Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1872-05-29


after = subdued aud sober sort. sadly un-
like my Old-time buoyaut gladuess. / was
content to live. and, with my dear par
ents, the lavish beauty of the growing
year, spread out around me, and the pres
eut task which was never wanting, life was
not without its quiet satisfaetiOns. But
hope aud love, | thought, we're gone for.
ever. There we're seasons Of utter heart.
breaking sadness of the deepest, tenderest
grieving for him had lost. dare not
think of them now they we're not over
. frequent. and were kept secret.
Thanksgiving day arrived and was OBJ
served by US as usual. with a quiet feast,
at which old DR.. Ellers aud his lady we're
the only guests. 1t had been the custom
for years for the two families to spread
their Thanksgiving board together alter.
nately, at either homestead. Those were
red letter days IN my childhood, when my
parents would lead me, their petted one
ling, into that merry hive of a place, the
Ellers' home, for Thanksgiving; or the
doctor and Mrs, E. would come to US with
their troop of noisy, but noble anl gener-
f Gus girls aud boys. For the first time they
came alone. Their children were all mar
, ried and away, save Charles the youngest
son; he was with them still bearing the
burden of labor which bis father had trans
I ferred to his young shoulders, from his
I own. He was expected to our dinner, but
professional duties kept him away.
!. At three o'clock, when the four old
friends had left the dining room and we're
s seated round the parlor hearth, deep in
j. cosy chat, l excused myself from the cir
;. Gle, and sauntered away toward the for
q est. The day was mild for the season
J. 10 the morning we heard distant thunder,
r all the forenoon was moist. signing south
: wind, aud in the evening blush haze
!. filed the atmosphere, which was SO mo-
e tionless as 10 be oppressive. The melan
d choly aspect of ''the years last hours,
!. added itself to the lonliness within me,
and weighed me down. | thought O.
). Tennyson's sad song, and repeated it tt
e myself as went along:
:. "The air is damp, and hushcd and close,
As q sick mans room, when he seeksth reposo
An hour before death;
e My heart iaints, and my wholo.soul grieves
At the moist rich smell Of the rotting leaves
And the breath
or the fading box beneath,
And the years. last rose.
Heavily hangs the broad sunfower
m Over its grave in the ea:th SO chllyi
Heavily hangs the Hollyhock,
III And also the tiger-lily.
n found tie terrace in the hillside
y where were spoken the words which hat
* changed life into rare and ardent poem
n, Reclining upon cushion of moss ant
&c withered leaves, l suffered the moment
to lapse away, lost in the deepest reverie
1T was aroused at length by distant
as roaring sound 1t was like the far off thun
der, only continuous und slowly, steadil.
in increasing. | srrang up and glanced
I'd around, but could see only very shor
distance through the forest, which wa
re full of the gathering twilight. Running
hastily to the foot of the hill, l looket
'y upward and then stood transfxed, gain
ee upon that appalling sky. An inky blacl
If cloud rose from the northern horizon I
is the zenith over this, thin, suow.white va
u por wreathes hoated in all directions wit
r. startling rapidity. A hurricane, such a
,y sweeps over these western regions once il
L scores of years, was in motion; alread
I'D the air was thick with things, large ant
he small, which it had gathered in its course
ce and the trees on the hill top were bowin
lis before it. A flock Of crows, routed fror
D. their high-built nests IN the tamarac
en- swamps, few before the mighty win
IS tapped their black wings and added thei
nd doleful cawing to the terrific, elementar
of confusion.
90 My fathers voice, shouting my name
u recalled nv awestruck attention. rea
NJ lied my peril aud almost few toward tn
'k. farm house. A few bounding steps too
~ me out Of the woods, down into the cleal
f ing among the girdled timber; few NOR
'ot and my parents arms would fold me.
lie that moment the wind caught me; it seel
he ed to lift me from the ground, then | wa
crushed 6ercely down again. At the sam
nd instant felt the earth trcmble bemeat
it. the dull, heavy shock Of hundred fallin
tree trunks; then the roaring hear
nd grew louder, wilder than the tempest, b,
ar. a great bodily agony rested upon me f
Nv hours. o those terrible hours! l lay wit
,n. my mind aud eyes utterly darkcned, col
III scious Of nothing save bitter suffering!
to- At length the Niagara thunder in m
es- brain grew fainter. subsided at interva
d and returned fainter still. Slowly Il
of keen anguish gave place to dull endur