The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1877-02-16
UNION 9. Il, SOUTH JARdSdhNA, FEBRUARY Is, 1877


pourfd upon her ear their mingled and To-
quadous consultations. But one remained
silef. The daughter Of Adam Bell, whc
sat Iy Mrs. Elliots elbow at table, had
shrahk into an obscure corner of the room
Befote her face she held handkerchief
wet With tears. Her bosom throbbed con.
yulsltely and, as occasionally her broken
sighs Purst from their prison house, sig
nihcaH whisper passed among the younger
part # the company.
MS. Elliot approached her, and taking
her band tendcrly within both of hers
SQ hinny, hinny p said she, Eyer sighs gas
ss1ps ssacist7 t7EKs1 fhife I An what
Ican I do to comfort ye? Come Elizabeth,
my bonny love, let us hope for the best
lYe see before ye sorrowin' mother Ia
mother that fondly hoped to see you AM
eanna say it tan am i'll qualified to gle
aomfUt when my own heart is like a furnace!
But GA let us try and remember the bless.
ed potion, Whom the Lord loveth He
cbasteieth,' an inwardly pray for strength
to say bis will be done !! "
Tine stole on towards midnight, and one
hy onethe unsuccessful party returned
AS foot after foot approached, every breath
was heldto listen. "No, no, no !' cried the
mother, sgain and again, with increasing
anguish, iWfs no the foot O. nv ain
bairn;" Xie her keen gaze still remained
rivetcd tp0n the door, and was not with
viru~hsqor shr nupU or uespalr rcIlnquishcd
Till the Individual entered and with silent
and ominous shake of his head, betokcncd
his fruitlesS efforts. The clock had struck
twelve ;all were returned save the father
The wind howled more wildly the rain
poured upon the windows in ceacclcss tor.
rents and the roaring of the mountain
rivers gave acharacter of deeper ghostliness
to their sepulchral silence for they sat, each
rapt in forebodings, listening to the storm
no sounds were heard, save the groans OF
the mother, the weeping of her children
and the bitter aud broken sobs of the be.
reaved maiden, wb6 Cleaned her head upon
her fatSer's bosoSi, refusing to lie com.
forted: =
At length the barking of the Erm.dos
- = ~ .es..H.tor- 1--.--s Every
earsas raised to listen, every eye turned t.
the door but, before the tread was YET
audible to the listcne Sob, it is only Pc
ter's foot ~ said the miserable mother, and
weeping, rose to meet him.
"Janet Janet !" he exclaimed as he en-
tered and threw his arms around her neck
"what's this come upon us at last"
He cas-: an inquisitive glance round his
dwelling. and convulsive shiver passed
over his manly frame, as his eye again fel
on the vacant chair which none had ven
tured to occupy. Hour succeeded hour
but the company separated not; and low
sorrowful whispers mingled with the lamcn
tations Of the parents.
"Neighbor," said Adam Bell, "thc morn
t.is q new day ard We will wait to see what il
may bring forth but, in the meantime
let us read portion O the Divine Word
an kneel together in prayer, that whether
or not the day-dawn cause light to shine W
on this singular bereavement, the Sun o
Righteousness may arise wi healing on hi:
wings upon the hearts o all present"
"Aaetf responded Peter, wringing hi'
handsiyand his friend taking down the Ha
Bible; read the chapter wherein it is writer
-"It isSbetter to be in the house Of mourn
ing tbxh In the house of feasting;" ant
againfRe portion which saye,h-It is wei
for me that / have been afflicted, for before
Twas Afflicted, went astray."
The tAorning came, but brought no It'd
ings of the lost son. After a solemn fare
'woll, all the visitants, save Adam Bell an.
}hia-hyIhtcr, returpsSveSrry one to thef
own ard tic disconsolate father, will
his kAts again renewed their searcl
aro1 $bs BILLS and surrounding villages.
D&Heeks, months, and years, rolled on
Tine y sobdued the anguish Of the pa
rcntsintga holy calm but their first borl
wasnot 9rgottes, although no trace of hi
fatsh been discovered. The general be
lief wses that he perished ON the brtakin,
up ofstbe snow and the few, in whose re
membrsnce he still lived, merely spoke o
his death as a"very extraordinary circum
stance" remarking that "he was a wild
venturssorne sosg O. lad"
Christaass sscceedsd Christmas and Pc
ter Elliot ssilI'kep il in commemoration o
him sho rsa not, For the first few year,
after the Ct their san,. sadness - a
lenoe cl'sfaetsrised Tho afty who sal aesi
Il IN diuA6 L., ~ syssH ~; IN a po<e.,