The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1870-10-06
CARRIE WALLACE.
BY MARIAN MAY.


clear dancing river Clyde. The outward
appearance viii not at first strike you as
anything particularly lovely, but notice
the carefully trained woodbine, gracefully
tHiuing over the little rustic porch; the
daintily spreading Ivy, reaching up its
slender arms as If imploring support Of
It's neighbor, the evergreen. The mod
est blue bell, hanging its pretty face so
low that you are puzzled at first to sec
the bright golden drops beneath. These
and thousand little attractions-are
carefully and with loving hands-made
to show. that even the poorest Of God's
creatures may have something to make
their home, be it ever SO humble, look
beautiful. Such was the home Of Carrie
Wallace here she lived with her wild
owed mother; she had leen reared in
luxury; every wish having been granted.
at her fathers death, their stately home
was sold, and people whispered that the
mother and daughter would be left des-
flute. But fortune still favored them,
for there vas still lett the little brown
cottage. With strict economy they man
aged to live upon the small allowance
sill left them. No costly pictures adorn-
Cd the walls Of the little parlor, no use
less ornaments now graced their home
but peace and content reigned, and With
these blessings they could well dispense
with many little elegancies. st the time
my story opens, Carrie is twenty years
old; but the dark, dreamy..eyes, the small
dimp!cd mouth, the tall erect form, all
bore evidence that their mind was troubl-
ed. She Ealked back aud forth in the
little parlor with quick hurried steps !;
her hair brushed loosely back in dark
vavy masses from her pure fair brow :;
she would gaze moment up into the
dark starless sky with a wild pleading
look, as If in her moments of sorrow, she
would implore aid from Heaven, then
she would resume her walk, pausing ever
aha tAtiJl BCIOlC I'LL l5Cii tiSSA, ufOl VutCtl
lay letter. She read it over slowly,
and with firm resolute expression rest
Ing on her pale face, she folded it gently,
and pressing it to her lips. she burst into
tears how it relieved her poor aching
heart; they were the first she had shed
since this missiEe came to her. A few
months previous to this, she had met
GIayson Browne, promising young
man with wealth and every earthly luxury
at his command +; now he had written
her Of his undying love, and asked her
to be bis wife. Until now, she had tho t
Of no one, cared for no one, and was
quite sure Nhc never should love any one
but her childhood's companion, Burton
Clayton. Yet he was poor, he could
offer her only an honest heart. A home
with httlo attraction, and his whole life
devoted to her. This was all. While
with Grayson Browne, she would live 10
splendor, with wealth once more at her
command, it would seem ike living over,
the bright and joyous dream other youth.
What lnattere6 il, If she did not love
this man? Why should she pity for one
moment, the sorrowing lover Of her girl
hood? Would she not by so doing, place
her mother above want? Ought she
not to DO it for her sake? Then again,
Hope held out Its hand to lead her up
10 The position she had once filed in
society, and throwing the mantle Of pride
over her warm generous heart, smothered
instantly It's true inclinations, and taking
her pen, with trembling hand, she told
Crayson Browne she would be his wife.
Then throwing her shawl over her slen-
der form, she hurried cut into the dark
ness. Now and then a light burned
dimly by the bedside Of some poor suf
fcrer, aside from this, all was darkness.
She wandred on, seeing no one, and
needless OF all around her, she paused as
she came to the village postoffce; with
some little difficulty she found the letter
box, and another moment and the mis-
siye that was to seal her fate was beyond
her reach. Retracing her steps, she
was soon alone in her own room. Throw
ing herself upon her couch, she sobbed
unrestrained All night she lay tossing
In misery. Sleep came not to calm the
troubled mind. She had taken the step,
and be the result what it might, she
would not turn back. The next morning
she looked a little pale. there was less of
joy, and a little sadness might be detect
cd in her voice, and that was all. In
the evening Burton Clayton called, as
was his custom, to spend an hour talking
OF the common occurrences of the day.
Now and then his eyes rested lovingly on
her; he had never doubted, in fact he
had loved SO long aud felt so sure that
his love was returned, that he did not
notice the change that came over her
face when he spoke Of their future home,
and the time when they should all live
together, never to be separated save by
death he little thought of the change
that would take place in that little circle
ere the sun again sank to rest after the
next weeks labor.
0ne week passed quietly away, when
one bright morning the little brown cot
tage seemed silent picture ofloneliness;
the shutters remained closed, the whole
place seemed utterly deserted; but a
silent listener might have heard the heart
broken sobs Of the mother as her voice