Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1867-02-20
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MAUD -ARLlNGToN-
BY MRS. N. ROBINSON.
CHAPTER I.

l.
The hour is midnight and the season summer The
full round smiled tender, subdued smile upoD
the little, loweaved brown house. hedged in by roses
and covered with vines 1t fell through the open door
IN broad Sheet and hOne through the tossing vines
falling in silver patches among the shadows on the floor
There were two in the old brown house-an aged man
with sunken checks and garing eyes and snowy hair
resting upon couch the other girl of SIXTEEN with
long, black curs eyes brilliant as the stars and dark
as rayless night and face pallid the snowwhte
locks her slender fingers were smoothing SO tenderv
away from the wrnkled brow Of her only parent There
was no light In the room other than that of the moon
and solemn, invisible Presence by the watcher and
the watched The eyes of the girl failed read the
unmistakabe tokens presaging the coming of the Mes
sengerj and though her cheek banched and her heart
quivered with anguish, she for a moment ceased
those gentle ministrations to the sufferer
Maud? 1t was the voice of the dying man
Here, dear father she replied pressing the stifening
hand
MAUD, am going. Remember, dear, all that have
said to you You have friend to care for you
This poor shattered frame no longer stand between
you and lItes storms; but, child, remember that the
Father of all is your refuge He will not forsake you
darling Do you hear me, my daughterr :
Yes sobbed the girl, and buryng her head in her
hands, she cried: o. father fathern
Don't, Maud! Be strong Itis very beautiful whth-
er am going Maud darling, make life glorious with
brave in all circumstances. God is your father now
long silence followed broken only by the oonvulsive
sobs OF the bereaved daughter who had thrown herself
beside the dead laying her head upon the bosom SO fast
turning to ice Hours few by and the moon went over
and stood in the west deep shadows crept the place
on the floor where its radiance FELL and darkness filled
the apartment. --
Anson Arlington, who lay dead in tho brown house.
had appeared strange tacturn man, all save his
child He had come among the simple farmers with
Maud babe in his arms whence no one knew He
gently but firmly repeed all their advances toward form
ing a more intimate acquantance-rarely going out
and devotng himself to his child
poor woman in the vicinity prepared clothino for
little Maud, and came twice week to wash, iron and
bake for which she was literally yremunerated
| He adored his beautiful Maud and surrounded her
with everything in his power to render her noble and
wemanly
Gifted by nature, and studying under SO loving an in
structor she at sixteen fulfilled the promise of her
grlhood and at this period her only earthly friend was
summoned away, leaving her the brown houseand gar.
den-a thousand sweet, tender memores-the books
they had read the education he had given
| her; legacy more precious than gold.
OF her mother Maud knew little. She had question
ed her father respecting her. but the query
expression of anguish upon the face she loved that
she forebore She only knew that the portrait of pae
naughty woman looking many years her fathers junior
hanging in the parlor that of the parent whom she
had never SEEN After the performance of the sad bur