Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-12-23

/ the early Christian centuries Florence,
now thirteen years old, was able to meas
ure to the full all these awful Affections,
and burying her face in her mothers arms
/ she erie out:
'Oh. motherl must we not go also? What
can we do in this world? Even Christmas
Day has no happiness for you and mel"
The mother could make no reply; she
i could only wish in silence that the sinking
earth years ago had made them grave
into which all could have fallen at once
under common load of sorrow.
/ The Nature which wounds also heals, and
not many months had gone before Florence
could be seen passing often between the
cottage and the old MILL carrying some
| message or order to venerable negro who
! was now man-of-all- work for the lonely
mother and daughter
| Slavery contained some traces of beauty.
A rich planter, near whose large estate
was the Aver MIL, had formed quite deep
friendship for his humber neighbors: and
when Mr.. Aver died this planter sent an
old slave man and wife to work for the
widow and the orphan Along with the
two slaves came this note:
" Dear Mrs. dyer: Let these faithful serv-
ants help you as long as they can. When
| they shall become unable from age to aid YOU
| they will be taken care of by my estate can
| not sell. or hire out or whip. human being
thus send them to you as we send love or
! gifts Your friend always.
.- JAMES DE MORGAN
After these two servants came and the
wheels Of the mill had begun to make their
clatter, and the old cook had begun to
make coffee and good corn-bread in the
Kitchen, the mother said to her beloved
child
my darling, God has not forgotten US.
He may yet make this world seem bright
and sweet"
The mother was indeed not too hopeful.
but there was still an unseen storm behind
the hills. Three years passed and the sun
had learned to sink in daily peace. Seasons
had come in the form Of goodness and had
brought each day abundant food for the
table, good cheer for the cottage in the
forms OF friends, many and faithful, but,
what is best of all, the years had brought
to the mlller-maiden still higher educa-
ton and a more faultless beauty. The
fourth stroke from what seemed an angry
Providence did not come in the form of
death. AS though the sky were full
OF relentings, this affection spared
the life of mother and child
and servants, and by sudden fire made the
mill heap of ashes. Upon Christmas eve
ton to have what was called &C a party" 1t
was to last until midnight. For the better
carrying out of the details of some game
all had run out to the mill, and in their wild
efforts to light up with tallow dips the dark
Old fabric, some woodwork, made dry by
many hot summer, took fire, and by the
time the true Christmas had begun in the
deep Of night the Aver Mill had ceased to
exist. The water falling over the great
wheel kept it from burning, and it would
have run on had it not been dismantled to
prevent it from hooking thus at misfortune.
The thoughtful girl who had wept for a
bro her and father could not afford to
shed any tears over the ruin of the mill.
Her sixteenth year had brought her too
much mental strength and reflection to
permit her to call such loss of property
grief; she saved that word for other
great memories. She said:
" Mother, l can teach, I can sing, I can
do fine needle-work-we shall soon be at
peace again; but, mother, one load rests
upon my heart with an awful weight: it is
this: Our Christmas is to be our sorrow.
Oh hat a record! When the world is
finding its joy, you and l are finding new
calamities. What is to come to US in the
future?"
Thus the day which should have allured
this child with it's beauty broke her heart
with it's gloom.
Fifteen years after the separation at
New Madrid Martin Robinson made a visit
to Nashville, influenced by rumor that
the most beautiful face and character in
that whole neighbOrhood was a Miss Flor
ence Aver. He had no doubt that it was
the little school-mate of his fond memory.
Inquiries made the Identity certain, and his
heart became full Of romance and love- His
father had died, leaving him large fortune
and an engrossing business, and his
thoughts had turned toward home While
he was dreaming of this kind of earthly
paradise this rumor reached him. and
journey had now brought him within few
miles of the lost love. His hand trembled
with an excitement made of fears and
hopes. Perhaps her hand was promised
another; perhaps she would not love him
again. The spirit of romance took posses
sion of him, and he resolved to put
on the accOutrements of a hunter and
come to the Aver cottage through the
fields On his way and when a mile out of
the young capital Of the State, he came to
a Gypsy-camp where an extraordinary
sense Of the future is won't to dwell; and
although the dry years of age cares little for
such tents Of prophecy, it is seldom that an
enchanted man or woman can treat with
contempt these oracles. Young Robinson
dismounted, and, while having a general
talk with the mysterious woman, he learned
that Florence Aver was to come that morn
ing with a few companions to seek some
forecast of the future, for Christmas was
only two weeks away and the half broken
heart was full of anxiety A happy thought
came to Robinson. He wrote out ''fate''
and gave the Gypsy large piece of gold if
she would utter that fate to the troubled
girl and surround it with all the mystery of
her art.
Away went the hunter toward the field
of quail and dog and gun, and along came
the group of girls to the Gypsy prophecies
For small coin the friend of courtship,
marriage, of black and white horses. of
herbs and roots, distributed to each some
ambiguous words, but on coming to Miss
Aver the dusky woman rolled her eyes up
and down and across as though whole
troup of goddesses were rushing into her
heaving bosom. Poor Florence trembled
lest new storms were about to burst upon
her and her mother. The witch said, in
tone slow but sweet:
s. Far, far from thee
All shadows f1ee