Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1871-12-04
THEE YEARS IN A House OF Re-
FORMATION.

lcoNTISUED. |

CURED what nal ostAten hsr, maj sne WAS
30 quiet and unlike herself She told him 8
Of hsr call and its effect on her. She Was d
again silent for . few minutes and then
looking Uaole John IN the iace said, NOV |
have solved a problem. You must 20 right !,
10 work 1nd make love to shat lovely glr. !.
She 10 Of q suitable age, and has been bora
aud educated here. We know all the family
10 be intelligent and respectable. She
would open the foaatains OF your affection
aud make them blossom as the rose, aud
that old ,ombllke house of house OF yours
dance 20 the music OF her voice. de en-
quired, "would you like 10 see your old
Uncle married p cold !" exclaimed Ada,
"whnt in the world do you mean by old q?
You are not forty ye, aud you are only old
because you have no ono TO open the we'll
springs Of your life aud bid them gush
forth. Grandma is not old her heart is as
fresh as new blown rose add rs fragrant
as . lily. She is always cheerful. To be
sure she misses dear Grsndpa, butshe does
not 20 20 the "valley Of the shadow Of
DEATH TO commune With him, bot up to the
Heavenly home, where he awaits US"
Uncle John drew long SIGH aud replied,
perhaps you have been told that | once
loved . beautiful girl, and Just about the
time we we're 10 have been married she
died and | have never thought IL possible |
to transfer my affections TO another Ada
paused Q moment and then enquired, did |
God take her p He replied, Il have no
doubt Of IL Ada enquired, and did she
close up the avenues OF your hear. before
she lefI you 2 or are you expecting her back
TO claim you THIS is she fate of oil who
live like you, shut out from all that makes
life worth living for" Uncle John replied,
81 have met that same picture, since the
morning you came TO breakfast with me. |
have felt how pleasant is the company of
one We love At any time, more especially At
the table The rolls we're lighter the cakes
we're better, aud the coffee more fragrant
The next morning sat there at the table,
all was changed. Nothing looked good, or
tasted good. | was alone" Ada felt she had
cong uered and the rest would come in like
day aud night She touched Uncle JohL's
horse with her whip. They cantered of at
q rapid speed and soon arrived at Field
Place. Dinner was awaiting their return,
aud they had good appetite after such a
long ride ; reNlising the proverb that "a
cheerful spirit doeth good like = medicine
As Uncle John was leaving for home Ada
took him by the hand and said, will you
remember ~ he replied in the Affirmative
Ada look ed into his face and said, dear,
good Uncle, l will kiss you for that
promise" He stopped down sud she kiss
ed him tsnderly, aud be went home. Ada's
father was smoking on the vsrAuds and
heard what had passed between
ais this part Of your plot?
he aaked. mol Yes. Just ous
incident" "Now," said her father, "will
you tell me what you have done TO make
him so cheerful" "Nothing only he shut
his heart up on account Of the death Of
Miss Rives, aud / have taken him away
from her tomb and sent him in search OF
one who lives in the same world he does.
That is ALL Her father enqured If she
would tell him her plan Of operations
sob, no." ssid Ads. mo dsoue nsnt
yet. You must wait, as the merchants say.
There must be dsmSud before you pro-
cure the goods, and am working out that
part Of my plot now Her father repl ed
81 think he 10 pleased with your efforts.
He likes to ride with you so much Of late.
l never though. yout Uucle Was very fond
of you till lately. lie seemed 20 think YOU
too wild for young girl He does not
think 80 now" sid Ada. She begins to un-
ders,and me he says and YOU see if don't
prove the greatest blessing TO him, he
ever prayed for Her father repl ed IL
have tried 20 convince him that it is not
right 10 mourn so immoderAtely, but be
finslly ropulsed me and gave II up" II
do not give him up, said Ada "till 1 see SO
great change ia him that he will moi
know himself 10 his mirror" She RAT
away 10 assist Anna with her lessons and
promised her she should ride Wlldhower i
she would spell every word. She missec
one word but Ada said you shall ride just
the same Il Was an ugly, hard word Sn'
you tried very, very hard Bill led Wild
flower up 10 the vsrands and put Anna OF
the saddle aud walked round toe yard
several times with her. she holding the
bride, being delighted to Gnd thA, sh'
could ride horseback. Uncle John wen
home and bsgsu to look about his house 81
though he had lost something and was try
ing 90 End il. Al length he settled him
self mo bis arm chair TO read the paper
After tea he went again through all th
rooms The hOusekeepsr enquired, u ae hat
lost something. Nothing said he "ths
Won can fnd.F He hoard the hollow SCUM
Of his own voice IS he replied and returns
TO the vsrandA to read He took his pAps
but 10, il drop upon his lap he was to bus
with hi. thoughts TO read. He eng uired I
himself II be had not been mistaken an
formed erroneous vie va, and made himss
behave tina. Miss Rives had been selecte
Of Providence ~ his helpmeet for life. ID
refsctions suggested to him that IL she ht
been made especially for MIN, she wou
no, have died, and defeated the ends
Provldanoe. III have deceived myself
said he "Aud now after so many years 3
gin 20 see il. IL is no fault OF hera, swe
girl, bat nv own despondency that lef'
dark visags on my heart viii not ie
il from i.s abode bat call her gentle spi
10 dwell in another form, aud she sh'
never, no never, depart from me, but 9
shall gnide as, yes she shall be one Pers
in our trinity and stay with US evermore
He felt calmer than he had for ten Years,
since Miss Rivss had bsen dead. Ne
morning he looked through the hou
again. He found that the paint needed
be renewed that the furniture was geiu
shabby aud the verands ricketyi th
fences wanted repairing, aud painting, q
the magnolia trees wanted trim ming.
thought It strange be had not observed
oil before. He felt as though the decay
saw had all taken place within the pa
week. He vent through the gate, 10 10
Ai the house from the road that he pass
several times each day. he could scarce
make himself believe that thu house look
40 dilapidaied. He stood there in anna
msnt, he heard the sound Of well kno'
voice and a. il drew near he moved
head Ada approached. Uncle Jol
called to her and said. IL sm glad to 8
your cheerful face / was jus. looki
about to see how shabby this house
Why did you not tell me-" Ada reptile
81 thoaght If | could only poke your ey
open you would see it yourself, witho
being told Of t. IL is Just the time to
It up nov. Aud did you observe how ,
paper 10 soiled, and excuse me, how I
furniture looks As though Mrs. Noah b
used IL when she took a voyage to Mon
Arrarat." "Well my pet" said Uot