The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-08-28


thought how that benign ofd man had stood
by their mothers dcath-bed, and when she
had lost her utterance, let her spirit ascend
upon his prayers to heaven.
Caroline was the first TO die. Her charac-
ter, unlike that of both her sisters, had been
distinguished by great spirit and vivacity, and,
when they were present, had always diffased
something of its own glad light over the Sc
rene composurc of.the one, and the melan-
choly stiffness of the other, without seeming
even to be inconsistent with them; nor did
her natural and irrcpressible buoyancy alto
gether forsake her even to the very last
With her the disease assumed its most beauti-
full show. Her light blue eyes sparkled with
astonishing brilliancy her cheeks, that had
always hitherto been pale, glowed with a
rose-like lustre; although she knew that she
was dying. and strove to subdue her soul
down to her near fate, yet, in spite of herself
the strange fire that glowed in the embers Of
her life, kindled it often into kind of airy
gladness, so that stranger would have
thought her one on whom opening existence
was just revealing the treasures OF its joy, and
who was eager to unfold her wings, and sail
on into the calm and sunny future. Her soul,
till within a few days of her death, was gay
in the exhilaration of disease and the very
night before she died, she touched the harp
with playful hand, and warbled, as long as
her strength would permit, a few bars of ro-
mantick tune. No one was with her when
she died, for she had risen earlier than her
sisters, and was found by them, when they
came down to the parlour, leaning back with
a smiling face, on the sofa, with few lilies
in her hand, and never more to have her head
lifted up in life.
The youngest had gone first, and she was to
be followed by Emma the next in age. En-
ma, although so like her sister, who was now
dead, that they had always been thought by.
strangers to be twins, had character alto
gether different. Her thoughts and feelings
ran in deeper channel nature had endow-
ed her with extraordinary talents, and what
ever she attempted, serious acquisition or light
accomplishment, in that she easily excelled.
Few indeed are the number of women that
are eminently distinguished among their sex,
and leave names to be enrolled in the lists of
fame. Some accidental circumstance Of life
or death have favoured those; and their SEN
timeIts, thoughts, feelings, fancies, and opin-
ions retain permanent existence. But how
many sink into the grave in all their personal
beauty, and all their mental charms, and are
heard of no more OF them no bright
thoughts are recorded, no touching emotions,
no wild imagnaiions. All their fine and true
all their instructive knowledge Of
the human soul, and all their pure speculation
on the mystery of human life, vanish forever
and aye with the parting breath. A fair, amia-
BILE, intelligent young maiden has died, and is
buried. That is all. And her grave lies in
its unyisited rest. Such an one was Emma
Beatoun. Her mother, her sisters, and a few
dear friends, knew what treasures of thought
were in her soul what CLEANS of genius, and
what light Of unpretending wisdom. But she
carried up her pure ard high thoughts with
her to heaven-nor did any Of them survive
her on earth, but few fragments of hymns
set by herself to plaintive musick, which no
voice but her own, so deep and yet so sweet,
so mellow, yet so mournful, could ever have
fifty sung.
The suforings Of tbs sister We're heavy in
deed and she at last prayed to he relieved.
Constant sickness, interrupted only by fits of
racking pain, kept the fair shadow for the last
weeks of her life to bed, and nothing seemed
to disturb her so much as the ncessant care of
her dying sister, who seemed to forget her
own approaching doom in the tcnderest nin-
had long been of an almost dark ard awful
character, and she was possessed by deep
sense of her own utter unworthiness in the
sight of God. 1t Was feared, that as her end
drew near, and her mind was weakened by
continual suffering, her last hours might be
visited with visions too trying and terrible
but the reverse was the case; and it seemed
a. if God, to reward life OF meekness, hui
nifty, and wisdom, removed all fear from her
soul, and showed her the lovely rather than
the awful mysteries of her Redeemer.
On her dead face there sal smile, Just as
pleasant and serene as that which had lighted
the countcnance Of Caroline, when she tell
asleep forever, with the lilies in her hand
The old nurse, who had been with them since
their infancy, alone observed that she had ex-
PRED for there hid been no sigh, and the
pale emaciated fingers moved not as they
clasped together across her breast.
Louisa, The eldest, was now left alone, and
although her health had always been most
delicate, there seemed, from some of the
symptoms, slight hope that she might yet
recover. That fatal hectick Gush did not stain
her cheeks and her pulse, although very
faint, had not the inegularity of alarming fe-
yer. But there are secrets known but to the
dying themselves and all the encouraging
kindness of friends was received by her as
sweet proofs of affection, but never once
touched her heart with hope. The disease of
which both her sisters had died, was in the
blood of her fathers family, and she never
rose up from her bed, or her couch, or the
gray oster-scat in the sunny garden, without
feeling a death-lke lassitude that could not
ling andura Ipdead sha vaarneI for tbo
grave and hers was WEAKNESS that could
only find entire relief in the perfect stiffness
of that barrow house.