Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-05-14
TWO SCENES
In the Life of a Young American,

summer days-which are more generally
felt, / think, in the city of New York
than in any other part of the world
when the air, or such of it as there is,
appears to come from the mouth of a
heated oven, yet is at the same time damp
and moist, rusting all iron implements to
greater degree than water itself, rem
dering all woollen stuffs clammy and
noisome, and seemingly clogging all the
pores of the human body with stagnant
perspiration.
The evening was far advanced and the
dull canopy of leaden vapors-half haze
and half thundercloud, which had blown
up from the southwest during the past
night, and overhung the city during the
whole day-gathered thicker and thicker
and an occasional lurid fash on the hori-
zon appeared to foretell the outbreak of
a storm.
At the window of pretty house in one
of the uptown avenues-a house not
large Or pretending, but betraying. in all
its features the betnJGtSa1ace and good
taste, if not the opulence of its inhabi-
tants, comfortably and gracefully fur
nished, with abundance of good books
and fine engravings, and one or two real
| Nv UAnuSOln1 DlGLuGBS-lOOkluGO OuU SOllG-
what anXiously into the growing dark
ness, sat young, gentle-looking and ex-
tremely pretty woman, scarcely more
than girl in years, with beautiful lit.
tie boy of about two years on her lap.
1t was evident that she was i'll at ease
if not unhappy; for though she played
with the bright, merry child, and fondlec
, him as he laughed and prattled in his
lNo.. l1U
dered down the street, without meeting
the object they sought, and she at time
:, drew deep and painful sigh.
At length, as the G loom deepened ant
the lurid CLEANS on the horizon becam
more frequent and were now followed b.
low mutterings of distant thunder, th
city clocks struck nine in succession ia
and near, filling the air with their bra
D zen clangor. Then the pale lady ros
from her seat, clasping the boy to her be
som and kissing his golden curls as sh
+ sighed. ,,.,,,e,t..r
4 half sadly, speaking to the child. MIN
n o'clock, and papa not come home to sa
= good night to Willie. Willie must go
bed now-his eyes are sleepy"
''No, no; Willie not sleepy" answel
i. ed the boy, though heavy yearn belle
" his words. "Willie must see papa-li
y. tie Minnie sleepy, for the baby; Will
: big boy, not sleepy. Please, ma, let Wi
y y lie sit up little longer"
u But, though she dotted on her eide
born, the young mother was firm an
iudicious, and the obedient little bo
n when he found that there was nothir
for it but to do what he was hidden, to,
;. died along, holding her by the finge
=. merrily to bed, prattling as he went ar
bidding her to be sure to kiss papa al
say good night for Willie. Another ha
hour and all his childish cares, if he hs
any, were buried in oblivion, and
. smiled sweetly as he slept, dreanirg pc
haps of some unfinished sport.
- Meantime, the sad and anxious wi
~ had resumed her weary watch beside t
window, and sat there, unseen in the i
81 creasing gloom, until the clocks had {
tolled midnight. The thunder-stor
all had now broken in all its majesty al
ii might, the windows of heaven were ope
w. ed and let out at once broad sheets of Ii
id, snow-white fire, making the mig
for a seconds space clearer than noond
and then again leaving it darker th
the solid gloom of closed chamber a
pouring down dashcs of fierce rain, viii
swelled the cutters of the city into riv
lets, and the small brooks of the count
into perilous torrents.
Suddenly, in one of those dread pau
after stunning thunder crash direc
overhead in which the storm seems
rs, be re-collecting itself for renewed effor
the ear of the watcher, fearfully quiz
- ened by anxiety and sorrow, caught
remote sound of an irregular and h
ried footstep FLASHING over the slor
pavement, and recognized it, when
other person could scarcely have dete
us. ed it at all, as that of her belated h
band.
Oc Long before he had approached
Oc steps she stood awaiting him, with
ar trembling fingers on the latch, wit
. the darkened entrance hall; and, as
w. assembled to the threshold, with langu
II weary steps. she threw the door W
ks open, that he might come in, and thrt
Inc inc her arms about his neck fell upon
bosom.
to "Thank God!" she cried, ''thank G
YOU are come back, dearest. | have b
so nervous and so frightened, Hery
| know it is foolish, but / cannot hel
'he when you stay away so late. And
are always late now-you who used
ways to be as regular as clockwor
and fancy all sorts of horrid thin
=, And when you do come you are alw
rK' SO grave and so thoughtful, so lang
and SO wornout that you have not W
ne for poor little me, or for the babies.
~" Hervey, upon my honor, almost bt
to hate that Office of yours"