The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1874-10-21
MISCELLANY.
ELLIS GRANT.
BY MRS. S. A. UNDERWOOD.


BY MRS. s. A. UNDERWOOD.
Life from the first had not proved much oil
boon to the very sensitive, thoughtful Ellis
Grant The only person who had any sym.
pathy with his dreams and aspirations, had
faded like a delicate flower under the harsh
discipline of his fathers authority, and ere he
had completed his twelfth year had left him
motherless and desolate to brave alone the
life which Roger Grant made hard and bitter
for those he considered his dependents.
So many hours for toll, so many hours foi
compulsory study, so many hours for sleep.
Roger Grant prided himself on his rigid
according to his rules, and those rules made
no allowance for other peoples whims fancies,
or feelings. But death came to him at last,
regardless of the fact that the day on which
it came was one set apart by Roger for Other
purposes, and the stern will was of no avail
the busy hands and frame were stiled for.
ever.
And Ellis Grant found himself, ateighteen,
his own MASTER free to follow the bent of his
own nature. He inherited his fathers deter
mined energy of purpose, with his fathers
firm mouth and breadth of brow but with
the mothers tender eyes were given also the
mothers loving heart and depth of feeling
He was his own master,-with moderate
fortune at his disposal, and all the day-dreams
of his years of repression seemed to him now
within the possibility of realization.
These we're his plans of life HE was tt
make himself a bencfactor of his kind to bs
looked up to as the leader of ali good works
TO place himself in the vanguard of ever,
reform, bravely to search for truth in al
things, and having found it, proclaim it un
dauntedIy to others. He cared little 70
money, great deal for his fellow-men, SO h
would not be hard on any, even if they sinnet
previously, but would try by kindness to turn
them from the error of their ways he woult
choose his friends regardless of wealth o
worldly position. Merit in rags should b.
recognized by him as cordially as whei
clothed in ermine. This was his programme
he would freely give his wealth, his time
his energy, his elear-thinking brain, and hi
hard working hands to the advancement o
his race.
And what lid he hope or expect to receiv,
in exchange? His eye frightened, his cheel
flushed, his heart beat higher, as he though
of the reward he was sure to reap. To al
older man it might have seemed nothing, t.
him even in prospective it seemed life itself
and without it life would be poor and bar
indeed. He was in this way to win tho trn
unilinching friendship of appreciative souls
those who would cling to him through ever,
hardship and envious calumny he was to b.
respected aud honored for his brave loyalty t.
the right. Remembering his MOTHER th
only woman he had intimately known, to hin
all women were pure, true, unselfish, loving
and sacred, and out of the rosebud gardel
of girls some "quecn-rose :" was to dove
him with the largest Of her love, holding hin
first and best of all men because he wa
faithful to truth.
This was his dream, at eighteen. And The
realization? At thirty years of age, in hi
small room in a cheap lodging house, Eli
Grant sat down one cold winters afternoon
to take stock of his gain and losses during tn
past twelve years. His part of the programm
had been carried out faithfully. He wa
not of nature, having once put his hand t
the plough, to turn back with timidity. Fl
smiled little bitterly as he glanced at til
bare walls and floor of his hired room the
taking from his desk a year old newspapei
read over carefully detailed account of hi
failure in business with its Accompanying
sarcastic and slurring comments as to th
cause of that failure. He threw it aside wit
a disdainful smile, to take up the picture
face of a fair young girl on which he gaze
long and earnestly. 1t was face exquisit
in its loneliness, but the robes which decke
the form were of shimmering silk and gloss
velvet--her ears, neck, and wrists wei
adorned with jewels it would take forum
to buy, while the dainty-scented note whic
he took up as he laid the picture aside, toll
in refined, choice language and phrase, Of th
writer's inability to meet life as the wife {
an impoverished and illuminated man.
A little fire smoudered in the rusty graf
He stirred it up into blaze with the new
paper, then threw into it the picture and I'll
note, keeping the blaze up from time to tin
with papers from his desk,-the write
tokens of bis work during the years gone b.
| DAINTY notes, scented with the same subt
perfume as the first, but unlike that, full
loving words and epithets of passionate e.
dearment promises to pay +" from impec
NOUS vagabonds who had imposed on h
charity, credulity - they called it--!etters
warmest friendship from men who now fail