The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-08-23

madam. now thoroughly q farmer DtCoihc'
attached to his farm. Every field, almost every
foot of my ground, has It's pleasant or sad as
sociatons 10 me. Every spot IN the woods is
dear to me. Ny farm wa, new when came
10 il; and my father cleared it, In that field
! WAS piOughiug, when a lassIc came by thai
pleased me. She gave me nod and smile
and afterwards married her. was grading
grain in yondcr field, when was called in to
see my first boy. | was moving in that mead
IOw," looking from the window, when news
was brought me that | had daughter.
was coming IN from yonder wood with LOAD
OF timber when my colts took fright, throwing
me off and breaking my leg, while Agnes
there held on and arrived safely at the barn,
when James Clendenning, my hired boy,
caught her up and carried her into the house,
and put the wild colts into the barn; then he
/ and William came for me. II was along the
skirt of that timber and through that meadow
! that took my last walk on Sunday afternoon
with the companion Of my life, the sweetest,
! calmest, and best of women. In less than a
week we buried her on yonder hillside. Many
dark night, with the storm beating against
my unprotected head have knelt by the
grave containing her sacred dust, until-well,
shall tell you, dear madam"
Yes 20 on" said Mrs. W., brushing away
tear; please go on. am deeply Interested
you seem to me, madam, like an old friend,
and my gossip has carried me back to the old.
en- time You will excuse me, madam, and
Carey, too, stopped to brush away tear.
YES, please 20 on How long did this last? ?"
For many weeks--ycs, months. AT length
one night came in heart-sore and weary.
retired to rest, first dropping upon my knees
and praying to God and the Lord to forgive
me; praying to my wife to come back to me.
Then | laid down, and soon my room was
lighted up as with an etfulgence from the e,er.
nal world; the door Of my room opened, and
my wife walked in and passed around to the
foot of my bed and rested her arms upon the
foot-board She spoke not, but looked at me
so lovingly and with sweet reproach-a long,
lingering plying ook-and then quietly
walked out, closing the door behind her
did not speak was afraid to speak for fear
she would vanish away. You will say it was
al! from my over.wrought feelings and excited
brain"
God kindly sent the vision" said Mrs w
"Yes; or rather God sent my wife, madam
You have not heard all
please go on"
Soon Agnes ard Eliza came bursting into
my room, ali excitement. What is it, my
"Oh mother is come again. cried Agnes.
She leaned over and kissed us both, and now
again; we will not let her 90 away again will
we, father SAID nineyear-old Agnes. But
Eliza said not word Presently William
and James came softly down stairs.
"'What is it, bOys?'
why, father SAID William, James and
have had a vision-both the same. Mother
seemed to come in and look at us so kindly,
and then wave us Il pleasant goodbye, and
then walk away-not vanish, but na'k o,cay,
What Is the matter with the girls'
why said Agnes, mother was in our
room and kissed us both. Mother Is come
Mother is come again" And the child was
Wild with excitement.
said |, Girls what dress had she on:
"'Her brown silk, said Eliza, speaking for
the first time.
ut was the same dress, madam, that she had
IN when in my roOm-the dress she wore last
70 church on the Sunday before alluded to-"
at was very strange" spoke Mrs. W.
Yes but we were not ghtened-Only eX-
cited got the boys up stairs again. but
rad to 90 with the girls to their room, and then
sat by the bedside holding Aggies hand for
hours The child could not sleep till long af-
or midnight When they were both asleep
stole softly out and entered my own room,
made sacred by angel presence, and ceased
o visit the grave on the hill side. God had
duGnl W LOON up ulplcl.
Meantime, Agnes and Edward were progress
ng famous'y IN getting acquainted. Agnes
vas pleased with Edwards good looks and easy !
manners and ready conversational powers and
lie was charmed with his companions grace,
pe information and wonderful beauty, for
agnes was exceptionally good looking, with
ieep, dark blue eyes, ruddy complexion and
aughlng mouth-a good figure and with signs
If cultivation apparently above her surround.
ngs Conversation had run on for some time
pleasantly, interrupted only to catch the par
iculars of Mr.. Carey's genuine ghost story.
Edward with his mother was becoming much
Interested in this family of grangers that
chance or Providence had thrown them among
Now, Miss Agnes, if you will allow me to
be so familiar would you be kind enough to
give me little of your past history? Surely
your life has not all been spent among these
hills"
oh with pleasure, if you are interested.
But the greater portion of my life has been
spent in this quiet retreat 1t is true | took a
year with my father to Baltimore and Wash
ms ton City, not neglectng Mt. Vernon, a stay |
Of month IN old Loudon, Virginia, a trip
across the Blue Ridge and the Alleghenles
home, an occasional visit to Pittsburgh, and
Washington, the county seat of our coun-
", a year at school in Williamsport near Mo
nongahcla City, a steam boat ride up the Mo-
to the busy town of old Brownsville,
then up to Morganton, West Virginia, and by
stage to Farmont, on the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad. Now you have my travels"
YES, thank You; now please let me hear OF
your life in this quiet vale How can you be
contented here?'
ooh! you must remember | am farmers
daughter. know every foot of ground on our
farm, nearly every tree in the forest, and every
flower in the garden, from the peoples and
pinks to the dahlas, datiodils and sun flowers
Have travelled the brook from end to end in
my bare feet, and chased the butterflies all ov-
er the meadows, and | know where the first
strawberries ripen and where the choicest
mulberres grow Our country school house
is bower of beauty, amid the tall maple-trees
and the vine covered oaks. Oh! | want you