Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-01-27
ess Of our love for each other.
The Night of Years.
by GRACE GREENWOOD.

Some forty years since, in the interior of
my native State New York, lived the father
of our heroine, an honest and respectable
farmer. He had but two children--Lucy
noble girl of nineteen, and Ellen, a year or
two younger The first named was winning
ly rather than strkingly beautiful. Under
manner observable for its seriousness and nun
like serenity, were concealed an mpassioped
nature, and heart Of the deepest capacity
for loving She was remarkable from her
earliest childhood for a voice Of thrilling and
haunting sweetness.
Ellen Dutton was the brilliant antipode Of
her sister, "born beauty" whose preroga-
live of prettiness was to have her own way
in all things aud at all times. An indulgent
father, weak mother, and an idoizng sis
ter, who unconsciously contributed to the ruin
of nature not at first remarkable for strength
or generosity.
Where, in all Gods creatures, is heartless-
ness so seemingly unnatural, is sel6shness so
detestable, as in a beautiful woman
Lucy possessed fine intellect, and as her
parents were well read New Englanders, she
and her sister were far better educated than
other girls of her station in that then half
settled part of the country. In those days
many engaged in school teaching, from the
honor and pleasure which it afforded, rather
than from necessity. Thus, few months
previous to the commencement of our story,
Lucy Dutton left for the first time her fire.
side circle, to take the charge of school
some twenty miles from her native town.
For some while her letters home were ex-
pressve only of the happy contentment which
sprang from the consciousness of active use
fulness, of receiving, while imparting, good.
But anon there came change. Then were
those records for home characterized by titful
gaiety or dreamy sadness inde6nable hopes
and fears seemed struggling for supremacy in
the writer's troubled little heart. Lucy
loved, but scarcely acknowledged it to her
self, while she knew not that she was loved
So for time, that second birth of woman's
nature was like warm sunrise struggling
with the cold mist of the morning.
But one day brought u letter which could
not be forgotten in the home Of the absent,
and letter traced by hand that trembled
in sympathy with heart tumultuous with
happiness. Lucy had been wooed and won,
anu out Dut Wuitth ncI paIthAn VI
her choice, to become the betrothed of Edwin
W, man Of excellent family and
standing in the town where she had been
teaching The father and mother accorded
their sanction with many blessings, and Lu-
ey's next letter promised a speedy visit from
the lovers.
To such natures as Lucy's, what an alb
sorbing and yet what revealing Of self is Il
first passion-what a prodigality of giving,
what an incalculable wealth Of receiving
what breaking up is there Of the deep wa
ters Of the soul, and how heaven descends in
a sudden star-shower upon life. If there is a
season when an angel may look with interest
upon her mortal sister, it is when she beholds
her heart pass from its bud-like innocence
and girlhood, aud tasking to its very core the
fervid light of love, glow and crimson into
perfect womanhood,
At last the plighted lovers came, and well
comes and festivities awaited them. Mr.. w
gave entire satisfaction TO father, mother and
even the exacting "beauty." He was hand.
some man, with some pretensions to fashion
but in manner, and apparently in character
the opposite of his betrothed.
II Nhr uVciucu ihal i4uO1 hhoulu nut ubuih
leave hcme until after marriage, which, at
the request of the ardent lover, was to be
celebrated within two months, and on the
birthday of the bride. 1t was therefore ar
ranged that Ellen should return with Mr.. w.
to take charge Of her sisters school for the
remainder Of the term.
The bridal day had come. 1t had been
ushered in by May morning Of SURPRISING
loveliness the busy hours had worn away
and now it was nigh sunset, and neither the
bridegroom nor Ellen, the FIRST bridesmaid,
had appeared. Yet in her neet little cham
Der sad Lucy, nothing doubling, nothing fear
ing. She was already in simple white mus
lin, and her few bridal ornaments lay on the
table by her side. Miss Allen, her second
bridesmaid, a bright-eyed, aifectionate-heart-
ed girl, her chosen friend from childhood,
was arranging to more graceful ~ the
wealth of light ringlets which sw1< her
snowy neck. To the anxious inquiries OF her
companion respecting the absent ones, Lucy
smiled quietly and replied
"Oh, something has happened to detain
them awhile we heard from them the other