Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-10-20


be adorned with living flowers that fade not.a
way. perennial and selfrenewed. In a few years
that bright, docie creature, shall have the soul
of a very angel, and then, before God, ana az
bis holy altar, mine shall she become forever;
here and hereaftern this paradise OF earln' a",
if more celestial be, in the paradise OF heaVen.
Thus two summers and two WINTERS ""ee'e0
away into the past; and in the chahge' inpe,
ceptible from day to day, but glorious al ,as''
wrought on Lucy's nature by communication
with an individual SO tprodlgaily enaowea'
scarcely could her parents believe II was ''eii
same child except that she was duuiu' as De-
fore, as affeciionate, and as iona OF all 'n1 Ia
miliar objects, dead or living, round ana aoou'
her birthplace. She had now grown 10 Wo,
mans stature; tall, though she scarcely seemed
so. except when among her playmates; ana IN
her maturing loneliness, fulfilling and tar more
than fulfilling the fair promise OF her Childhood
Never once had the young strangers stranger
no more, spoken TO daughter, father, or mother,
of his love Indeed, for all that he felt towards
Lucy, there must have been some other word
than love. Tenderness, which was almost PITY,
an affection that was often sad, wonder at her
surprising beauty, nor less at her unconscious
ness of its power; admiration OF her spiritual
qualities, that ever rose up to meet instruction
as if already formed; and that heart-throbbing
that stirs the blood of youth when the innocent
eyes it loves are beaming IN the twilight through
smiles or through tears; these and thousand
other feelings, and above ALL the creative tacul-
ty of poets soul, now constituted his very be-
ing, when Lucy was IN his presence, nor forsook
him when he was alone among the mountains,
At last it was known through the country,
that Mr.. Howard, the stranger, the scholar, the
poet, the elegant gentleman, of whom nobody
knew much, but whom every body loved, and
whose father must at least have been lord, was
going in year, or less, to marry the daughter
Of Allan Fleming; Lucy of the Fold. Oh
grief and shame to the parents, if still living, OF
the noble boy! 0 sorrow for himself, when his
passion dies; when the dream is dissolved, and
when, in place of the angel of light who now
moves before him, he sees only child OF earth
lowly born, and long rudely bred, being only
fair, as many others are fair, sister in her SIM
plcity 10 maidens no less pleasing than, she,
and partaking Of many weaknesses, frailues, and
faults, now unknown to herself in her happiness,
and to him In his love! Was there no one to
rescue them from such fate; from a few
months of imaginary blis,, and from many years
| Of real bale? How could such man as Allan
Fleming be so infatuated as to sell bis child TO
tickle youth, who would soon desert her broken
hearted! Yet kind thoughts, wishes, hopes, and
beliefs prevailed, nor were there wanting stories
| of the olden time, of low born maidens married
TO youths Of high estate, and raised from hut 10
hall, becoming mothers Of lordly line OF sons,
that were councillors to KIngs and Princes.
| In spring, Mr.. Howard went away for few
months, it was said to the great city OF London;
and on his return at midsummer Lucy was TO
be his bride. They parted with few peaceful
tears, and though absent were still together
And now letter came 10 the Fold, saying that
before another Sabbath he would be at the Fold
Assfew beautiful fields in Eastdale, long mortga-
ged beyond their fee-smple by the hard work
ing statesman from whom they reluctantly were
passing away, had meanwhile been purchased
by Mr.. Howard, and in that cottage they were
TO abide, till they had built for themselves
house, little farther up the side of the sylvan
hill, below the shadow of the Helm Crag Lu-
cy saw the Sabbath of his return and its golden
sun, but ii was in her minds eye only, for ere IL
was to descend behind the hills, she not 10
be among the number Of living things
UD Forest Ullswater the youth had come by
the light Of the setting sun; and as he crossed
Inc mountains 10 NTdSSIlCIS, w thC o'iS
pass of the solitary Hawse, still as every new
star arose in heaven, with il arose as lustrous
new emotion from the bosom OF his betrothed.
The midnight hour had been fixed Tor his re-
turn 10 the Fold, and as he reached the cliffs a.
bove Whitemoss, 10! according TO agreement,
a light was burning in the low window, the We
ry planet of love. Il seemed TO shed bright
sereni,v over all the vale, and the moon-g glitter
ing waters of Rydalmere were as an image OF
life. pure, lonely, undisturbed, and at the pen
siye hour how profound! Blessing and praise
be to the gracious God, who framed my spirit
so 10 delight in his beautiful and glorious crea-
ton: blessing and praise to the Holy One, for
the boon of my Lucys innocent and religious
love" Prayers crowded fast into his soul, and
tears of Joy fell from his eyes, as he stood a,
the Threshold, almost afraid, IN the trembling
of life-deep affection, to meet her first embrace.
In the silence, he heard sobs and signs, and
one or two long, deep groans Then in ano-
Their moment. he saw through the open door of
the room where Lucy used to sleep, several f.
cures, moving to and fro in the light, and f.
CURE upon it's knees: who else could il be, but
her father! Unno,iced he became one of the
pae-faced company: and there he beheld her
on her bed, mute and motionless, her face COW