Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-08-25
fConcluded from First page. !

upon whose parish 1 may be lntrudlng,
bat think | may venture; and as the
State requires no license, and we have a
winess-"And here the old doctors voice
broke forth under the sonorous arches oil
the wood in the music of the church ser
vice that he knew by heart.
We had heard 1t lately IN the midst oil
flowers and light and friendly organ strains
aud bell notes; but here in the solitude OF
the forest, aud the great darkness and the
falling snow, as the weddlng-prayer rang
ont, il was neXpressib'y solemn we lelt
as if great spirits were the company be-
fore whom we gave Our troth, and II we
did not kneel to the blessing. nevertheless
il seemed 10 fall upon our bent heads like
a tender hand, as that voice cried out OF
the gloom and shadow, "The Lord merci
mllv, with His favor, look upon you. and
I'LL you with all spiritual benedicIion and
grace, that We may so live together in this
life that in the world to come We may have
life everlasting"
"Are you sorry, my Rose | whispered.
And for one moment two arms thrown
about me, and little cold cheek on mine,
were more eloquent than words.
Then Tiffany aud proceeded to cut
other boughs and pile them round the
=
for had used my last in looking at my
watch-we could not build a fire; and Al
length, we disposed ourselves among the
iurs and rugs in our respective sleighS, TO
be az merry as we could ill sunrise, with
the snow still falling softly around us.
And very merry we were. We tested and
SPARED and told stories the Old doctor re- |
cited the adventures OF his youth; invit- |
ed the two to come and make another hight |
of il, watching the old year ont at the |
farm presently; and At length Rose, who |
had been very silent, trembling in my |
arms among all the iurs and robes, As we /
sat side by side, sang "a sweet old German
hymn that scared aud went as tar as an
angels song through the wood. And
thereat Mr.. Tiffany VINO had once been
ehorister, began an old hymn we all knew
"No seas again shall sever,
No desert intervene,
No deep, sad flowing river
Shall roll its tide between.
No bleak cliffs, upward towering,
Shall bound our eager sight
No tempesi, datkly Lowering,
Shall wrap Us IN It's night,
Love and answered union
Of soul with those we love,
Nearness and glad communion,
shall be our JOY above"
And as he sang, the beautiful head sank
lower and lower, and rested on my should /
err; and, as held her under the canopy of |
the umbrella, the sweet soul slept through |
the rest of the watch, while the doctor and ,
Tiffany and talked ourselves into fiery !
religious argument and had a rousing quar-
rel over the political aspect, and d grand
reconciliation over yellow CLEAN OF sun !
=. ba of In Il
through the shadow OF the great pine
boughs. with which we made haste out OF
OF the woods, found our separate roads, |
and parted the best OF friends.
1t had cleared of fine. The township
drags were breaking out the ways. We |
were not long in reaching a station. and /
sending word to the owners of our teams
concerning their whereabouts. And at
noon the farm had a mistress, the hearth /
had fire, the lamp was lighted in ms
home, never to go out, while that bright !
blushing face, half smiles, half tears, that |
gentle spirit that sweet nature, made the
days one long regret that they passed 50
soon.
As for that umbrella, was it ever going
TO be any but a sacred thing TO us -? 1t
was hung up with our Lares and Penates,
and all unholy hands forbidden. Perhaps
that is the reason that il never can be kept
on its hook, for-Do you see that dark OBJ
iect, sort OF ice-boat, scudding ovef the
frozen meadow, youder? 1t is Marcia and
Wilder Ferguson making sail in great
stolen frolic on their runners beneath my
silk umbrella. All, what a CHEEKY, happy
home is this What a beautiful world do
we live in How rosy my children's faces
are! What fortunate thing it was, what
a blessing out OF heaven, that cousin Mar
cia brought me that silk umbrella