Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1885-08-13
THE STORM In THE VALLEY.
ITO walt for one who comes not,
To serve well, aud please not,
To lie ia bed and sleep not,
Are three things to die off,

AiN bhiOV AhiuSo W uit OAs
10. Prov.
The day was glorious. Soft white
clouds tloated over the clear expanse
of blue, and the golden sunshine
seemed 10 drift through the warm at
mosphere, and sift and flicker through
the green trees. The huge yellow dill
gence with its five horses, and noisy
driver and position, offered no sort of
inducement to us, in its crowded con-
dition, and we were fortunate to Sc
cure an open carriage, for our ride
through the mountain-circled valley.
Our party, three in number, were re-
infOrced by two others, gentlemen.
The scenery was enchanting, and l
had little care at first to notice our
new companions; but after a time
when l had filed my eyes with the
rare beauties of the landscape, leaned
lazily lack, and took survey of my
opposite neighbors. One of them at
tracted me at once; there was q name
less something about him, which told
that he had suffered, and that suffering
had purified HIM. He sat now with
his head thrown back against the
cushion, his hat in his hand, and the
wind blowing the fair hair back from
his forehead. His face was bright
with animation, and yet noticed that
as his eyes turned from his fellow
the mountains, l caught glimses of
sadness, that seemed almost fathom-
less. / forgot myself, in making
study of him,-when he turned sud-
denly and looked me in the face,
while an amused smile played over
his fea lures, and blushed guiltily-
feeling that in one glance, he had read
me like the open pages of book. kept
my eyes from wandering in his direc-
ton again, but found myself wonder
ing, as listened to his low, pleasant
voice, how any one. young, handsome,
and wealthy as he looked to be, could
have had sorrow deep enough to leave
ITS indelible trace SO plainly, that che
who ran might read" despite the
brave cheerfulness that seemed habit
ual to him.
AS the afternoon began to wear
away we were startled by the sudden
darkening of the sky and the low
rumbling of thunder. There were
still some miles to be gotten over be-
fore we reached our destination, and
the storm soon broke with fearful in
tensity over us. 1t swept onward like
an avalanche: the wind roared and
the rain decended in torrents, while
the thunder echoed and re-echoed
from mountain to mountain, and the
air was alive with quivering lightning.
Our hearts quailed, and the horses
could not make Roadway in the blind
ing rain.
Just as we were about to despair of
finding shelter, the horses came to
spop before a house we had not seen
before in the darkness of the storm.
1--WE will have to stay here for the
night" the driver said. There is no
sort of use in our trying to reach
l., for it can't be done.
Ny heart rose in thankfulness, as |
saw that we had found a retreat from
the storm. 1t proved to be large,
comfortable farmhouse; but that trav.
elers were occasionally accommodated,
we knew by the sign at the door.
We were all eager to be out. except
the fair young man whom | had been
plying through the afternoon, and
whose name / had learned was God
frey Lambert. His face, which had
been brave and resolute during the
perilous storm, was pale and CULVER
ing. He was the last to alight; but /
lid not think of him again until we
were all gathered in the large, low
rooted dining-room, TO the substantial
supper After the dishes were cleared
away our host brewed huge bowl of
ko col la nI ton
us that it was absolutely essential that
we should partake OF it after our
drenching, left us to refresh ourselves
while the bedrooms were being pre-
pared tor their unexpected occupants.
Outside the storm still howled and
the lightning flashed. making our COM
fort more thankfully felt; and we grew
quite social over the stcaming punch,
which was all the more acceptable as
the night grew chilly. The gentlemen
gave little scraps of their history, and
bits of adventure for our mutual en-
tertainment.
"Mr. Lambert, you do not join us.
Ii is your turn now. j believe the rest
of us have told all that we know, un-
less we draw on our imagiDations a
little" said Mr.. Venable. my friends
husband.
Without speaking, Godfrey Lam
bert got up, stepped to the table. and
helping himself once more to the fra
grant drink, stood slipping it, as if
he were only gaining strength by gain
ing time.
The door opened, and pretty girl
came in, dressed in the peasants COS
tune. but so delicate and refinedlook.
ing, that we gazed at her in astonish-
ment--that is, all but Mr.. Lambert.
lie did not seem to be aware of her
presence. Her costume, saw. when
she came nearer, though made in the
bright colors, and cut in regular
peasg ut style, was fine and dainty,
and DE frills of her white chemisette
wert fluted and lace trimmed. Her
ha black and glossy, was plated in
onc long braid, that reached almost to
thu hem of her dress, which was sho, {.
AMI displayed, instead of the custom
arv sabots, neat buttoned boots. She
was bearing IA tray of fresh glasses,
and when almost to the table she
glanced up casually at the handsome
man who stood there slipping his
steaming glass, so unconscious OF his
surroundings for the moment. 1 saw
swift palOr overspread her face, and
the glasses she was carrying fell to
the floor with crash. In an instant
she was bending over them, picking
up the fragments
Godfrey Lambert coming back to
himself at the unusual sound, took a
gold-piece from his pocket. and land IL