The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1869-02-12
MtstGIIanRons Sel&Gtipns
A NIGHT OF YEARS.
BY GRACE GREENWOOD.

Some forty years ago in the interio
of my native state, New York, lived thu
father of our heroine, an honest and re
spectacle farmer. He had but tive
childrer-Lucy, a noble girl of nine
teen, and Ellen, year or two younger
The first named was winningly rathei
than strikingly beautiful. Under man
Der observable for its seriousness and
nun-like serenity, were concealed an i'm
passioned 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 anti.
pode of her sister, "born beauty,
whose prerogative of beauty was to have
her own way in all things and at all
times. An indulgent father, weak
mother, and an idolizing sister, who un-
contributed to the ruin of a
nature not at first remarkable for
or generosity.
Where, in all Gods creatures, is
heartlessness SO seemingly unnatural, is
so detestable, as in beauti-
full woman9
Lucy possessed fine intellect, and
as her parents were well read New Eng
landers, she and her sister were far bet
ter educated than other girls of her sta
tion in that halfsettled portion of the
country. In those days many engaged
in school teaching, from the honor and
pleasure it afforded, rather than from
Thus, few months previous
10 the commencement of our story,
Lucy Dutton left for the first time her
ireside circle, to take the charge of
'chool some twenty miles from her na-
i've town.
For some time her letters home were
only of her happy content
nent which sprang from the conscious
less of active usefulness, of receiving,
While imparting, good. But anon there
anne a change. Then were those re-
ords from home characterized by fitful
,aiety or dreamy sadness; indeinable
lopes and fears seemed struggling for
upremacy in the writer'stroubled little
leart. Lucy loved, but scarcely ac-
.nowledged it to herself, while she
new not that she was loved. So for
time, that second birth of womau's
Iature was like a warm sunrise strug-
ling with the cold mist of the morning.
But one day brought letter which
ould not be forgotten in the home Of
he absent, and letter traced by al
Iaud that trembled in sympathy with
heart tumultuous with happiness.
luey had been wooed and won, and
he but waited her parents approval of
Ter choice, to become the betrothed of
edwin W, man of excellent family
nd standing in the town where she
lad been teaching. The father and
mother accorded their sanction with
many blessings, and Lucy's next letter
speedy visit from the lovers.
To such natures as Lucy's what an
bsorbing and yet what revealing of
elf is first passion-what a prodigal-
" of giving, what an incalculable
Tealth of receiving-what a breaking
p is there of the deep waters of the !
oul, and how heaven descends in a sud.
en- star shower upon life. If there is
season when an angel may look with
lterest upon her mortal sister, it is
hen she beholds her heart pass from |
S bud-like innocence and tasking to |
s very core the fervid light of love,
low and crimson into perfect woman |
ood.
At last the plighted lovers came, and
elcomes and festivities awaited them.
II. w. gave entire satisfaction to faith
, mother, and even the exacting
beauty" He was a handsome man,
ith some pretensions to fashion, but in
anner, and apparently in character,
le opposite of his betrothed.
II was decided that Lucy should not
,ain leave home until after marriage,
hich, at the request of the ardent low
, was to be celebrated within two
onths, and on tho birthday of the
ide. 1t was therefore arranged that
lien should return with Mr.. W., to
ke charge of her sisters school for
g remainder of the term.
The bridal day had come. It had I
en- ushered in by May morning of
rpassing loveliness; the busy hours d
ID worn away, and now it was nigh t
nset, and neither the bridegroom nor l
len, the first bridesmaid, had appear 7
. Yet, in her neat little chamber sat I
ICY, nothing doubling, nothing fear
9. She was already in a simple white 4
lslin, and her few bridal ornaments v
: on the table BY her side. Miss Y
len, her second bridesmaid, a abright- u
ed, Northumberland girl, her t
osen friend from childhood, was ar h
nging to more graceful fall the 8
,alth of bright ringlets which swept G
r snowy neck. To the anxious in
iries of her companion respecting the o
sent ones, Lucy smiled quietly, and G
Piled: /