A FEW weeks later, and "Lawn Cottage" was the scene of an eventwhich made the hearts of its inmates glad even to tears. That eventwas the marriage of Fanny. From the time of her betrothment to Mr.Willet, a new life seemed born in her spirit and a new beautystamped upon her countenance. All around her was diffused theheart's warm sunshine. As if from a long, bewildering, painfuldream, she had awakened to find the morning breaking in serenebeauty, and loving arms gathered protectingly around her. Thedesolating tempest had swept by; and so brilliant was the sunshine,and so clear the bending azure, that night and storms were bothforgotten.
Old Mr. Allison was one of the few guests, outside of the families,who were present at the nuptial ceremonies. The bride--in years, ifnot in heart-experience, yet too young to enter upon the high dutiesto which she had solemnly pledged herself--looked the embodied imageof purity and loveliness.
"Let me congratulate you," said the old man, sitting down beside Mr.Markland, and grasping his hand, after the beautiful and impressiveceremony was over and the husband's lips had touched the lips of hisbride and wife. "And mine is no ordinary congratulation, that goesscarcely deeper than words, for I see in this marriage the beginningof a true marriage; and in these external bonds, the image of thosetruer spiritual bonds which are to unite them in eternal oneness."
"What an escape she made!" responded the father, a shudder runningthrough his frame, as there arose before him, at that instant, aclear recollection of the past, and of his own strange, consentingblindness.
"The danger was fearful," replied Mr. Allison, who understood themeaning of the words which had just been uttered. "But it is pastnow."
"Yes, thanks to the infinite wisdom that leads us back into rightpaths. Oh! what a life of unimagined wretchedness would have fallento her lot, if all my plans and hopes had been accomplished! Do youknow, Mr. Allison, that I have compared my insane purposes in thepast to that of those men of old who made their children passthrough the fire to Moloch? I set up an idol--a bloody Moloch--andwas about sacrificing to it my child!"
"There is One who sits above the blinding vapours of human passion,and sees all ends from the beginning; One who loves us with aninfinite tenderness, and leads us, even through strugglingresistance, back to the right paths, let us stray never so often.Happy are we, if, when the right paths are gained, we walk thereinwith willing feet. Mr. Markland, your experiences have been of amost painful character; almost crushed out has been the natural lifethat held the soaring spirit fettered to the perishing things ofthis outer world; but you have felt that a new and better life hasbeen born within you, and have tasted some of its purer pleasures.Oh, sir! let not the life of this world extinguish a fire that iskindled for eternity."
"How wonderfully has the infinite mercy saved me from myself!"returned Mr. Markland. "Wise, skilful in the ways of the world,prudent, and far-seeing in my own estimation, yet was I blind,ignorant, and full of strong self-will. I chose my own way in theworld, dazzled by the false glitter of merely external things. Ilaunched my bark, freighted with human souls, boldly upon an unknownsea, and, but for the storms that drove me into a sheltered haven,would have made a fearful wreck."
"Then sail not forth again," said Mr. Allison, "unless you havedivine truth as your chart, and heaven's own pilot on board yourvessel. It is still freighted with human souls."
"A fearful responsibility is mine." Mr. Markland spoke partly tohimself.
"Yes," replied the old man; "for into your keeping immortal spiritshave been committed. It is for them, not for yourself, that you areto live. Their good, not your own pleasure, is to be sought."
"Ah, if I had comprehended this truth years ago!" Markland sighed ashe uttered the words.
"This is too happy an occasion," said Mr. Allison, in a cheerfulvoice, "to be marred by regrets for the past. They should never bepermitted to bear down our spirits with sadness. The bright futureis all before us, and the good time awaiting us if we but look forit in the right direction."
"And where are we to look for it, Mr. Allison? Which is the rightdirection?"
"Within and heavenward," was answered, with a smile so radiant thatit made the wan face of the old man beautiful. "Like the kingdom ofheaven, this good time comes not by 'observation;' nor with a 'lo,here!' and a 'lo, there!' It must come within us, in such a changeof our ruling affections, that all things good and true, which arereal and eternal verities, shall be the highest objects of love; forif we love things that are real and abiding, and obtain as well aslove them, our happiness is complete."
"Thanks for the many lessons of wisdom I have received from yourlips," replied Mr. Markland. "Well would it have been for me if Ihad earlier heeded them. But the ground was not hitherto prepared.Now, after the rank weeds have been removed, the surface broken bymany furrows, and the ground watered with tears, good seed isfalling into its bosom."
"May it bring forth good fruit--some thirty, some sixty, and some anhundred-fold!" was said, low and fervently, by the aged monitor;and, in the pause that followed, his ear caught a whispered "Amen."
And the good seed did spring up in this good ground, and good fruitcame in the harvest time. Strongly tempted, indeed, was Mr.Markland, by his love of the world, and the brilliant rewards itpromised to the successful, to enter a bold combatant in its crowdedarena; but there were wise and loving counsellors around him, andtheir words were not unheeded. Instead of aspiring after "WoodbineLodge," he was content to purchase "Lawn Cottage," and invest theremainder of what he had received in property that not only paid hima fair interest, but was increasing in value. The offer of Mr.Willet to enter into business was accepted, and in this his gainswere sufficient to give him all needed external comforts, and areasonable prospect of moderate accumulation.
How peacefully moved on again the pure stream of Mrs. Markland'sunambitious life! If her way through the world was not so thicklybordered with brilliant flowers, humbler blossoms lined it, and shegathered as sweet honey from these as ever from their gayer sisters.She, too, had grown wiser, and could read the pages of a book whoseleaves she had once turned vainly, searching for truth.
Even Aunt Grace was beginning to feel that there were some things inthe world not dreamed of in her common-sense philosophy. She lookedon thoughtfully, pondering much of what she heard and saw, in herheart. She had ceased to speak about the annoyance of having"Woodbine Lodge" "forever staring down," with a kind of triumph,upon them; though it was hard for her, at all times, to rise abovethis weakness. The "Markland blood," as she said, was too strongwithin her. What puzzled her most was the cheerful heart of herbrother, and the interest he took in many things once scarcelynoticed. Formerly, when thought went beyond himself, itscircumference was limited by the good of his own family; but now, hegave some care to the common good, and manifested a neighbourlyregard for others. He was looking in the right direction for "thatgood time coming," and the light of a better morning was breaking inupon his spirit.
As years progressed, the day grew broader, and the light of themorning became as the light of noonday. And as it was with him andhis, so may it be with us all. In each of our hearts is adissatisfied yearning toward the future, and a looking for abrighter day than any that has yet smiled down upon us. But thisbrighter day will never dawn except in the world of our spirits. Itis created by no natural sun of fire, but by the sun of divine love.In vain, then, do we toil and struggle, and press forward in ourjourney through the world, fondly believing that in wealth, honour,or some more desired external good, the soul's fruition will begained. The immortal spirit will ever be satisfied with thesethings; and the good time will never come to the erring seeker.
THE END.
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