Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-07-02
from Biackwood's Magazine ]
- JOGAN a

floating in q blue vapoury light! were L so
disnosed. me,hiaks | could easily write a little
hook entirely about the obscure people that
have lived and died about that farm, by name
Logan Braes. Neither is il without its old ira
diiions. One May day long ago-some two or
three centuries since-that rural festival was
there interrupted by a thunderstorm, and the
party of youths and maidens, driven from the
budding arbours, were all assembled in the am
ple kitchen. The house seemed TO be IN the
very heart OF the thunder, and the master began
10 read, without declaring ii to be a religious ser
vice. a chapter Of the Bible; but the frequent
flashes of lightning so blinded him, that he was
forced to lay down the Sook, and all sat SUM-
without speaking a word; many win pale races,
and none without a mingled sense OF awe and
fear. The maiden forgot her bashfulness as the
%rauline peals shook the reof-tree. and hid her
face in her lovers bosom; the children crep,
closer and closer, each to some protecting knee,
and the dogs came all into the house, and lay
down in dark places. Now and then there was
dark conyulsive, irrepressible, but halt-suhed
~shriek-some sobbed-and a loud historical
laugh from one overcome with terror, sounded
CHASTITY between the deepest of all dread repose
THAT which separates one peal from another,
when the Fash and the roar are one, and the thick
air smells Of sulphur. The body feels It's Pc
rishable and moral nature, and shrinks as ii a
bout to be withered into nothing Now the
mu,tering thunder seems 10 have changed its
place to some distant cloud-new, as it return
ing to blast those whom it hac spared, wakes
louder and 6ercer than before-ti!l the Great
Tree thar shelters the house is shivered with a
noise like the masts OF a snip Carried away oy
the board in battle. Look father, look-see
yonder is an angel all in white, descending from
heaven said little Alice, who had already been
almost in the attitude Of prayer, and now clasp
ed ner hands together, and steadfastly and with
out fear Of the lightning, eyed the shy. One
Of Gods HOLY Anyels-one OF those who sthS
-oerorc inc cafu1, -Suu- wrrn- uu rusPtru rapture
the fair child sprung to her feet. See We her
not-see We her not-father-mother? Lo she
beckons to me with a palm in her hand, like
one of the palms in that picture IN our Bible,
when our Saviour is entering into Jerusalem!
There she comes, nearer aud nearer the earth
Oh! pity, forgive, and have mercy on me, thou
most beautiful If ali the angels-even tor His
names sake Alleges were turned towards the
bla, k heavens, and then to the raving child
Her mother clasped her'to her bosom, afraid
tina, terror had tarned her brain-and her father
gong to he door, surveyed an ampler space Of
the sky. She heW 10 his side, and clinging to
him again, exclaimed in a wild ou,cry, 'On her
forehead a star! n.her forehead a star. And
OH on what lovely wings she is floating away,
away into eternity? The angel, father, is call
ing me by my christian name, and must no
more abide on earth; but touching the hem Of
her garment, be waited away 10 heaven! Sud-
den a. a bird let loose from the hand, dartcd
the maiden from her fathers bosom, and with
her face upward to the skies, pursued her flight.
Young and old left the house, and at that mo-
nlent the forked lightning came from the crash
ing cloud, and struck the whole tenement into
ruins. Not a hair on any head was singed; and
with one accord all the people fell down upon
their knees. From the eyes Of the child, the
Angel, or Vision Of the Angel, had disappear
ed; bur on her return TO heaven, the Celestial
heard the hymn that rose from those who were
saved, and above all the voices, the mail sweet
.iivery voice Of her whose eyes alone were wor-
thy Of beholding a Saint TRANSPORTED, for she
had known no sin, and her spirit vas taken, as
the tradition says, that very night to the abodes
of eternal bliss
For severed hundred years has that farm be-
longed to the family ofthe Logans, nor has son
or daughter ever stained the name-while some
have impaired to it, in its humble annals, what
well may be called lustre. Many a time have
Itsto6d when a boy, all alone, beginning to be
disturbed by the record Of heroic or holy lives
in the kirk yard, beside the GRAVE OF THE
MARTYRS-the grave In which Christian
and Hannah Rogan, mother and daughter,
were inferred. Many a time have listened
to,he story Of their deaths. from the lips of one
who knew well how to stir the hearts of the
young, still from their eyes they wiped the
tears that sacred pity had engendered Up
wards Of a hundred years old was she that elo-
ouent nsrrator--the Minister'S motber-yet
she could hear a whisper, * read the Bible with
out observation-disclosures we sometimes used
to suspect her of pretending to be reading OFF
the Book, when, in fact, she was reci.ing from
memory. The old lady often took a walk into
the kirk yard-and being Of a pleasant and
cheerful nature, though in religious principle
infexibly ~austere, many were the most anus
inc anecdotes that she related to me and my
compeers all huddied around her, "where"
heayed the turf in many a mouldering heap.
But the evening converse was always sure to
have a serious termination-and the venerable
matron could not be more willing to tell than