The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-01-01

a. Cook, late Mrs Beauchamp. VIII. pend
been so traglcal.--If these letters r., epa iai
they serve TO exhibit the character oe :. .uu'ne.
taordnary woman IN a new light and a,, u.
read think, with the deepest intercs, u
who have heard of her fate. They ar. al
be letters written by Ann Cook an ,iI,s sau 10
RODS OF her life, to an early friend and ~ Pc
mate oil hers residing in Maryland. Hbirb r''2t
been collected by the husband of the G1 "s
whom they are addressed, and given In H.!
lie as genuine The history She nv, ,'' pub
not very eventual lie, and of her ferIng. WI
sketched with power and an eloopcnaa q
sometimes with a warmth of colorin,, and
preston which we might, perhaps. bayo IN e.
ed IN woman OF such character bp, re
did not think she could have reached r. Is
lowing extract from letter ID, is qood Ut
| men: 'Peo'
! The deep interest you take in my welf,,,
dears youmore and more to my heart gu. %
! though feel that your advice is good & - '
some, 1 am like one under the inHue,c, ~
| charm that fascinates his senses. and III.
him on to destruction and death Tho
you have drawn of christianity is iDdesd , ,.s
glowing and beautiful, and might have -'.''
on my mind had il not been directed int ,
| ther channel by the perusal of the sce,,,'.I
works OF Hume, Voltaire and Paine vbi,i, .t'.
| monster, soon after our acquaintance co,,n,...
ed, put into my hands, and the poison and -.
velty of which, from the want of earlv ro;a;,
| instruction was but too much inclined 10 :.
llsh If ! am in error, hope a good and w..
| ciftl God will pardon me. But, my dear rnsa
do not ask me to forgive him. You cannot To-,
the extent otmy wrongs, and the magpitudo ~
my sufTcrings. Every hour seems TO ago,a,.sa
them, and to render them tcnfold more palIna
| nd 10 hoe III Il
10 whom be was betrothed while he was solcnr
! ~ plighted 10 me-the one for whom he aha,
doned me, young, confiding, and doatjng ~
was, after reducing me to ruin aud misery l.
the most shameless and unmanly arts of ,ednr.
ton and how can forget such vrongs1 u,
they not perpetualy haunt my Imagination Do
| they not, night aud day, ring in my ears1 DoI
not feel them, in the silent contempt aud scorn
| of my fellow beings2 No! No! ANY tb,rc
but that My dear husband seems TO become
| more and more attached to me, and feel as
wish him to feel; 6la from some aetc cause, more
and more indignant against the SLAYER of nv
peace. You desire me TO regard the past as a
painful dream" Oh that could do SOFIA,
| could forget myself, him, every thing-,b,,
| my crushed and bruised heart could cease IN
| throb-and that memory and life were ersrd
| forever. painful dream ii is not No n, :,
turn to il as to a living and horrible reaitr
winch glarcs before my mind-which like the
deadly Smoac Wthers the very springs Of
thought and almost prcstrates the powers ofmy
intellect. never think of it. (and when is ri
do not y thai do not lee as one touched with
madness, or afflicted with dc,nium But will
not pause on tit is too, too painful
You congratulate me on my marriage with
Mr.. B--p, and hope that will pass the re.
ma MIDI pfr IN,
ness. How little, my dear Ellen, do YOU te,
know of your friend-Can marriage erase IN.
deep and indelible stain on my character. or
make malignant and envious world forget
the folly or misfortune of poor crring womanr
Can marriage restore me to what have been
10 the fame have lost, and to the feelings /
! possessed Can marriage heal up the wide
| and yawnng wounds ola laceratcd and tortu,
ed heart, or throw over the mind the obiyiuus
waters OF Lethe Oh /! No never. IIappl
| ness in this life is not for me ; that dream has
| long since vanished Sorrow and nam and
modification, are my portion here, and thought
| have husband and a friend who loves me and
| whom Hove as tcndcrly us heart SO bruised
and broken can love feel no Joy in his embrace
no pleasure in has sine The idea that h.
thinks me degraded and unworthy, hauns me
while With HIM, and while alone feel as if he
never could be proud of one so low-so abased
and so BUNDLED; and, as if | did wrong to unite
my unfortunate destinies TO him who had been
| SO generous aud SO noble, and whose prospecis
! OF future eminence and fame might thus be de.
! stroyed forever. Happiness Oh No that
Is name shall never know again.
Your happiness, my friend, nlrst be complete
indeed, to be surrounded, as you are, by such
group ofloving and beautiful children Does
little Ann grow rapidly, and docs she ever speak
oi =; but ao--breathe not my name to her;
tell her not my fate let me be to hen as one
that has never existed Ellen, | have strange
fancies of late. l nightly haunt the grave Of
my dear little child, ON which | sit for hours,
aud weep and eroan. | had planted at the
| head and foot two crimson rose bushes, which
have been watered wit my tears, and which
have grown up and spread their green foliage
over the grave. The flowers were what ale
called black, and loved to gaze on then dark
beauties when ust unfolding. The other eFr-
nihg at twilight, was surprised 10 see the co
lonr OF the flowers ola much lighter red, resefn-
Ding blood, and hanging their withered heads
TO thc earth. What does this portend On
that Twas with my child-at rcst-at rest"
vi the power of her Imagination, and thu CT
efsy OF her feelings, the following | think
| good specimen:
!
tell you, because it made strong impression
Oh my mind.
thought we were sailing together, Col. ;.
and t. one calm moonlight night, on beauui l
lake, which seemed as clear and transparent al
crystal the scene was peculiarly lovely; re:
posed my head IN his bosom; the all famed
my burning forehead and waved aside my dark
clustering locks. A delicious fragrance filled
the an and strains of more than earthly music
were waited TO our ears. IgaEed on him mady
was lapt in Elysium" His very breath
seemed TO give me being, and his smile, 50
sweet, so gentle, diffised over my heart fee.
ing OF undying rapture. Suddenly | though
a furious storm arose-the sky was darkened~
| the waves rolled in mountain billows-the LAKE
! yawned beneath us-our little bark became ue
sport OF the winds aud waves and | heard
voice, that rent the armament, cry, yOH @e.
PERISH l caught him convulsively in my arm
and | said, We will live and die together. ~
coldly threw me off, and saw by his SIDE !
young female, whom he tcndcry embraced d'1
who seemed to cling to him for protection .
was horror struck; | felt as if crushed under "
pressure of the earth-as if all nature had coz