THE LADIES' REPOSITORY. JANUARY, 1863. ANNIE JUDD. BY MISS LOUISA M. HUBBARD. The little town of is situated in one of the most charming localities to be found in the Northern States. It is a busy, active, thriving place. A railroad runs through it, and the shrill whistle of the locomotive is beard at all hours. Hotels, warehouses and freight depots, as natural adjuncts, have sprung into existence with the magical celerity attributed to Jack's bean stalk, in the nursery tales. As the necessities of the people increased, a brisk trade opened, competition has become lively, in response to the demands of commerce, and at the present writing it is the general centrepot of a wealthy and prosperous section of adjacent country. But these enterprises are of recent date, and mark the rapid pace of the people in this latter half of the nineteenth century. For in days gone, when I counted one in its population of a few hundred souls, this little town was as isolated and shut out from the bustle and feverish activity that marks the progress of modern innovations and commerce, as though its people were the inhabitants of another planet. Resting on the bosom of a lonely valley, a low range of hills, covered with dark green verdure, in the back ground, and a heavy pine forest hanging its sombre shadows over the foreground, together with the flowering vines and shade trees, that almost hid it from the eye of the passing traveller, it presented an equatorial calm 19 ness that would be oppressive to certain temperaments. But it was just the spot, an old voyageur would be likely to select, who was seeking a safe and quiet haven wherein to moor his worn and battered craft; or the business man, who, weary with the wear and tear of life, longed for nothing so much as perfect rest-rest for mind, body and soul. But it was too quiet by far, to gratify the aspiring and ambitious expectations of the youthful portion of the population, and this was demonstrated by the fact, that as soon as a young man or when he or she could go safely forth from woman reached an age under the paternal supervision and authority, they immediately sought more stirring and active scenes. In this secluded village, dwelt Amos Judd, and his family. He was a gentle husband, and indulgent parent: a peacea ble and obliging neighbor, but one of those plodding, methodical beings, such as we sometimes meet with, who are content to tread faithfully in the footsteps of their forefathers, without ever questioning the futility or sagacity of their teachings. One of those persons in short, who, if the progress of the world depended upon their own unaided, individual efforts, would not advance it a quarter of a cycle in a centnry. But such right in their places, for God, with infinite I find, are all wisdom, defines the separate spheres and use of every human being, and fits them nicely to the niche he designs them for. So he wisely and beneficently supplied this easy and well-intentioned man's deficien persons, cies of character, by giving to him a shrewd, practical, energetic wife. delirious until within a few moments of her death, when her faculties evidently became clear and rational. With restored conele-sciousness, came the sure knowledge of her approaching dissolution, but still strong willed, and true to the motherly instincts within, she made use of the little of life that was left, in giving valuable and judicious directions for the comfort and fu ture well-being of her family, bequeathing to her eldest daughter, a girl of eighteen, the care of four younger children. During the first years of their conjugal life, characteristics so opposite in their ments, naturally came in collision, and they no doubt had occasional "spats" like other worthy married partners, though I never took the trouble to investigate closely their marital relations. Be that as it may, I did learn by veritable ocular demonstration that Mr. Judd's slow temperament acted like a soothing poultice upon the impulsive and slightly irascible disposition of his wife, so that as years and experience added their modifying influences, she gradually settled down into the staid, prudent, managing housewife, while her more energetic nature, acting upon his, operated as a stimulant to his lymphatic tendencies. The children, happily inheriting the combined better qualities of the parents, the result was a harmonious and well-balanced family. When I first became acquainted with them they were the recipients of as many blessings, and as fair a share of happiness as ordinarily falls to the lot of a well-regulated household, with a limited income. But trials and tribulations seem to be the heritage of all mankind. Whether they preponderate, or whether one man has more or less than his neighbor, is a question that requires such discriminating nicety, and the decision would take its hue so much from the peculiar mental organization of the umpire, that I suppose it must forever remain an unsettled question; but, be that as it may, it is apparent to every discerning mind, that a disciplinary schooling of some kind, is necessary to bring forth the latent, but more ennobling qualities of human nature, and this little family I am telling you about were not exempt from the penalty which every son and daughter of Adam, must forever pay for his o: her birthright. The first real sorrow came to them through the sudden illness and premature death of the wife and mother. Up to the period of attack, she had enjoyed uninterrupted health, but, as frequently happens when disease takes hold of persons of full habit, her constitution succumbed in a surprisingly short illness. She was wildly This death was the first solemn and impressive event in their experience. The silent voices and hushed footsteps revealed the unspoken awe and deep sorrow that had fallen upon their hearts. And there was a stillness about the house for many days after, that told of the desolation death had made in the domestic circle. Mrs. Judd had been so strong and healthy, so full of life and energy, that her husband viewed her as one who had a long lease of life. "But she has gone from me now," said the afflicted husband to a sympathizing friend, to whom he opened his heart, "and God never gave me a whisper or premonition of it." Here he utterly broke down, leaned his head upon his hands, and wept silently. Every unkind word, every petty fault of temper, was forgotten; the grave covered them all, and the wife henceforth, held a place in his memory, among the sainted dead in heaven. To Annie, the eldest child, this death brought with it more than the weight of filial grief. It opened a future laden with care and perplexities, that would require a vast amount of patient and thoughtful consideration. For upon her devolved the delicate office of acting as companion and comforter to her father, and the arduous duties of counsellor and director to the motherless children. But with a determination and energy of purpose worthy of an older mind, she put her shoulder to the wheel, and courageously assumed the management of the household. Her figure was slight and petite, and her face, at first glance, would be called plain, but it somehow grew wonderfully in beauty, as one became familiar with it. As I write, a vision of it comes to me, through the intervening years, and I see her as it were but yesterday, moving in and out of the old red house, looking bright and cheerful as a sunshiny morning, her brown hair brushed plainly over a low, broad brow, and twisted in a massive coil low on the back of the head. A neatly fitting calico dress, white collar, and drab linen apron, constituted her ordinary home attire I have seen her in more elegant costume, but I loved her best in her home dress and home face. Generally, she was quiet and undemonstrative, but an occasional flash of the dark eye, or a tone of the voice, together with the lines about the firmly cut, but rather wide mouth, revealed a hidden force and reserved fancy, that the uphill work of life might one day bring forth, and fill with wonder many who at present looked upon her as simply a very common sense girl. Hitherto life had been of that uniform, humdrum sort, that inevitably falls to the lot of one whose days are passed in the society of simple, uncultivated country people. But an insatiable love of reading had given her a glimpse of something higher, better, more congenial, which she was only to come into by slow stages. This unexciting sort of life was perhaps a fortunate circumstance, as it compelled her to devote all her spare hours to study, toward which she had a strong leaning. In these proclivities she was encouraged and aided by an age clergyman who, more sharp-sighted than others, discerned evidences of much latent power, which he took unqualified pleasure in developing. Under his friendly guidance, she had been unconsciously and imperceptibly preparing herself for the position she was so unexpectedly called upon to fill. Knowing her mother's habit of thought and method of doing things, she made an effort to follow them as nearly as possible, and was so far successful, as to see the family after a few weeks, fall into the old ways of living. The task was weighty at first, and she sometimes went to her rest at night, worn out with the cares and anxieties of the day, and sometimes, girl-like, cried from sheer weariness. But experience brought its mitigating relief and in course of time, the responsibility rested more lightly upon her young shoulders. Her father, now that he had no one to give him an occasional stirring reminder, settled down into the natural manifestations of his character, otherwise circumstances and surroundings were unchanged for a considerable period. But about two years after the death of Mrs. Judd, the serenity of Annie's domes tic life was most painfully and unexpect edly disturbed. As love is the essence of woman's being, it either makes or mars the happiness of most, and now it entered into Annie's, and stirred up the great fountains of her nature, leaving for a time, nothing but a pool of dark and bitter waters. Among her youthful companions, was young Horace Grey, the son of an old neighbor. He had been the playfellow and schoolmate of Annie ever since she could remember, acting as her champion and adviser in all her childish difficulties and sorrows. As they grew up, this intimacy continued, the childish predilection taking a more tangible form, as they advanced in years, until they suddenly awoke to the fact one day, that they were no longer children, and what was more, were very much in love with each other. Hod Grey, as he was familiarly called, was one of those lucky persons who enter the world a favorite of the gods-to speak in heathenish terms-and everybody else. A simple country lad, as far as opportunities for education and culture were concerned, yet he somehow had such an intuitive sense of what constituted a gentleman, that he had really managed to become one in manners and address. One instinctively felt that he lacked a certain depth and strength which is the groundwork of a noble character, but then he was so exceedingly agreeable and good natured, and said and did everything in such a graceful, off-hand way, that one could not help feeling that this was more a misfortune than fault. But human nature is freakish; if it endow a man with rare attainments, it is sure to take from him in some essential point, and all these taking qualities of Horace Grey's were overshadowed by a weak and vacillating will. Now it must be confessed that sensible, serious little |