Year: 1874

her rambles about the hills and
grounds in the neighborhood of the


academy, Lucy had by chance be-


come acquainted with one who was


destined to cast a most important in


fiuence upon her life.


| Horace Hardwick was young me-


chanie, but he was a fine manly per-


son, whose bosom seemed filed with


the nobleness of true manhood, and


who added to fine figure and hand


some features the attractions of good


sense, wit, cheerful humor, and a


scrupulously honest and upright


character. He loved the young


school girl, and we hardly need add


that he was loved in return. They


attended the same meeting, walked


often together, they met frequently,


unknowntO to Others, and, finally, they


vowed to love and marry each other.
Lucy knew her fathers pride-she


knew that he would never consenbto


her marrying mechanic, but Horace


had in a twelvemonth become every


thing to her, and her VOW should be


kept.


On the day Lucy was sixteen, she


went home to pass her birthday with


her father. She had been two years


at the academy, and her father, who


saw her but twice during a year,


looked upon her with not a little
pride at the strong resemblance to


her mother, whom he had always con-
sidered the best and most charming
woman he had ever known. But
when, after proper preliminaries and
introductions, Lucy told him of her
love, and asked his consent to marry
Horace Hardwick, her fathers
amazement and anger knew no
bounds. He declared he would
rather lay her in her grave than see
her thus disgrace his name. He was
proud, ambitious, was rising in his
profession, and was already the con-
gressional candidate of his party; and
he swore sOlemnly to disinherit her
if she did not give up her childish
t'atooioli, anu lcluoC W oSc GLIlo Iuc-
chanic again.


Lucy knew her fathers character;
she knew that he would keep his
word. She loved her father with a
deeper love than his stern nature and
his coldness toward her would seem
to have induced. But she loved |
Horace better, and within a month,
she, girl Of sixteen years, become
his wife. Horace knew that it was
best not to remain in this vicinity |
longer. He could prosecute his trade |
as a wheelwright more proftably at |
the west, and then too, Lucy felt deli |
cate. about meeting her old friends, !
who knew she had married clandes-
timely; and so they went to Louis
vile, and here Horace Hardwick es-
tablished himself in business.


Years of happy domestic life
passed over them; fine, generous
souled boy, so very like his father,
soon blessed their home after their
removal hither. He was great Joy
and happiness to both; and still an
other in time was given to them.
This second son it was that had at
tracted my attention at the door, and
few humble homes were so happy as
that of the wheelwright and that of
his gentle wife. True Horace could
earn but a moderate living, but that
was all they asked-"Contentment
makes every meal feast" said some
shrewd philosopher-and their board
was amply spread for their wants.
At last, when little William their sec
ond son, was seven years old, and
Horace was twelve, the husband was
taken i'll from some unusual expo
sure, and severe cold settled upon
his lungs, that defied medical treat
ment.


Day by day he grew gradually
worse, until consumption threatened
him, and indeed soon became settled
upon him. He knew that he must
die. 1t was then for the first time
that he reproached himself for taking
Lucy from her fathers roof and all
her early friends, and encumbering
her with a family. But this young
couple had not forgotten in their
youth the blessings Of religion; they
had always sedulously attended to
the holy dictates of the Scriptures,
and it's teachings were night and
morning read aloud and needed.
Now, when Lucy Hardwick was call
ed to part with her dearly-loved hus-
band, how great a consolation his re-
ligious belief was to her, can only be
known by those who have been
thrown upon the Bible for consola-
tion III times of faithful trial.


Lucy believed and so did Horace,
that they were parting but for short
time, to be again united in heaven,
and though the parting was sad, it
was also hopeful and grief was rob
bed of half its power. During his
last hours the father called his eldest
boy to his bedside, and told him he
must leave his mother to his charge.
Boy though he was, he seemed fully
to realize his fathers words, and re-
piled to them IN way that invigora-
ted the heart of the sick man.


'Be a good son to her, Horace"
said he, ''work hard and manfully to
support her and your little brother,
and God will bless the widow and or
phan."


The sale of her husbands stock in
trade, with small sum of money he
had saved from time to time, was suf-
ficient, with economy and industry, to
carry the widow on in her domestic
affairs for considerable time. The :
same month in which the husband
was placed in the grave, saw her {
once more mother. She loved her
fatherless babe with redoubled af- I
fection as she gazed upon it, and re-
flected that it would never know IA
theirs love. 1t was dear little girl,