Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1822-07-30

apart. Sarah is in the house, and |
will bring her unto you in tears, but
not tears of penitence, for she is as IN
nocent of that sin al l am who nov
speak,
Mary went into the little parlor, and leq
Sarah forward in her band. DespalrIng
as she had been, yet when she had heard,
from poor Mary's voice speaking SO fer
vently that Gabriel had come and thai
her friend was Interceding in her behalf
the poor girl had arranged her hair IN
small looking classified il up with
ribbon which Gabriel had gwen her, and
put into the breast of her gown little gilt
broach that contained locks OF their blend
ed har. Pale but beautiful, for Sarah
Pringle was the fairest girl in all the coun-
try, She advanced with flush on the pale
ness of reviying hope, injured pride, and
love that was ready to forgive all q forge
all, so that once again she could be roster
ed to the place IN his heart that she bad
lost. "What have ! ever done, Gabriel,
| that you should fling me from you? May
my soul never live by the atonement of my
Saviour if am not innocent of that sin, yea,
| of all distant tho of that sin with which
you, even you, have, in your handkerchief
ness. charged me. Look me in the face,
Gabriel, and think of all have been unto
you, and it you say that, before God, and
IN your own soul, you believe me guilty,
then will 60 away ont IN the dark night,
and long before morning, my troubles will
be at all end
Truth was NOT only in her iervent and
simple words, but 10 the tone OF her voice
the color of her face, and the light of her
eyes. Gabriel had long shut up bis heart
against her. At first, he had doubted her
virtue and that Goubt gradually weaken
ed bis affection AT last, he tried 20 be-.
lieve her guilty, or to forget her altogether
when his heart turned to Mary Robinson,
and be thought of making her bis wife -
His injustice--Dis wickedness--nis base
ness--which he so long concealed, in some
measure, from himself, by dim feeling
of wrong done him, and afterwards by
the pleasure OF new love, now appeared
to HIM as they were, and withou; disguise.
Mary took Sarah's hand and placed 1t
within that of her con rite lover, for had
the tunuIt of conflicting passions allowed
him to know his own soul, such at that mo-
, ment be surel y was; saying with voice
as composed as the eyes with which she
looked upon them, 81 restore you to each
other, and already feel the comfort of
being able to do my duty Twill be brides
maid. And now implore the blessing Of
God upon your marriage. Gabriel, your
betrothed will sleep this night in my be-
som. We will think of you better, per-
haps. than you deserve. 1t IS not for me
to tell you what you have TO repent Of.
Let us all three pray Tor each other this
night. and evermore when we are on our
knees before our maker. The old people
will soon be at home. Good night, Gabrl-
ell" He kissed Sarah--and, giving Ma
ry look of shame, humility and rever-
euce, be went home to meditation and re-
pentance.
1t was now Midsummer; and before the
harvest had been gathered in throughout
| the higher valleys, OF the sheep brought
from the mountainfold Gabriel and Sarah
ere man and wife. Time past on, and
blooming family cheered their hoard and
freside. Nor did Mary Robinson, the
Flower Of the Forest, (for so the wood
cutters daughter was often called,) pass
her lite in single blessedness She, too,
became wife and mother: and the two
families, who lived at last on adjacent
farms. were remarkable for mutual affec-
ton, throughout all the parish; and more
than one intermarriage took place between
them, al time when the worthy parents
had almost entirely forgotten the trying
incident of their youth