him, "oh, forgive
me !! forgive me !! I have suffered SO
much y
"It's me that must ask forgiveness,
Lucy" he said humbly, mot you-I was
wrong"
But | stopped him short.
'No, Tom, my cross word did it all, y
I said, ''but for that we might have been
happy together all these weary years
NANNY, nanny" interposed Effie,
twisting herself round on her father s
shoulder, "don't cry ne more, pappy's
come back"
Yes, thank God, he had come back
poor, and tattered, and hungry-like
the Prodigal, but my Tom, my husband
nevertheless. | would never speak cross
to him any more.
It is spring time again. The sweet
May sunlight steals in at my window,
as I write, and / hear the turtle dove COO
ing in the distant wood. My husband is
man now. standing up proudly. his
feet upon the grave of old temptations
| know that Gods mercy is equal to His
justice, and His love greater than either.
THE British empire, sir, f" exclaim.
ed an orator, sis one on which the sun