Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-03-25

ters, Mary and Helen, were essentia
elements TO the life of every party
and their Only brother, Edward,
guiding ADD controlling spirit in al
the sports Of the vicinity, it was very
natural that their home should b.
fixed upon as the starting point fo
the excursion Soon ali were collect
ed. There were the plainIookir4
and the pretty, the grave and thu
thoughtful, the lively and the gay, The
laughing, noisy romp, and the quie
and retiring maiden; in short, jus
such compound as we should selec
for just such party, fran whose mum
Der none could be well spared, ana
which required no additions. Al
seemed happy, and looked as smiling
and Joyous as the morning above de
scribed
The festivities of the day were to
be enjoyed at Sugar Camp, about
two miles. distant from the village, in
an extensive grove Of naples upon a
farm owned by Colonel Sanford
which camp he had rendered to the
party for the occasion. Our party
were soon ready, and pioneered by
Edward Sanford, proceeded gaily for
ward. BY his side lightly tripped
Caroline Hastings, the daughter and
only child of a widow lady, who had
emigrtted from one OF the Eastern
cities to our village about two years
prior to the date of the story Mrs.
Hastings owned and occupied that
neat little cottage which stands al
most hidden among shrubbery on the
side Of the green opposite the resi-
dence of Colonel Sanford The little
garden with its regular plats, the
miniture summer house in its midst,
and the latticed portieo, all covered
with net work of woodbine and hon
eysuckIe, told the character of the in
mates in better language than can be
written. Mrs. Hastings was one of
those noble few who, though reared
in affluence and splendor, could bear
adversely and seclusion, and who did
not continually distress herself and an
noy, if not disgust others, by useless
repinings at the change in her condi-
ton. The death of her husband,
which occurred shortly before her re-
moval from the city, had depaived her
not only of kind companion, but as
is often the case had exposed to her
the fact that the property left to her
and her child would be nearly ex-
in the settlement of the es
tate. She did not, however, hesitate
to sacrifice all that was Necessary to
fully pay up all liabilities against her
husbands estate, and with the small
moiety that remained had taken up
She was TO support herself and her
darling child, while it produced many
anxious thoughts, caused no murmur-
ings or complaints The faith she
followed taught her TO rely calmly on
Him who feeds with plenty the ravens
and arrays in glory the blooming Ill
les. Her reliance was not misplaced
Within few months after her arrival
at our little village, and while herself
and daughter by their own eXertions
were cheerfully providing for their lit
tie wants, she received tidings unlock
cd for; that some claims to a large
amount which had been considered
worthless had been recovered to the
estate. She thus Unexpectedly found
herself not only secured from want
but in possession of several thousand
dollars. This change of fortune
produced no change in its recipients
toward all with whom they were as
ISOLATED Some of the least liberal Of
their neighbors prophesied that now
the widow and her daughter would
feel above other folk, and firmly re-
solved to give themselves no oppor-
tunity to be sighted. But these pre-
dictions all failed, and the only visible
effect produced by prosperity upon
the residence Of the cottage was a
more generous and liberal dispensa-
ton to the needy than had been per-
mtted by their former circumstances,
and those little and petty feelings of
envy and jealousy which too often
exist in every community soon van
ished before the bright smiles and
kindly greetings of the mother and
daughter.
But | must proceed, lest in my ad
miration of the mother, | shall forget
. parsonage quite as worthy of notice,
and more closely connected with the
incidents Of our story. Caroline
Hastings, or "our Carrie, as she loved
to be called. How shall | describe
her Although rather small in size, she
was beautifully proportional. Her
eyes were large and lustrous, aud
whether beaming with pleasure in full
radiance, or flashing with Indignation,
whether half concealed by their rich
covering Of fringe, or believed with
tears, they spoke with irresistible elo-
quence a language which could not be
Misunderstood Her hair was soft and
glossy, and with golden-tinted ring
lets Swallowed brow as fair and
shotless as her warm and noble heart
She was one of those whose every
feature, form and grace, seemed to be
created for herself alone She bound
ed along like fawn, and the spring
ing grass seemed only to bend without
being crushed under the light pressure
of her footstep. But | cannot describe
her more, ard Unjust leave the picture,
lest the ideal may awaken fond re-
collections of the real and call up "the
memory Of joys that are past, which:
like the music Of Ada, is sweet, yet
mournfully to the soul"
Time will not permit to particuarlize
each member OF our party, although
all Of them would well bear q descrip-
ton, every one being possessed Of
quite an ordinary share Of good quail
ties. Headed by Edward Sanford
and Caroline, they all moved gaily for
ward. No formal and affected rule:
of etiquette confined their movements
all were easy and graceful, because