It was a cheerless autumn day, and nature seemed sympathizing in her sorrow.  The fitful gusts of wind came sighing down the mountains, and sweeping over the usually placid waters of the Juniata, tossed its waves into tumultuous motion, and drove it more rapidly on in its serpentine course.  The beautiful magnolia that stood before the window, was filled with its second crop of yellow flowers, that were faded and ready to pass away, and the surging blasts swept them unceremoniously from the branches, as it came sighing down the mountains, and sweeping along the valley.  The sun had long since hid himself behind the summit of the eternal hills, that she had loved to watch with her father, from that window, while learning lessons from his lips, of the grandeur and sublimity of God, who spake that stupendous chain of mountains into existence.  And her thought was turned to that God, who has promised to be “the father of the fatherless.”  To him she knelt—­to him she prayed.  Soothed and comforted, she arose and entered the parlor.  Sympathizing domestics awaited her pleasure, and obeyed her commands.

Proper measures were taken for an investigation of Mr. Clinton’s affairs, and the estate was pronounced insolvent, and all was offered for sale.  At first Henriette could scarcely believe the assertion, but when she became convinced of its truth, she nerved her mind to meet the trial, relying upon that God “who tempers the wind to the shorn lamb.”

She immediately dismissed her domestics, who had been faithful so long to the family, watching over their young mistress, during her childhood and early youth, and now they felt grieved to leave her.  She gave each one a present from her own treasures, procured good places for them, retaining only the dear old nurse in her service, for a few days, till the auction had taken place.

Henriette had never been accustomed to labor, and old Mary was surprised upon seeing her enter the dining room, with her glossy brown hair parted neatly over her high marble forehead, clad in a simple gingham, which she had prepared for a morning dress, with a brown linen apron, to assist her in making the necessary arrangements for her removal and the coming sale.

The rooms were put in the best possible order, and the luxurious furniture arranged with great care, that everything might show to the best advantage.  She selected a few choice volumes from the library, and placed them in a large trunk, which was to contain her own wardrobe, and which she had decided upon keeping, if circumstances would permit.

This had been her favorite room; one window looked out upon the mountains, that lifted their heads in majestic grandeur, and seemed supporting the very clouds upon their lofty summits, while their jagged sides looked as though they would drop upon the valley below.  But they had stood for ages the same, braving the fury of the wintry storm as its surging blasts swept over them, or parched by the burning rays of the noonday sun, as he poured his fierce scorching beams upon them.  She had looked upon them too in the twilight hour, when the coming darkness would present strange, mysterious shadows, and the craggy rocks would assume the forms of men, and fancy would conjure up a lawless band of midnight plunderers emerging from their dark caves, upon the mountain side.