Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-07-04

. win. As those cold fingers touched
hers, the unheppy wife gazed full
into her sisters face; and as she
marked the CHASTITY color of her
! cheek, the dilated nostril, the CULVER
ing lip and the intensely moarnful
look, she covered her face with her
hands and burst into tears, while the
young husband, awed by thu terrible
silence Of her be had wronged, gasp.
ed for breath and staggered back.
Then Lucy clapped her hand on her
forehead, and first gave voice to one
fearful cry, which could not but for
ever ring through the souls of the
guilty pair, and fell in death-like
swoon at their feet.
After tho insensible girl had been.
borne to her chamber, stormy
scene ensued in the room beneath.
The parents and guests were alike
enraged against W; bu. tho
tears and prayess Of his young wife,
the petted beauty and spoiled child,
at last softened somewhat the anger
of the parents, and an opportunity
for an explanation, was accorded TO
the offenders.
A sorry explanation it proved.
The gentleman affirmed that the first
sight of Elen's lovely face bad weak
ened the empire of her palmer sister
over his affections. Frequent inter-
views had completed the conquest OF
his loyalty but he had been held in
check by honor, and never told his
love until, on his way to espouse an
| other, in an unguarded moment, he
revealed it, and the avowal called
| forth an answering acknowledge
ment from Ellen.
| They had thought it best, in order
/" to save Lucy" and prevent the
deposition from her, to secure her
own happiness, to be married before
their arrival at C.
i Lucy remained insensible for a
long time. When she revived and
apparently regained her conscious
ness, she still maintained her strange
silence. This continued for many
weeks /; when it partially passed
away, and her friends saw with in
expressible grief that her reason had
| fied-that she was hopelessly insanel
But her madness was of o mild and
harmless nature. She was gontle
and peaceablo as ever, but frequent-
| ly sighed and seemed burdened with
!; some great sorrow, which she could
not herself comprehend. She had
one popularity which all who knew
her must recolIect this was q wild
fear and careful avoidance of men
, She seemed possessed of the spirit Of
unrest. She could not, she would
. not. be confined, but was continually
escaping from her friends, they
, knew not whittier.
j While her parents lived, they, by
watchful care and unwearied efforts
in some measure controlled this sad
propensity, but when they died their
stricken child became q wanderer
homeless, friendless and forIorn.
I! Through laughing springs and
rosy summers, tramp, tramp, tramp
mo rest for her of the crush cd
heart and crazed brain.
/ | remember her as she was ia my
early childhood, toward the last part
of her weary pilgrimage. As my
father and elder brother. were fire.
lquently absent, and as my mother
never closed her door on her, she Of
ten spent on hour or two at our fire.
side. Her appearance was worry sim
gular. Her gown was always patch.
ed with many colors, and her shawl
or mantle was worn or torn until il
was open work and fringe. The re-
mainder OF her miserable wardrobe
Ishe carried in bundle on her arm,
land sometimes she bad a number OF
parcels of old rags, dried herbs, etc.
| In the season of flowers, her tat.
tered bonnet was proiusely decorate
ed with those which she gathered in
the woods or by the wayside. Her
love for those and her sweet voice
were all that were left Of her exist
ence. Yet, 10; her meek and child
like riety still fingered. Her God
had not forsaken her; down in the
dim chaos of her spirit the smile Of
His love yet CLEANED faintly-in the
waste garden of her heart she still
heard His voice at eventide, and she
wss not afraid. Her Bible went
with her everywhere--a torn and
soiled volume, but as holy still; and,
1T may be, as dearly cherished, my
dear reader, as the gorgeous copy
now lying on your table, bound in
"purple and gold," and with the
gliding untarnished upon it's delicate
leaves.
Thirty years from the time of the
commencement of this mournful his.
tory. on bleak autumnal evening, a
rough country wagon drove into the
town of c.. 1t stopped at the
aims house, an attenuated form was
lifted APP and carried in, and tho wag-
on rumbled away. This was Lucy
FDutton, brought to her native town
to die.
She had been in decline for some
months, and tho miraculous strength
which had so long sustained her in
her weary waudorings. at hast for
sock he2. utterly. Her sister had
died ssme time before /; and the wild.
Vowed husband had soon after remov-
cd to tho far west so Lucy had no
friends, no home but the aims
house.
One day, about q week from the
time OF her arrival, Lucy app cared
to suffer greatly, and those about her
looked for her release almost impati-
tiently ;bnt at night she was evident
| ly bettcr, and slept TRANQUILITY until
morning. The matron, who was by
her bedside when she awoke, was
startled by tho clear and earnest
gaze which met her own, but she
smiled and bid tho invalid " Coca
morning" Lucy looked bewildered,
/ but the voice seemed to assure her,
and she exclaimed
/ Where am L? And who are
lyou :? do not know you"