Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-10-23
MnLrRsBURe, HOLMES County, THURSDAY Ger. 49,

d I wrote to my lawyer and agent, and
!, my own house was refurnished and put
q in order for my arrival. In my many
years of seclusion, my property had in
. creased In value, and I was very wealthy
: As soon as l arrived, old friends who
7 had been my companions in young life,
: focked around me, matrons with ifani-
lies, fathers and husbands, who had
! been beardless boys when left them.
2 So my Aliso- had soon circle of friends
of her own age, and smiled to see how
the shy little country maiden developed
J into the city belle. For her beauty, her
, great talents and accomplishments soon
gave her a prominent position amongst
her companions, and she was Jeted and
courted to my hearts content.
j Ever gentle and sweet, keeping some
thing always Of the shy grace OF her
childhood, she was yet self-possessed
and refined in society, seeking rather to
remain unnoticed than to be conspicu-
Gus. There were soon admirers clus-
tering around the lovely girl, ,some won
no doubt by the supposition that 1
would make my adopted child my heir
ness, but others attracted by the lowell
Of Alison herself.
Soon 1 knew that the young, pure
heart was opening and expanding to
new influences. Soon 1 learned that one
voice could call faint hlushes to my
darling's fail, round cheek. Soon saw
her eye brighten for one face, and l
knew that Fred Morgan was winning
Alison's heart.
1t may readily be imagined that 1
looked anxiously upon the little love
drama being enacted under my eyes, but
even my love could find no reason to be
dissatisfied.
Fred Morgan was nephew of one of
the merchants in New York, and junior
partner in the firm. His father, mother
uncle were all friends of my own in the
past, and the young man himself had
been study boy remembered well be-
fore my own life's tragedy fell upon
me. He was now a man of twenty-five
standing well in business circles, and
considered in our social set as a..man of
high neral character, and true Christ
ian gentleman. My Alison had won him
more by her pure gentle sweetness that
was the peculiar charm of her fresh,
young beauty, than by her other win
some attributes, but could see how, as
he became more and more and frequent
ly our quest, he was dazzled by her
wonderful music, her conversation, al
ways so hard to draw out,and her mem
tai power, that always surprised those
who judged her by her shy retiring
manner.
Evening after evening we met Fred
Morgan, now at opera or concert, now
at social gatherings, and still eftener at
our home, where he scarcely ever failed
to know if we were alone and disengag-
ed.
And while Alison's shy timidity yield
ed to her love, and she allowed her low
er to see how rare jewel he was win
ming, was issrning to respect the ster-
ling worth of the young merchant, to
honor him for nobility of heart and pur-
pose rarely seen in these days of fast
youth.
The April leaves were budding,when
Fred told me his love story and asked /
my consent to seek Alison for his wife.
1 gladly assented, but stipulated for
long engagement, because my child was
yet so young. 1t seemed to me it was
wrong to burden her yet with cares of
wifehood, and Fred reluctantly yielded
to my arguments.
The engagement was yet young, when
Fred came to tell us of an opening his
uncle had given him, that promised him
wealth in the future, to prepare home
for his young bride. Morgan & Co., had
a branch house in Chicago, that was
doing .aourishing business, and the
head of the -establlshment had died sud-
denly. Mr.. Morgan offered the vacant
position to Fred, with liberal arrange
ment regarding the profits of the branch
house.
1t was hard to leave Alison, but gave
= reluctant promise to wedding the
following spring. and there was the
comfort of postoffice always to be con-
sidered. 1t was a comfort, too, during
the summer months at Farmdale, when
letters were frequently exchanged.
In September we returned to New
York, and still the correspondence was
kept up regularly. Allison often bring
ing me her precious letters, and grow
ing brighter and sweeter every day in
her happiness.
The blow to all our happy hopes fell
on that dreaful day that the telegraphic
wires flashed the tidings of the confia-
grafton that was first reducing Chicago
to ashes. Hours stretched into days, in
to weeks, and there was no ray of light
for us, no news from Fred for good or
i'll. Mr.. Morgan went to Chicago, and
after two weeks of sickening suspense
returned to crush out our last hope.
His inquiries proved. that Fred had gone
int the burning store, to try to save
some papers, just before the roof fell in.
In the confusion, the suffering, the-aw-
full calamity all around him, the father
could learn no more, and we made
mourning garments, and numbered the
noble hearted young man with the
dead.
/ Alison Suffered as only such gentle re-
firing nature can suffer, striving for re-
signation, patient AID prayerful, and
broken-hearted. She grew so wan and
pale,so shadowy IL her frail beauty. that
1 became alarmed for her life,and by the
advice of our physicians l took her to
Europe. Here for year we travelled
from country to country. and health
came again to my darling, but never
brightness to her smile. For my sake
she bore her sorrow silently, striving
to make me happy by every loving de-
vice, but I knew her heart was heavy,
mourning for the lost love other youth.
So when she pleaded for the quiet of
Farmdale and rest, granted her re-
quest, and we crossed the ocean once