Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1824-01-29

silent kindness, she relaxed none oil
her habilual calm and tranquil thought
fnlne.s; sometimes when Henry at
Edwin's request amused them by read.
ing, he chose some touching narrative
of disappointed love, and hearts bro,
ken atthe will OF fortune, and Laura
and himself would weep in unisou-
but more than this they seemed to
have no other than the one leading
sympathy 81 unhappincss, in com
mon.
Thus matters stood, when one
night the store of Edward was rob-
bed of money 10 considerable
amount. De Berg's father loved
not the ccntemriative incommnica
tive boy, and Edward, much under
his influence, and naturally suspicious,
at his parents suggestions charged
the unfortunate youth with the rob
berry. Henry denied it, but took no
pains TO establish his innocence; he
totally declined giving any account of
his parentage, or relatives, or place Of
birth, and this alone was deemed
sufficient ground for his commitment
lie bowed to the authority which ar
rested him, and wore the same brow
of unsubdued reserve to the gloomy
vault oflhe criminals ut the county
town. The jailer would have allow
ed him privileges, he asked for none,
nor would he accept any. 1t was
early in autumn now, and night after
night he was seen at the window OF
his cell, gazing on the pale moon as
she rose over the scared foliage of the
east, and watching the stars follow
each other through the deep blue Sky.
One night he was missed from the
window, and in the morning he was
found with his head reclining on his
hand, in a corner Of the ccll-hls
spirit had departed-hc was pale and.
cold. A pencil and paper lay beside
him. on which was written, "Have
you forgotten poor Anthony Dan
BAR
II was sent to hlesbury. 1t was
shown to Laura. His fate excited in,
terest, but his character remained
incxplicable for few weeks after.
the real robber was discovered, and
many tears were shed over the memo
ry ofpoor Anthony, for that was
supposed to have been his name.
The winter season nlt1 rapidly APP
preached, and Laura was destined TO
90 down to the clods Of the valley,
before the spring returned to spread
life and beauty over the cold habita-
items of decay and death. She sunk
hour by hour, the victim of a fevered
mind, in its action too powerful for
her weak and delicate frame, until al
length from the fond arms ofan adcr
ing husband, from the anxious and
unccasing assidulties Of alfectonate
parents, relatives and friends, and
from the lap of wealth; where kind
ness ministered to each little want;
she sunk into the grave Isaw her "a
week before she died. the paleness Of
death sat upon her che k, but her fair
form had lost its angelic symmetry,
she was an object full of interest. But
even then, she complained not, she
sa, in her little parlor among her more
healthlul flowers, and looked as calm
and resigned, and patient as ever. She
talked familiarity of death, but never
Of disease--of her approach to her last
struggle, but not of she hidden cause
that was thus early forcing her spirit
from its fair abode.
Death often dcve'opes mysteries
which were doomed to be perpetualiy
locked up in life. And before the
spring time arrived, it was ascertain:
ed that the sad and melancholy and
unfortunate Henry, whose real name
was Anthony Dunbar, was the son OF
a wealthy citizen of Philadelphia,
whose romantic love for Laura begun
in that citv, had led him to leave clan
destincly his family and locate him
self to Alesbury, whence accident
transferred him to De Berg's own
house. Here he had pinned away in
the sight OF what he could not hope
to enjoy, anti! intense suffering led
him to throw away his life. And
Laura passion for him and her grief
for his misfonunes, while Of regard to
the feelings other husband, she con.
ccaled both from every human eye,
and thus ruined her happiness, and