The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-06-10


, nit of a knoll, repeating, "Where in this
+ world shall we build our temple"
All! have you already asked yourselves that
question o. said their companion, his shaded
features growing even gloomi6r with the smile
that dwelt on them; "yet there is place,
| even in this world where yc may build H.
While the old man spoke, Adam Forester
and Lilias had carcIessly thrown their eyes
around, and perceived that the spot where
} they had CHANGED to pause possessed quiet
charm, which was enough adapted to their
present mood Of mind. II was a small rise
of ground, with certain regularity of shape,
that had perhaps been bestowed by ant; and
a group of trees, which almost surrounded 1t,
, threw their pensive shadows across and far
beyond, although some sottened glory OF the
sunshine found its way there. The ancestral
mansion, wherein the lovers would dwell to-
gether appeared on one side, and the lvied
church, where they were TO worship. on an-
other. Happening to cast their eyes on the
ground they smiled, yet with sense OF won
der, to see that pale lily was growing at
their feet.
ave will build our temple here" said they,
simultaneously, and with an indescribable
conviction that they had a. least found the
very spot
Yet while they uttered this exclamation,
the young man and the Lily turned an appre-
hensive glance at their dreary associate, deem.
ing it hardly possible that some tale of earth
ly atfiction should not make those precincts
lloathsome, as IN every former case. The old
man stood Just behind them, so as to form the
chief in the group, with his sable cloak muf.
fling in the lower part Of his visage, and his
sombre hat overshadowing his brows. But
he gave no word of dissent from their pur.
pose; and an inscrutable smile was accepted
by the lovers as a token that there had been
; no footprint of guilt or sorrow, to desecrate
the site of their temple OF happiness
In little time longer, while summer was
still In its prime, the fairy structure of the
temple arose on the summit of the knoll, amid
the solemn shadows of the trees, yet often
gladdcncd with bright sunshine. 1t was built
of white marble, with slender and graceful
pillars, supporting vaulted dome; and be-
meath the centre OF this dome, upon pedes-
tai was slab of -veined marble, on which
books and music might be strewn. Butthere
was a tantas'y among the people of the neigh
borhood, that the edfice was planned alter
an ancient mausolcum, and was intended for
tomb and that the central slab OF dark
veined marble was to be inscribed with the
names of buried ones. They doubted, too,
whether the form Of Lilias Fay could apper.
tain to creature of this earth, being so very
delicate, and growing every day more fragile,
so that she looked as II the summer breeze
should snatch her up, and wait her heaven
ward. But still she watched the daily growth
of the temple; and SO did old Walter Gas
coigne, who now made that spot his continu
al haunt, leaning whole hours together on his
staff and giving as deep attention TO the work
as though it had been indeed tomb. In due
time it was finished, and day appointed for
a rite OF dedication.
On the preceding evening, after Adam For,
roster had taken leave Of his mistress, he |
looked back to the portal of her dwelling and
felt q strange thrill OF fear; for he imagined
that, as the setting sunbeams faded from her
figure, she was exhaling away, and that some
thing of her eternal substance was Withdrawn,
with each lessening CLEAN of light With
his fsrewell glance, shadow had fallen over
the portal, and lilias was invisible. HIS
foreboding spirit deemed it an omen at the
time; and so it proved for the sweet earthly
form, by which the Lily had been manifested
to the world, was found hfeless, TIE next
morning, In the temple, with her head rest.
Ing on her arms which were folded upon the
slab of dark veDed marble. The chill winds
of the earth had long since breathed blight
into this beautiful flower; so that loving
hand had now transplanted it., to blossom
brightly in the garden of Paradise.
Bat, alas for the temple of happiness! In
his unutterable grief, Adam Forester had no
purpose more at heart than to. convert this
temple of many delightful hopes into tomb
and bury his dead mistress there. And 10!
wonder! Digging grave beneath the tenn
pie marble door, the sexton found no virgin
earth, such as was meet TO receive the mai
denis dust, but an ancient sepulchre, in which
were treasured up the bones of generations
that had died long ago. Among those for.
gotten ancestors was the Lily to be laid. And
when the funeral procession brought Lilias
thither in her coffin, they beheld old Walter
Gascoigne standing beneath the dome of the
temple, with his cloak of pail and face of
darkest gloom; and wherever that figure
might take its stand, the spot would seem a
sepulchre. He watched the mourncrs as they
lowered the coffin down.
"And So" said he to Adam Forester, with
he strange smile In which his insanity was
wont TO CLEAN forth, you have found no bet !
er foundation tor your happiness than on a (
,rave!'
Blu; as the shadow OF afilIction spoke, Wis q,
on of hope and joy had It's birth IN Adams
mind, even from the old mans haunting t
worlds tor then he knew what was betoken. 9
d by the parable in which the Lily ana him. s
elf had acted; and the mystery of life and
leath was opened to him. "Joy. joy" he
ried, throwing his arms towards heaven, "on {
grave by the site of our temple and now b
ur happiness is for eternity" !,
With these words ray of sunshine broke =
trough the dismal sky and gimmered down Il
nto the sepulchre; while, at the same mo-
neut, the shape of old Walter Gascogne
talked drearily away, because his gloom,
ymbclic of all earthly sorrow, might no
onger abide there, now that the darkest rid T
lie of humanity was read.-NdthdHie Har- :,
tOrne.