Middletown transcript., 1871-07-15
Original Storu.
Written for The Mail,torn Transcript.
A HEART HISTORY.
ny MuRrEL LAM.

A heart history! All, who has not one
hidden away from the cold, unfecling
world? Where is the man who has left
the dear home roof. and gone TO a strange
land to build for himself name and for
tune, battling with temptation and mis-
fortue. day after day, and ycar after year,
who does not examine his heart history
with sigh that reveals more Of sin aud
sorrow, weakness and rcmorsc, than any
words could do? Here is n page blistercd
with tears Of yearning for nm encouraging
smile from tho loved ones. so far away,
when the waves Of advcrsiiy are threat
cning to engulph him in the dark, fa'hom-
less depths: and there another, blackcncd
with the stains of dishonor and crime
Where is the maidci, who bends once
more over that old armchair to whisper
mother, good bye" and then goes out
with a brave spirit, into cruel, unsym-
pathizing world to struggle for her daily
ly bread, who will not sometime, in look
ing over her heart history, pass over some
leaves with pale cheeks, and quivcring
:" Not that Not that Would ,ha,
could forget. Oh, mother why did |
leave you!'
All many are the sad heart histories
passing daily before our lives. and yet for
ever closed to our sight. And many arc
the dark pages looming up in the fast
coming future, that We migk, brighten, if
we only knew Aud il we knew of them,
would We pause in our selfish, head long
career, to lend kindly smile or a help
lug hand Alas fear not. We do
not stop to think Of such things until a
shadow passes over our own heart. leaving
! gloomy traces, that the fingers Of time can
never obitcratc
Dear reader, what is your heart histo-
ry? Have you no, ono =? All methinks
| see your checks pale, your lips trcmblc.
You, too, have e.. some cord snap, seen
some hope perish. You, too, have wound
cd heart tha, loved you. have spoken a
rude word To tie dear one now taken for
ever taken from your sight. How vii.
liugly would you give your life's blood 10
wipe ont tho remembrance Of that cruel
act, tha, bitter warl-but you cannot
Have you not sometimes gone to your own
! litle room, and with your face buried in
the tcar-mois,cd pillow, wished that you
were dead. and lying in the peaceful
graveyard! All, that is n tor,uring page
never, never to be forgotten.
Have you ever watched the busy forms
that pass your door? Ever studied their
face? Ever notice the look Of suffering
stamped upon 20 many? 'ris hu, the
covering of the aennized heart beneath
See the furruws un iha, old mans brow ,
Ask him il age has planted them all there,
and, with thp hot tears trclliug down hi-
wrinkled checks, mayhap he will roin, to
to three lonely graves meath the church
yard willow and you know his heart his
tory. Look n, that woman, scarcely past
the prime Of life, and yet SO thin and fee
bic, Gould you read her heart, it would
tell you of the hardes, Of all grefs Il bear
the curses aud blows Of an iuehriatcd.
aud yet idolized SON lie was innocent
once. Turn back few leaves to the time
when be lay a sweet, guilclcss habo on
that fond mothers hrcnst Then she was
youthful and pretty, now SO li,tiinlly hro-
ken Aud there goes another unfortunate
one So young. and yc, so old in suffer
ing. see the hollow. sunkcn eyes. and
the thin compressed lips. Look down IN.
to the aching heart. aud that one word
deserted will tell you all And those
little children, with sorrow stamped so
soon on their young faces. Poor little
orphans Rcprove them kindly when
they err. They have begun their heart
history early
Sweet little Nellie Warner, How sad
was her heart history. How well do
remember that autumn eyening, when she
stood over the grave Of her fondly loved
mother, with that wild, tar-away look in
her large blue eyes Just one week be-
fore they wcpt together over her fathers
coffin, aud now she was stricken again.
and the tears had refused come Only
sixteen. and so utterly alone in this world /:
not brother, nor sister to help her bear
this crushing aillc,ion. She stood there
alone, IN her mourning robes. the chilly
October winds playing with her long, sun
ny curls--thc only ono in that vast assem-
blage with undimmed eyes. Hers usa-
and glit,ercd like steel, aud that look Of
intense agony in them was pityful to be-
hold Everyone seemed paralysel at the
sight. She had been my playmate from,
babyhood dear MS sister to me, and
could not bear to SEQ her suffering thus
Tn my wild, impulsivc way. | sprang to
her, and folding my arms about her, ex-
claimed. don't, Nellie, don't" Come
home with me, and mamma will be your
mother now. She loves you dearly al.
ready But the little hands clasped SO
tightly over the hcavng chest. never
moved, and the blue eyes lost not their
stony expression. Again pleaded with her
TO come home with me, where she would
be warmly welcomed ms daughter, but
she only laid her thin, white hand on
minc and without moving her eyes, said
in tone so strange aud hollow
Stay with me, Agncsw
NV mother hearing her words. and
| .l:-L:u. "a k..k A., i>..~ L.. ..L.t. -:.L