The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1870-02-25

= too, stands here to-day rs he shall one
| day stand before God, answering only
for himself, founded only upon him.
self, worthy of respect or love only
T from his own deeds and efforts"
= So spake the Governor Of the infant
2 republic, dropped like an acorn upon
2 the shores Of the New World, and des-
: tined one day TO develop into the OAK
whose roots grapple the round earth,
and whose crest rises free and glorious
in the light of the rising sun and the
setting sun.
Returning hOmeward John How
land met Elizabeth Tillie, who had
: been present, although silent, during
r Bradford's visit to heffriend and mis-
tress, Dame Carver. She paused as
John was about to pass her, compel
) ling him to do the same.
"You staid not long at the water
side" began she.
| "NO; we did not go to look at the
fare of fish the men took this morn
: ing. 1t is a gOOdly one"
"Ah And did you hear the news OF
: the marriage that is to be ?''
Rowland started and turned pale.
Elizabeth, watching him narrowly,
tossed her head and bit her lip, and
before he could reply, continued:
NAY; know not why it should go
so near your heart, seeing the bride is
to be the widow Susannah White,
whose good man died about two
months since; while Master Edward
WinslOw, who is to marry her, buried
his wife, Elizabeth four weeks ago
Monday. 1t is the fashion of the col
Ony, you see, to bury mans MEM
DRY along with his bones; and the
first decays sooner than the last, L
think not over-much of widows like
that, even though Master Bradford
lend himself to make the match"
at is not well to judge too hardly of
our brethren, Elizabeth" began the
young man in a troubled voice; but
the girl snatched the word from his
lips,
'Lest we make for ourselves a law
against our own inclinations," said
she, sharply; and without waiting
for reply kept on her way, leaving
Rowland to slowly and thOughtfully
climb the hill and enter the house,
where he found Katherine still seated
as he had left her in the Governors
great chair, her pale face laid against
the back, and the great tears slowly
/ gathering upon her lashes, and rolling
over her thin white cheek. The young
man stood looking at her for a mo-
ment, then slowly approached, and
stood close beside, but without touch
ing her.
"Dear mistress, your sorrow breaks
my heart. If could sOothe it in my
fashion-if the knowledge that one
man at least would give all else to
pleasure you and b-ingyou comfort"
Thanks, good friend, and more
than thanks. know that you would
think any trouble light, if by it you
could ease mine but oh, John, it is
my life that is crushed, my heart that
is broken; and for that trouble what
balm can even your kind and BROTH
erly affection devise? Stay with me
until the end, John, and sOothe my
dying bed as you did his-no more is
possible"
''I will never leave you while we
two live, Katherine" said the young
man, solemnly; and between those
two full hearts fell deep silence, bro
ken only by the sound of the stormy
waves lashing the shore hard by, and
the solemn voice of the clock telling
of Time speeding momently toward
Eternity.
Another month passed over, and
May s0ftening into June, when Gov
ernor Bradford, meeting Rowland a
little way from the town, abruptly in
quired:
''How is Mistress Carver now, and
how comes on thy wOOing, man~
''My mistress is but poorly, Sir; and
/ have never dared intrude such a
thought as that of another marriage
upon our SORROW" replied John, with
such a change of color that the elder
shrewdly remarked:
'fBnt you have thoughtup it your
self, and the idea is a marvellOusly |
sweet one to your mind"
al can not deny so much, Sir, but"
'Leave but to keep company with |
peradventure, and go home and speak |
your mind to the widow; you are but a |
young man, and know not women as |
your elders do, John. They love to be |
impOrtuned and persuaded, and urged |
even against their own commands. |
Many a man has lost his chance from |
too great a mOdesty and distrust at his |
own worth, like our gallant Captain |
and Priscilla Mullins. Go you home |
and ask Dame Carver to promise to |
become Dame Rowland by-and-by, |
and you shall see that the roses will |
bloom again upon her cheek, and the |
tears dry from her eyes. I fain would
see that matter settled"
And the Governor, assuming little |
more than his usual dignity, as,if TO |
compensate for the frivolous nature of |
the discourse in which he had Just in
dulged, strobe up the Burying Hill to
search the Offing for the ship of sup
plies then anXiously expected, and
Rowland meditatingly pursued his
way.
'Tt is all but hopeless, and yet-it
might give change to her gloomy
thoughts at least said he; and find
ing Katherine alone, sitting, as was
her wont, in the great chair, herhands
locked upon her lap, and her eyes fix
ed upon them, and an air of abstrac-
tion and melancholy yelling her from
head 70 foot like garment, he seated
himself beside her, and gently said:
''Dear lady, 1 wish that that might |
see you less sad"
Katherine looked up with a wan
smile
az am not so bad as I have been
John"
'tGod be praised if your sorrow is
"GOd be praised that he is answer
ing my prayer"
"YOur prayer for resignation ?''
may, but to be allowed to follow
him who hath gone before"
"You do not mean that you would
die ?' exclaimed the young man, turn
ing pale. Agentle smile alone replied
TO him, and covering his face with
his hands, he groaned aloud.
''Nay, John, why grieve that L am at
last to be happy once more, Bfter so
many days Of suffering and despair"
'Because-Oh, mistress of my heart
and my life-because l love you with
all the strength that is within me, and
have loved you since first you spoke
to me that black day long since, when
l did but wait until you should be
gone before I drowned myself; and
you it was who saved me and made a
man of me, and brought me hither,
and worshipped you saint-wise, nor
thought of earthly love until now that
you are all alone in the world, and /
at least might stand between you and
suffering and want and oh, Kathe-
rine, if all the love and all the wor-
ship that are possible from man to
woman would move you-if the
thought that you were leading me
heavenward day by day, if"
"Oh, stOp-stop! Cruel, false, un-
that you are, how dare you
thus insult my wifehoodI How dare
you think of me or speak to me as
other than John Carver's faithful wife,
whom God hath for her sins divided
from him for a while, and after will
bring into his presence for an eternity
of bliss! Oh! John Rowland, you
have bitterly disappointed me, for
did think that in you had true and
trusty friend and brother; and now"
"And now you hate anddespise me,
ind will withdraw the confidence that
yOa have entertained for me so far"
broke in the young man, bitterly.
"But how could you, JOhn-hOw
should you even dream of such a mat
ter. And 1 had thought to see you
welded to Elizabeth before died"
elizabeth ?''
.