Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-11-24


| resolved by the parties to elope, and clandes-
| timely marry Their plans, had been well ma
tured; but through the vigilance Of the negro
man, the servant. they were discovered by the
father; who,now driven to desperation, r. solved
to do deed. at which his soul revolted, but
| which he had long mediiated and determined
to perform rather than see his faith broken,
and his plghted VOWS, sacrificed at the shrine
| of passion.
His mind was now prepared for the worst;
| and he no longer pondered upon the dark deed
with horror, but smiled as he contemplated his
guilty purpose. But whatever is to be dore,
said he. must DC done quickly, lest my heart
relent, and my vows are broken
Sitting quietly in his study, one afternoon,
he deemed it proper TO make preparation for
the dismal act Of bloodshed, and sending for
his daughters, who instantly obeyed his sum
mons, he said TO them, y.childrcn, you are
dearer TO me than my life, and from your youth
upwards, l have endeavored to render your
lives happy, and it grieves me, il breaks my
| heart, to think, that cannot yield to your
wishes, in relation to your connexion in mar
| riage. To your union with the Holstons, / can
never consent but IS you are determined to we'd
lest you should disgrace yourselves by forming
clandesline marriage, have made the neees-
sary preparations for your union, and on Mon
day night, if it shall please you, yo"r alliance
shall be consummated at my house,
The lovely girls. filled with Joy and graft
tude, fell upon the bosom Of their parent, and
whilst they bathed him with their tears, they
thousand times thanked him for his kindness
The old gentleman was not less affected than
his daughters, and all gave vent TO their emo
tons; and then sinking into silence, gazed
upon each other with kind Of anxiety, which
told full well, that sensations unexpressed, ,'rans-
| ported their bosoms; "there was speech in
| their dumbness, language in their very gesture ;
| they looked, as they had heard Of world ran
| somed, or one destroyed: A notable passion Of
wonder appeared in them: but the wiscst be-
| holder, that knew no more but seeing, could
not say, If the importance were joy, or sorrow:
but in the extremity of the one, it must needs
be-" Suddenly breaking from the embraces
of his daughters, the old gentleman bade them
| leave him; and" said he, " at the hour Of
seven this evening, will accompany you, my
daughters, to the nejghboring village, and
| there purchase for you your bridal robes: So,
| get yo ready for our departure"
Elsie and Rose joyfully obeycd the mandates
Of their parent. and at the appointed hour,
| departed for the village, animated with the
delightful prospect of future happin ess.
The sun had already hid his face behind the
SUBMITS of the western hills, when the little
band departed from their home; and little
dreampt the unsuspecting and lovely virgins,
that to that home, they would never moro re-
turn. 1t was already quite dark, and the heavy
clouds which hung in the heavens, gave add-
| tional gloom to tho darkness Of the night, and
IS tho party wandered onward, Rose remark
cd to her father, that she was fearful they had
taken the wrong path, and one which did not
lead to the village, to which he replied, "be not
alarmed, my child, have taken nearer path
than the one we generally travel ,and presently
shall reach the village" The girl was we'll sat
| isfed with the reply, till on discovering they
were at the margin of the river, her fears were
again renewed; but still she did not suspect
the guilty purposes Of her father, and again
expressed to him her apprchensions, that the
path they were pursuing, did not lead to the
village. No longer hesitating, the old gentle
man seized his offspring by the throat, reveal
ed to her his designs;- plunged into her bosom
| the guilty knife she shrieked but once, and
expired. The horror stricken Elsie, who had
| fallen senseless to the ground, next received
the rceking blade, and fed to other worlds,
without uttering groan, and without knowing
! by whose hand she fell.
(HeIe is sheet Of The manuscript whicE is
so obliterated, that we are unable TO transcribe
it.l
The bodies were thrown into the river, and
| the wretched father, returning to his house,
threw few of his effects into n shallop, and
| pla cling iire-brand to the dwelling house, hur-
ried his wife son, land servant to the boatand de-
| parted, aud proceeding to Newport, the next
| day took passage for Antigua, where ho resided
for some wears, and was ultimately made gov
| emo of :he Island.
The surrounding neigbborhood, alarmed by
the blaze Of the dwelling, repaired thither, and
| to their astonishment, found that the family
were absent, and concluded, that they had fall
| len victims to the flames.
In few DAYS however, letter addressed
to one of the principal men of the colonies,
was received, from the father, informing him
to whom il was addressed, that Sir John Guis-
card, and family, had escaped the fury Of the
fire, and sailed for distant region; and IN the
same letter, recapitulated the substance OF tins
narrative. The bodies Of Elsie and Rose, were
found two or three days after the destruction
of the dwelling. on the shore Of the little is
land. few rods distant from Fields point and
known by the name Of Starre-godt," by
company of fishermen, and from thence con-
yeyed TO the western shore and inferred IN
little valley, about half mile south OF the old
mansion house Of the Fields, and an >oaken
monument. long since dscayed, was erected
to perpetuate their memory. aud 10 tell the
sad tale Of their history and fortunes.
II appeared by the letter received that the
father. who during his residence in the colooy
had assumed the fictitious name of Donolds-
beau. that his real name wa, GUIscARD;--
| that he was a British Baronet, who IN conse-
| ouencc of religious and political feuds, had
| aed 10 America, and at first located himself IN
Masso chusctts but being disgusted with the in,
| tolerance and prosecutions OF puritan'cal
fanatics had fed to c-1sland-the land OF
federation and religious freedom.
| MATTHEW PENRUDOCK.