Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-02-13
FIYEYEAR!s OF A LIFE.
nr LOUISE cHAyptEn NorLToy.

1t was ali spring together-the scene, with
the fresh, young grass creeping everywhere
the light, delicate green on tic tree-boushs
the early blossoms starting up in clcfls and
hollows; the Young girl-the youDg lover
all like ttnder idyl. She hadno thought
of care or trouble. She heard people talk
about the good ight,n "thc battle Of life,
but they were yagup, vain words to Ecr. II
was easy enough to be good, she thought, and
she wondered why people said SO much about
it. N'ho wanted 10 tell lies, or steal or mur
der? 1t was very nice, TOO, 10 60 to church.
Sac liked to wear her fresh, pretty garments,
10 sit reyerentiy in the solemn, stately cdiiicc,
with its light falling softly through stained
class windows, its slow, solemn music, its ten.
der. persuasive preacher. How easyit all was
She had never known the fierce storms OF
passioa-iLc Stern conflict OF right with
wronG-she, in her gentle spring time osalifs.
She thorght about it ALL that last night Of
April, as ste sat watching the roseaie spring
sunset, and wondered again why any ONE
should cali j. hard TO be good felt vague.
sentimental delight, which size thought vas
thankfl!lness. as she remembered how happy
she had always been.
She was pretty picture, her face framed III
the western windcw-hcr bonny face, with its
bright, vet thoughtful eyes, lis softly falling
hair, It's sweet, strong mouth. She had sat
there watching tic sun go down, and she sat
there still when her betrothcd lover came up
tue path. He was young man Of the ordi.
nary type--:ot the exceptional mould III
WHICH great souls are cast. lie Lad Gentle:
wi ming manners. handsome t;cr, with its
laughing eyes. straight aturcs, and 'he silky,
b!ondc n.us;.che curling above his Web Gu.
Iips. Yet ecu might lave wondered lha, La
cia Crornyn could find depth enough i'll Char.
ler Frye 10 satisfy her, if YOU had happened
10 know ,hcm both wsl!. lie sew her. u! TIE
window, her face l>indicd by tic tender raci-
ance Of her welcoming a,nii:. Ii he sAon'd
live 10 be an old iaau, ! douht whclhe he
will ever forget that piciure-;he graceful,
bent head tic gray, earnest eyes; Ike parted,
scarlet lips; the welcome shining on the
young, bappy face-lor lie never saw her jnst
80 again.
He went in, and size told him what :or
thoughts had been, anl he agreed viii her
in q surface, superficial sort Of way, for such
speculations were liule to his taste. Indeed,
il was almost strange that he loved Lucia at
all; Tor, ihoUgh they were young and gag to-
| cether, tcr-ways were not his ways, Or her
thoughts Ais thoughts. Hewas commonplnee'
naturally and tie >iiort TO keep up to her
standard, though ta.t was no. 50 very higa,
not nirequenl!y bored linn. To night she
chanced to be in ;.a enthusiastic mood. Sac
said over to lin $natchcs Of her Gavoflte
poems, which he scarcely heard but then hc
liked to watch the coIcr coming into her
cheeks, and the light kiuding in. her dark
gray eyes till thcy. looked luminous.
When he went away she said little prayer,
thanking God in it for making her so happy
Then she slept all night, dreaming of only
pleasant sights and sounds, aud awaked, the
first day of May, to o tragedy Shame and
sorrow had knocked.at her door at last, and
had come in.
She found on her plate, al breakfast, note
in her fathers writing, which she opened care
lessly enough, thinking he had written it to
tell her that he WAS called away from home
on slud unexpected business. Sac was used
10 such attentions from him, for her mother
] was 'deid, and he and she we're alone in the
world. But an awful change came over hel
faco Us she read. 1t seemed 10 her as ii she
were turning TO stone. For this was no ordi
nary absence. Her father was gone, not for
a day, or u week /; gone into hiding, never tt
come back. He was the president of the lit
tie country bank there in Ryefeld; and hith.
erto no name in town or country had stoCc
h CHER than that Of Jared Cromyn. Every
one had thought him so good and so sure that
to his private cage, widows and orphans has
intrustcd their all, never dreaming of asking
Z other security than his ramo. And low, i
seeined, all that had been intrusicd to hin
was swallowed up in some awful vortex. Ill
wrote to Lucia, in n sort OF passionate dcs
pair. that he was ruined. lie had used these
private funds in some speculations Of bis Owl
bubbles which had burst, and left him nj
resource but a flight, Which he would not
could not, ask her to share. The kindes
thing he could do for her would be, he felt
lust to take himself out Of her way.
She read the words over and over again
stunned by them at first, their meaning grow
inr upon her by degrees, till she came face tt
face with awful certainty. ALI ber world Ia
in ruins about her; h,v sun had set he
,tar fallen from Heaven. What should sh
do In this crisis the real strength Of he
nature came out. She did not sit down t
mourn. She put on her things and wen
STRAIGHT to lawyer, in whom she knew
would be safe to confide-asomewha youngc
man than her father, but his firmest friend
She handed him the letter, and waited till b
had read it through. Then she asked, wit
calmness of voice and manner which sur
nrised Squire Estabrook into admiration Of hel
.Did you know about it before 2"
Not word"