Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-10-29
MISCUxxANY.
yRoM THE LADIES' MAGAZINE.
A TRUE STORY.

many yeutSb ahu Ss"s'hcu 0v"o Va '"'
most delicious feelings Of my heart, III
s,rolIing over old wxfks, and visiting
scenes endeared 10 me by assoclations
with all that was bright aud beautiful III
youth. II Is true, many hoarlhs were
desola,o, that ! had left surrounded with
gay and happy faces, land where the
laugh and song had gone gladly oui ,
there was silence. had no household
loves TO welcome my steps. was
alone. Decay aud change had wrought
successfully among the small circle
offnmiIiar hearts, and had anticipated d
the loneliness OF spirit which | felt fot
the Old eInIs greeted mo as loiIiiy az in
other days, and the brown forest leaf de-
scended in familiar circle; even the
dwellings, oi my friends stood almost I'M
changed under their coverings of wood
bins--The soul only, that gave lllc, and
individuality TO them, was gone! 1t ls
true, there is n pleasure in the return OF
the traveller to his native land--there is
dosply cherished sacred fountain, that
PLAYS about his heart, as he reiracrs old
stcps--but Il is mingled with 80 much
bitterness of regret, as to make tho do.
light almost questionable.
Somebody has written, or said, that
"hcrc 10 not an individual, whose histo-
~, if faithfully recorded, would not
equal the wild aud lanclfuI creations Of
romance, ,'-Likc the hues of a sum-
mer sunset, which, il transferred TO the
canvass we should at once pronounce
unnatural. |, is not true, or rather, not
generally true, that all meet even mental
vic,ssiludes for many plod OH through
lilo, scarcely feeling that they have a
mind and heart TO be affected and
more pursue tho even tenor Of their
way, guided by the light of reason, con-
science, aud common sense, unseduced
bv the metoors OF fancy or passion, and
20 down to tho grave, peaceful as tho
s;lvet lake, that the breath Of hoaven has
dimplsd, without having agitated. My
life has been full Of vcissitudes--most
Of thsm mournful ones--yet they have
been useful. That Of my sister Iarri ct
was book, wherein ! read beautiful
truths, some Ineligible TO all, but many
wiiitom with tho invisible, that requires
the fire Of sorrow to draw it forth, and
present il clearly to the eye. Til
saw her live--and die-I did not believe
in the faithfuIness Of q woman unto the
death.
What matters il that I retrace the
loy eI,ncss Of person, whose chief merit
was It's faithful reflection Of the beauty
ot her Inind3 Do think Of the dazzling
fairness Of her crmplcxion, or the tinting
Of her check, now3 No! scarcely
know whether she was beautiful in the
worlds eyes or not. Faults of person
she might have, and probably did have
but | learned to love even those faults
ond to remember with little pleasure, II
| n, all, the excessive beauty Of her face
when a child. All remember Of hel
face, is its genera: character; and tha
! was Of the loliiest and most intellectual
KIND. Her features might have beer
shaped by nature for the ready expires
sion of her soul, If they were not tina
soul pierced the shadow, and playet
over them with vivid and varied elo
qncnce. In thought, we are still togeth
or. While | roam in these deserted
paths, her voice speaks to me, in whIs
pers of more than mortal sympathy; and
in tho world of spirits, shall ! not recog
nize hers above all othcrs--her fame,
bright IS none other was, her though
holy, chastc, subdued, as none other ev
ar was-her affections concentrated il
SO mild radiance, and all making al
individuality Of spirit, that | shall kno,
among all? Let tho materialist assert
that we Cannot conceive Of spirit, sepa
rated from tho gross substance whic
here envelops i'll feel it otherwise
Harret's ashes arc under a slab, perish
able rs themselves. What gave braut
to the ashes is as entire IN anOthe
sphere of existence, and cotimunes now
thought with thought, as distinct
as when it communicated itself b
sense.
| said, she wac an evidence to mo, c
female constancy; 10 death. He,
whom she gave her deep devotion of sol
had as clear and lofty mind as her owl
purified too, by the prospect Of death, b
severe sickness, by the loss Of all thu
makes life valuable. He had know
Harriet from childhood, and loved he
y,t to me, her brother, no said, he wou
never attempt TO win her affection
"And wbyi" said I. Because sha
never live, to reward, by years of kln'
ness aud care, the glt Of such love.
secret, but sure malndy preys on my IIt
KNOW that if sho were to give ~
her heart, the grave would bo no scpi
ration. She would know no 9th,
love"
"Bd il is impossible that your al