The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-06-22
A Vase of Gold.

beat upon it, and the white curling waves
leapt about it. but, unstrled and naughty
as the proverbal Greer pride, it stood
irowning upon the surrounding landscape
The race were English
Hawkeshome had been built after the
old ancestral home in England, where the
Greers had lived in wealth and pride fol
centuries The old family mansion had
been burned ard pillaged in the reign OF
King Oliver; but the American Hawkes.
home, with its solid masonry and old trees
twisted by the sea winds. seemed us aged
and stable as its ancestral model
Here generations of the family had lived
and died Here, at the time my story
opens, dwelt Professor Saville Greer
tie daughter The lovely mother had long
since crossed the dark river. The little
girl was supplied with a governess-a
quiet, pale-fa girl-Celeste Grey Plain,
unpretending, she seemed at first sight al
most ont of place in that abode of vaulted
roofs aud artrch panels. with grace and
| luxury ut every side: but the dead mother
had known the spirit that hid in that small
breast-pure, great for sacrifice, sweet
with love. She had, as it We're, breathed
an INSPIRATION and said:
81 or my sake, treat Celeste Grey as a
daughter and sister. trust all the future
of my little child to her-my lnotherless
daughter whom | must leave
SO, for five years she had dWelt with
| them, homeless but for that stately roof
appreciated, cherished by the proud Greers
who were said to care for no living thing
but their own blue blooded kin
But, necessarily, Celeste Grey's life was
a lonely one The old professor was de-
voted to scientific pursuits, and spent the
most of his time in his laboratory. His
mind was abstracted, his manner reserved.
If aroused from his silent habit, he was
paternal, kind; but it was generally I'M
delstood in the family that demands upon
the attention, and intrusion upon the time,
OF the professor were not desired. He lived
the life OF recuse.
| The care of the vast Greer property had
been early left to the care Of his son Lew
ellyn
A frank, mercurial, ardent spirit. with a
brow of light, a heart of courage, Level
lyn Greer was the personilication of the
better family qualities. Generations OF
culture and cool blood had established his
brave, bright Apollo aspect An unusual
executive abilitysrendered him master Of
the situation early made his by the distaste
Of his father for business transactions and
the duties of wealth. Though much alb
sent from home, he was, to all practical
| effects. the master OF iiawkeshome.
Celeste, therefore, was left alone with
her little charge-Rae, they called her-a
beautiful child, eight or nine years old.
Rt,. 1,,1V ,.tilI \ bri1l,t n
thing. with eyes Of angelic innocence, and
| sprite, u pet; the pride Of her father, the
plaything Of her brother. TO Celeste was
left the formation OF this child's character
Faithful, patient heart Safely had the
mother trusted in Celeste Grey.
On this winter Of which | write, Hawkes.
home was unusually quiet. Llewellyn was
aWay-abrOad on Il three months stay in
London. With him the cheer OF the house
was gone. Rae's piano and the almost
noiseless passing of the soft-iooted SER
wants were the ONLY sounds OF the great,
rich. silent mansion.
AT window Celeste could hear the
lashing OF the tempestuous sea. Far away
it spread tossing its white caps, salt and
cold. The gulls piped over. Distant sails
seemed shivering and fleeing before the
blasts
Celeste went to the library one day. for
u book. The old professor looked up from
his manuscripts.
My dear, | hope Llewellyn will not
think Of returning until the spring opens'
The wind whistled vindictively about
the towers Of lawkeshome. 1t seemed ell
oquent with menace to Celeste at that mo-
ment
Il hope not" she murmured, in re-
sponse.
She went up to her chamber. Llewel-
lyn's dog, Marquise, who always attached
himself to her in his masters absence. Law
stretched on the crimson rug before the
fire. He rose, went to the window, looked
out over the stormy waters, and whined.
Rae, curled up on a lounge, with book
of ialry tales, looked up.
''He is afraid something will happen to
Llewellyn," she said in q soft, grave tone,
| peculiar to her at times.
1t was the otherwise unspoken fear of
the household
| But at last they had q letter from him
that he should not embark until the last of
April.
was expected.
! Celeste Grey's gentle lips turned white
| with disappointment And yet she did not
know her own heart. She was lonely, she
| thought; the dismal weather oppressed
her, when the tears aoould come. AS she
wore her pale face old Temperance Dar-
rah, the housekeeper-the only one who
suspected her secret-looked at her sharp
ly.
Always love, love, when one is young"
she muttered. She was strange, silent
old creature, but faithful to her masters
family
Celeste had vision one night. 1t was
not u dream; it was single face which
appeared and haunted her after she was
awake and had risen-a woman's face.
young, ruby-lipped, broad-lidoed, with
trailing, vinelike hair, and polished, vo-
luptuous shoulders.
"No human being was ever so beauti-
full" she said to herself, and then turned
to the mirror of her dressing table with an
earnest look. Her reflection gazed back
at her with intentness-pale, plain No,
that earnest face had little beauty.
81 should love to be beautiful" MUIR
INJURED Celeste
The winter broke at last The sea gilt
tered in the April sunshine The marshes
took on faint green. Gay carriage-loads
of pleasure-seekers rolled across the beach
Rae begged to bathe in the surf, which
was not yet warm enough. Celeste eager
y examined the newspapers. looking for
the arrival of the Europa.
At length it was announced.
But that night there came, also, secret
messenger to Hawkeshome. The icy ting.
ers of Death touched the pulsations Of
Professor Greer's heart as he slept and in
the morning the household looked upon
the still form and pallid cheek, appalled,
The sole daughter of the house clung,
scared, silent, and appealing, to Celeste
1t was her first understood experience with
death. She had been too young to under
stand when she lost her mother Celeste
wept with her, and the house Of death
awaited the coming of Llewellyn Greer
Marquise, the old hound. after shifting
at the cold hand of the master of Hawkes..
home. and looking into face after face o1