Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-08-02
From the Galaxy.
Why We Left The Homestead.

The northern lights stallzed across the
blue heavens like sheeted ghosts
stood at the window, seeing, with the
minds eye, not the flashing armOr OF
the VaIky ria, bu5 simply an Over-grOwn,
tumble-down house, over the hills and
a mile away.
It had formerly been an inn, and be-
fore it still creaked a decayed sign-pOst
like a sort of swinging gTave-stOne 1t
was a house with history. The mys-
terious dispensatiOns of marriage and
death had been busy with its occupants
till out Of a joyous family Of ten only
three remained, Fred Cunningham and
his invalid mother and sister
I had great pity for Fred, my old
schOOlmate, the tried friend of my ma
turer girIhoOd. There was a power of
fascination belonging to him as youth
and as a man, which helped to give him
the reputation of a fiirt. 1 believe the
charge was mainly false, though 7 have
sometimes defended him while suffer-
ing from a little priY ate heart-ache on my
own account.
The circumstances of his life had
changed ftfrom lively to seVere.'' His
mother was a hopeless invalid who
might live for years with half her brain
asleep, and had latterly become so pet
ulant and exacting that it was nearly
impossible to find domestic who would
stay in the house. As for the daughter,
a cruel spinal disease so tortured her
nerves that she was scarcely less Un-
reasonable than her mother. So, be-
tween these unhappy inValids, Fred
Cunningham'S once peaceful home was
converted into a pandemOnium but he
met vicissitudeS with fOrtitu 1e, aud
wore as little Of his heart on his sleeve
as any man knew.
While I was thinking of hina with ad-
miration and pity, he suddenly entered
the parlOr and stood before me- L can
scarcely tell why, but knew as If by
intuition his errand to me. So impair
tial were his attentions toward ladies
that I had hitherto hardly suspected,
much less dared hope, that he regarded
me with preference and the revelation
which he stammered out this evening
was really a surprise. O.
replied to him without any pretence
Of hesitation, I was so very sure of my
own heart, so sure too that affection
would make it easy for me to live in
that direfuI house ne called home.
The poor man was deeply moved by
what he called my exceeding kindness;
and said repeatedly, "GOd bless you,
Rachel. I, for my part, was so entirely
happy that I scOrned the thought of
having performed benevolent deed
If Fred had proposed taking me to an
African jungle, I should scarcely have
opposed the step, or even considered 1t
a sacrfice.
in the cOnrse of their lives. I had not
Overrated my attachment for the man
who soon became my husband; ; indeed,
despite my peculiar trials, it was my
greatest fear that should be too happy,
even in npandemonium. Poor ouerulOus
Mrs. Cunningham died suddenly; so
there was only left the sick sister with
her "pain-twisted frame;" but I must
aver that after her mothers death she
did all in her power to double my duties
and make it impossible for me to have
a moments peace under the family roof
{ was a faithful if not an affectiOnate
nurse my great happiness made 1t easy
for me to pity the wretched sufferer,
and, moreover, I was naturally of pa
tient, enduring temper.
But, after the lapse of six months, I
one day uttered a hasty word. ] shall
have cause to remember it to my latest
hour, for thereupOn commenced the
feet day in June. L had, at Fred's sug-
gestion, invited several guests to tea.
and was feeling all the anxiety Of a
young hOusekeeper to make ''a richly
triumphant banquet, with all kinds of
geuteelnesses done in sugar" Nearly
exhausted, body and soul, I had not the
magnanimity left to fly up stairs smil-
ing every five minutes at the shrill sum-
mons of sister Angeline's bell. I made
a hasty aHusion to the inVaIid's 'laek
E0uSAu5EdblOuqg anu ll1OEAlEu u6E
with some warmth thai she had been
the means of spelling my custards. /
had never forgotten myself before, and
those unguarded words cancelled the
forbearauce- of months. Battle-fires
famed in Angles eyes. saw I had
reused the sleeping dogs of war. 81.
"Custardsl" echoed she in tones cold
enough to freeze them into ice-creams.
"NoW I'll warrant it was Fred who sug-
gested custards."
''To be sure; he likes them, you
know" replied I, Whiting, for I was
sure her words had a hidden meaning.
'tAnd he had the arrangement of this
supper and the invitations all his own
way Worse than king, my dear, he
I doesn't even honor his wife with the
crown matrimonial"
L crushed a spider in silence; her spite
was harmless, as yet.
tIll-assOrted marriages are like twist
ed tongs," ?" continued my tor
mentor. "Did you get your finger
pinched by a pair9"
laughed nervously. "Unexamp1ed
glory Of littleness," =" thought $50 this
is the way in which she seeks to revenge
/ herself for my hasty rebuke.''
suppose my laugh 1rritated Ange-
/ line beyond endurance.
LET me help you dress your hair,
Rachel, dear; I feel a little tami-
~ pride in your appearance; it's not
pleasant for me to hear people wonder
at Fred's choice"
passiveIy seated myself at her feet,
placed my head in her lap, and quite
| serenely allowed her the coveted priyi-
| lege Of brushing my locks.
"ChOice, did I say P pursued she,