The central gazette. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1820-1827, 1824-12-25

ling tones or her voice. Her motion
was more graceful than the heave of
the sea, or the change of the cloud
and the magic of mind, cleaning thro'
all her words, and looks, aud actions,
full than Arabian incense.
No wonder my hero bowed down be-
fore her no wonder tina, the SOUND OF
her voice was always in his ear, that
her image was before him in his daily
occupations, and bore part in the mys-
terious changes Of his dream. There
was no affectation in her nature, aud she
confessed she loved him--they seemed
created for each other--and who would
have believed that fate--but am d.
crossing.
There is something very melancholy
in the reflection that any woman can
die !; but to him that she should perish,
was the very agony of despair He
had left her for u few days, Intending
when he returned TO have asked her
hand. On the morning of his return,
he sprang into the stsge-coach in u
most delicious reverie. He held no dis
course with his fellow passengers, but
wrapped himself up in rich dream
of anticipation-His heart was full Of
happiness. He thought himself, as he
entered his house too happy for mortal
man. He was prepared to pay her the
first visit, and dwelling in his mind on
her pleasing welcome when her brother
came To see bim--he did not observe any
thing peculiar about him at first, and
not till the warm affectionate shake of
the had was over, did he notice that his
eyes were filed with tears, and dismal
gloomy, black Grape hung from his hat.
He started, and in II hollow voice, that
had dcsolate drearincss in every tone,
he said,
* Elizabeth is dead !"
Al first ne was not comprehended.
4 vacant horrid laugh. that echoed
strangely through the still room, was
HI, only answer. then he repeated the
words. and the features Off friend be-
came pale and mo,ioDless a. marble
then he sat down in a chair, and COW
cred his face with his hands, but not
word--noi breath broke the silence.
There was something alarming in his
ealmness it seemed like the silence of
the heavy black cloud Just before i,
Iauches its destructive lightning from
lis bosom. He beckoned, aud wished
to be alone. He Uas left in solitude.
| would not proiane the subject by any
attempt at describing his feelings.
There was dark, horrible confusion
in his mind, like some aecursed dream
slarinS around him, and the night rolled
away its long hours of sleepIe agony.
The next day was the funeral and
when the sun rose in his same glory,
and all the "pomp and circumstance"
OF day began to beam upon the face Of
nature, and the merry yoice OF men
sometimes come upon the breeze, and
the carts ratified rudely along. and all
around was business, aud adventure,
unaffected by the great event that had
come like an ocean Of searching fire up
on the paradise of his heart-he recol-
iecled, and he said, "to-day is her flu
neral--her funeral 20 His benumbed
mind dwelt upon the words, but there
was something underlined, and almost an
comprehensive in them. She was to be,
buried at five in the afternoon. The
clock struck foup-he put on his har
and went steadily to her house. He
thought twenty times he heard her
sweetly toned, laughing voice, as he
passed along. He turned his head once
or twice TO see if she was not at his
shoulder, but there was nothing, and he
walked on. He saw the house and his
eyes sought every window--but Eliza
beth was not there. He rang the bell
the servant came, weeping-he looked
at him aud walked on--he passed into
the parlour-ihe chair which she had
occupied, when he was there before,
was standing in the very same place
aud there was her piano---he almost
thought he heard music-he listened,
sob from the next room came like ice up
on his hearth he sat down. Her moth
er came into the rOom--her face was
serene in grief, but the first burst over
and she was comparatively calm. She
asked him IF he would look at the corpse.
He kne,O she was dead, but the blunt
question shook every nerve in his frame
and seemed TO breath death upon his
sonI-He arose and followed the beriev-
ed mother.--PheFe was the air of death
in the apartment and vanished cof-
fin was on the table, white cloth fling
carefully at the head /; a few friends
sat and wept in silence, musins on the
beauties and virtues Of the being they
were about TO consign to the cold earth.
He walked iIp TO the table. and stood as