308 

 PAUL LANDER ; 



A FACT — THIRTY YEARS SINCB. 



** Truth is stranjre, 

 Stranger than Fiction." 



Lord Byron. 



Situated in an embowered dell, in one of those quiet villages, far 

 remote from the noise and tumult of the crowded city, stood a small 

 cottage 3 an EngUah cottage. Around it. Nature revelled in the wild 

 exuberance of her own fertility^ the entwining branches and tendrils 

 of the thick copse wood shadowed the purling rivulet, murmuring 

 round the sedgy banks, with the bright-eyed bells, narcissus, and lily, 

 gazing and bowing over the images of their own loveliness -, while 

 the sun-beam, peeping through the loving boughs, glittered on its 

 silvery bubbles. There the gay songsters rung forth their varied 

 notes J the fields dressed themselves in their bridal attire, diffusing 

 over the panting bosom of the air a thousand sweets, when 

 laughter-loving light awoke the voluptuous earth, pregnant with 

 life J — there the breathing solitude of nature was undisturbed, save 

 when the village church bell sent forth its melancholy voice, like 

 the adieu of departing hours j or in the fragrant night, when Philo- 

 mel carolled to the whispers of true love. In such a fairy scene 

 stood the cottage of Luke Lander ; its appearance at once bespoke 

 the charm of quietude and peaceful enjoyment j there was a voice 

 of innocence in its very walls, festooned with the graceful jasmine, 

 and the fragrant honeysuckle, while the citizen bees, through 

 "the long summer day," murmured round its Hyblean stores, 

 and gathered in their sweets. 



Luke Lander was a contented man ; he possessed enough, and 

 he was satisfied. Luke was a happy man, as far as the enjoyment 

 of the heart's affections can advance happiness. He loved his 

 wife, a plain, kind, notable woman, but he loved his two boys still 

 more j he enjoyed the fruits of his labour with thanksgiving and 

 humihty of heart 5 he trusted in the goodness of his Maker, and 

 let not the fears of probable evils disturb the enjoyment of positive 

 good. 



For many years did Luke and his loving wife enjoy unin- 

 terrupted repose in their quiet abode 5 they saw the tender buds 

 burst into blossom, and the young branches put forth their 

 leaves in the flowery smiles of many a spring ; they had sown and 

 gathered in the fruits of summer after summer j had watched the 

 yellowing days of autumn, and the husky leaves, rich in a thousand 

 tints, tremble and fall, while the odour of Nature's dying breath 

 came from them ; they had shut out the cold winds and icy breath 

 of many winters, when they could purchase out of their sufficiency 

 the poor man's benison. Through each succeeding year their 

 children had grown in strength and spirit, and reflected new and 

 higher-toned joy into their unscathed hearts. 



Luke's two sons were strikingly different in their characters. 



