Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1867-01-17
From the Washington County Eews.l
Ida Ellerton.

as he looked for a reply, and the
sweet, pale, intellectual face showed
the mind s inner struggle. The dear
cid memories treasured so sacredly
all thai were left of the vanished
Past-how they we're struggling up
into the living present. They came
like food, bowing her soul with
their fuliness, sweeping away the
y:ryning chasm that lay between her
and the past, and bringing UP from
that far off grave on the banks of
the Chickahominy, il all the beauty
of his manhood, her patriot lover
and afiianced husband, who had SO
bravely dared and died for his love
Of freedom.
She sat there with clasped hands,
and eyes looking dreamily out into
the meonlighted night, with a look
that told she saw nothing of all the
beauty before her, and with the gaze
which we see when the soul turns in
upon itself, and with introspective
glance, sweeping away time and
space. leaps out into the infnitude of
thought-the all-embracing eternity
of that Past which is ever widening
and pushing out the great Future be-
yond the limits Of Time.
The young minister sat there study
ing her face He had studied it
before, for among all the fair young
faces in his large congregation, none
SC attracted bim as this of Ida FL
lerton's. 1t was a sanity face, mir
ro-ing intellect and goodness, and
just touched, and softened, and beau
tfied by sorrow. He felt what a
treasure she would be to him, what n
help to his lonely life, but the pained
look on her face told him that he had
dreamed q dream that would find no
ful!illment; that the hopes he had
cherished were like the cleaning cas-
ties and turreted walls of the deserts
mirage, charming, lovely, inviting,
but never to be reached, vanishing
away into the intinity Of the blue
sir.
Il read your answer, Miss Ida,"
he said at length. Il have panied
you Let it pass Forget that I
have spoken, and I viii walk on
alone. Our Father knows what is
best for me and for you. Let US ever
recognize the leadings Of His hands,
and say, Thy will be done She
started and turned towards him.
His words brought her back to the
realities of to day. The past glided
out again into the darkness of the
Foreyergone. The hopes and ex-
pectations that had cheered her then
were but phantoms now, that she
might long for and reach after all IN
vain. God and duty were all that
we're left her now. She must 60
through life carrying her dead hopes,
her heart waiting for their resurrec-
ton only in the Better Land.
"Tbank you, sir" she said. "You
have been kind through it all. Fer
your sake, could 1 have made you hap
pier, l could wish it might have been.
But you know the memory l cling to,
and words like these you have just
spoken bring back to me the more
than echo of his parting: when 1
come home, Ida, it will be to claim
my BRIDE and though that may
never be, l canAetxrow away from
the feeling that belong to him as
much as if he were here to call me
wife"
The pale face grew paler, and the
unshed tears gathered around in the
depth of the tender blue eyes as
she spoke, and Herbert Grayson's
love grew inte deeper reverence as
he said good bye to the hopes he
had cherished, and went out into the
still, starry night, lifting his heart to
Him who pities those who fear Him,
F" Like as a father pitieth his chill
dren," and as time passed on his
congregation wondered at the added
spirituality of his life, his growing
power, his forcible, vitalized present |
alton of the truth, as if he had
caught glimpse of the Apocalyptic
vision, little dreaming that from
withered earthly hopes had sprung
this freshness and strength of new
and living conservation.
The months had glided away, and
the September of '65 had come with
the warm, ripe beauty and mellew
lovliness Ida Ellerton sat alone IN
the large front parler of her elegant
home, dreamily wstching the forms
of those passing in the street, catch
ing now and then the sound Of JOY
Gus laughter, while the shimmering
shadows of the leaves fell on the
window as they trembled in the
bright moonlight Her young heart
was heavy, and deep wild sense of
desolation weighed down her usual
ly tranquil nature. Her heart that
had grown SO submissive in its sor-
row, and had reached cut its arm of
hope and faith till they had laid hold
upon the sustaining premises of the
Providence who had given TO and
taken from her life the great bless.
ings Of her earthly love, tonight
seemed to falter. i