The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1900-05-24

| who from her dress ard appearance /
| judged to be In deep mourning. To
nv statement of who and what | was,
and my application for permission to
pass the nigAC beneath her roof, she
| replied. in kind and gentle tone,
that she would be very happy to en-
terrain me if / would accept of her
humble fare.
"Procuring lantern and a small
measure of corn for my horse, l led
him by direction to the other side of
the hill, where, after hobbling, /
turned him out to Craze in a partial
| ly cleared field.
"On returning to the house i was
agreeably surprised to find bright
and pleasant fire, smoking supper
well under way and, grazing the
apartments with her mother, young
lady some IS years of age, whom at
a single glance considered one of the
most beautiful and fascinating beings
| had ever seen. She was Of the me-
dium height, with light hair, blue
eyes and a pale. lovely face, upon
which every noble virtue seemed to
have set its seal. She was modest, re-
| firing and intelligent, and her voice
was one of great sweetness and mel
ody. From the very first | became
deeply interested in her-to me she
was a delicate flower blooming in a
dreary wilderness - and consequently
/ became more than usually interest
ed in the family history as related by
| her mothec.
"The elder lady was n widow by the
name of Arlington, who, some three
years previous to the time / speak of,
| had, with her husband and two chill
dren, removed from the eastward and
settled in the lonely place where l
now found them. Some half a mile
above their dwelling, and some two
miles below what was then q small,
but rather fourishing village, Mr.. Ar
! lington had erected a saw and grist
mill. He had just got them completed
and in good working order, when, one
dark, stormy night, going out TO raise
the hood-gate, he had fallen into the
| water, been swept down into the tor
rent and drowned, the body being dis
| covered the next day some two or
! three miles below. OF the two chill
| dren mentioned, the eldest, son.
| some 90 years of age, had taken the
place of his father since his death,
and was now away at the mills; and
| the other the daughter, Julia Airing
| ton, was the one | have already de-
scribed.
alt was on a night similar TO this,
| Mr.. Perry pursued the widow, adj
dressing me in sad tone of deep feel
| ing, that we met with that great mis-
| fortune which time can never repair
| for what can compensate for the loss
of beloved husband and kind father?
! Never do ! hear the hoarse murmur
of yonder stream, amid the dark and
dismal watches Of the night, that my
mind Is not borne back to that night
of all nights of suffering suspense,
| and that awful realization which fol-
| lowed when the remains of him we so
! dcvotedly loved were brought here and
placed before us, az if for only one
final farewell of his clay-cold form!
| OH the anxious hours ] pass, think
| ing of my son, whom, for aught |
| know may come TO the same untime-
ly end! and on nights like this, when
he IN compelled to be away from
| home, | spend n great portion of my
| time in pre- yerful anxiety, and even
| the presence of stranger IL most
| heartily welcome, ma n slight relief TO
the painful gloom, thongh we are sell
! dom called upon to entertain one
"Mrs, Arlington she'd tears ss she
| spoke, and the fair Justa wept almost
! convusivcly. ! oifereA what consola-
| ton ! could; told them to put their
evils were for or good; and after
! some further conversation of SINH
lar nature, and narration in part
OF my own history. | read an appro-
! T &c chapter from tk~ Bible, offered
pa ,ycrs and retired for the night.
The house ~ns a small frame, some
story and n half In height, contain
ting two or three rooms ON the ground
floor and two abote-one of which
Was assigned me for lodging. the
widow and her daughter remaining
be+ow Being greatly wearied with
my days ride, ! quickly turned in;
and. thinking of the fair Julia-her
bereavement. loneliness and conse-
qucut dsolation-l soon fell asleep.
TO see her again in my dreams.
II might have slept for n couple OF
hours cannot say; but on awalling,
9 | did. With something like a start
heard do rain pouring down in
torrents, and even fancicd the hoarse
murmurs of the mountain stream, as
it dashed swiftly past over its rocky
bed, were sounding in my ears.
""Thank God for this comfortable
shelter was my mental prayer. and
again | foil asleep.
Prom this second sleep, which was
more sound than the first, was
aroused by several wild. appalling
fhricks. Starting up re bed, | was
horriiicd, almost paralyzed, at hear
ing the terrible roar and rush OF
heavy waters around me, and OF feel
! t,,t 4 a.. - ~ Il