Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1871-02-17

and was already feeling the happy in
fluence of such a home pervade her
whole nature, and with thankful heart
she blessed Mary every day; and Mary
was never so happy,-took the. greatest
pleasure IN making everything comforta-
bic and pleasant for her. Little Lizzie
declared over and over again that cousin
Louisa was fever so beautiful. . and with
good cause, for under such tender care
she was becoming SO cheerful and rosy
that she sometimes wondered whether It
might not be a dream from which she
would soon awaken.
We find her seated before a little old
brown trunk carefully folding some laces
thar her aunt had given her, and had
tenderly glanced into a little box which
contained the hair of her much loved
parents. and little yellow note that
nestled among the treasured locks,
which she had looked at and sighed over
but had not disturbed for years. She
looked longer tonight than usual, and
even took It up IN her fingers and read
the faded address, and putting 1t careful
-ly back, she replaced the box inthe little
old brown trunk just as Mary. entered
the room with an open note IN her hand.
81 have received note from very.
dear friend of mine, she said who II
have been looking for all day, but he
tells me that he has been away on bust
ness and viii call to night. / thought i
would tell you so that if you wished to
you could change y8ur dress, tho you
look very beautiful in this one, = she cod
tinued, as she smoothed the knot Of rib
bon on Louisa's neck. But, bark %
she said, hastily going to the window,
there are several sleighs before the
door. | suppose It IS some of my friends,
probably come to spend the evening.
I viii go down, dearest, and as soon as
you can do SO, follow me down. In her
haste Mary dropped the note on Louisa's $
floor.
The visitors. proved to be "a party Of
Mary's friends who had come TO give
her a surprise, and, although she was
delighted to see them, she regretted that
they had chosen this evening, as she
had made all her plans, which would
now have to be carried out entirely diff
ferently. But soon all were made to feel
themselves at home, and the cheerful
rooms were made more cheerful with
their bright smiles, and their laughter
rang merrily as they played their Humer-
Gus games. Louisa had joined them,
and was already introduced and enjoy
ing the games as two gentlemen were
announced, Judge BitezelIand Mr.. Clay
baugh. At the mention Of Henry Clay
baugh's name, Louisa gave. visible
start, and the blood rushed through her
veins with a tremendous force and then
seemed to stop. She gave a hasty glance
towards the door they were just enter
ing and Mary was giving them a very
cordial welcome, which Louisa thought
was highly appreciated by the younger
of the two, who did not seem inclined to
join the company but stood back laugh
ing and talking with Mary. She had
time to notice so much, and then the
reddish brown hair, the pale face, the
restless eyes and the empty sleeve, be
fore she slipped from ia room, and
went quickly up stairs. When she ar
rived in her own room she stood almost
breathless. Mr.. Claybaugh! Z" she
whispered, ''what if it-were he ? But it
cannot be; this man has only one arm,
and she sank down upon the lounge.
How foolish in me to leave the room,
what if 1t should be he? / am nothing
to him now As the words died away,
she caught sight of the note that Mary
Burlington had dropped, and hastily
picking it up she looked at the Signature.
Nothing more was needed-she could
never forget hfS writing, and at the sight
of it fond memory came rushing back,
like an avalanche, and -burying every
thing else left only bright Joyous pic
ture of her early childhood. She buried
her face in her hands and devoured the.
picture until she fancied herself a -romp-
ing, happy child once more. How
beautiful the picture seemed to her now
The dear old home nestled among grand
old trees at a little distance the dear
village church. the old red schoolhouse
where boys and girls played and studied
together, under the wide spreading
branches of venerable trees. that had
blossomed and borne fruit for years.
She could hear the humning Of the
bees, as they came in myriads to gather
honey from the open blossoms the
chirping and wArbling of the many birds
as they hoped from bough to bough
the laughter Of her playmates,-a the
one that stood out clearest and most
distinct of all was Henry Claybaugh.
How plainly she recalled his thick
brown hair, his large mischievous eyes,
his dignihed demeanor in the school
yard, the envious glances of the village
girls, the delight she felt at his prefer
ence for herself, and the little evening
parties where he always chose her for
the game or dance.
And then the picture took sadder
face The dear fathers health failed,
the mothers face wore a steady shadow,
her own childish heart became appre-
hensive; she. did not fully realize what
it all means until death stole in and took
the much loved father and husband
away. Then comes the little note of
sympathy from Henry Claybaugh. He
has lost his own father and knows well
her loss. How she remembers every
sympathetic word, tho the note has
grown yellow lying. SO long among the
locks of hair which she has SO carefully
preserved.
Then. Henry went away to college,
and as he bade her farewell Standing
beside her. cap in hand, the .ftful April
sun playing over his earnest face, he
vowed that he would one day claim her
as his own, and be faithful son to her
bereaHed- mother. Then he put upon
her finger the little circletof gold, telling
her that in looking at it she should not
forget, during his one years absence,
that away in the future they were to. be
one. But alas one-year! Who can
rend the mysterious veil and look into
futurity.7 But one short month passes.
which seems like some dreadful night
mare in the joyous picture of her child
hood, and then the soft Spring winds
play gently over two graves in the vii /
Iage chnrchyard and she. is left alone,
Alone The word reused her from her
thoughts. Was she to be alone hence |
forth No; she had kind loving friends
around her now, and she z00atla be hap
py. Perhaps it had been her former /
circumstances that had made
his memory so dear. She would now
shake if off perhaps he was. really en-
gagged to her young aunt Mary's face
in all its loveliness- came up before her,
her character still more beautiful stood
out as clear as the MONDAY sun. She |
would keep her owl. secret she would
not be the cause of Disappointment .en-
tering the heart that hadso kindly taken
her into its shelter. She had but one
friend to whom she would go in this
emergency, the one to whom she ever