The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1830-11-04
THE CONFESSIONS OF A SUICIDE.

Now--knit thy brow, and e, thy hand be
firm;
Let not nerve he shaken. lis a deed
Unfit for coward pnscs.s'
saw her welded to another. Twas a
beautiful morning; and never had the sun
-hone down on gayer ossemblage than
that which gathered at our parish church.
= mingled with the group, and witnessed
the imposing ceremony, which united for
life the only being on earth whom had ev-
er trniy loved, to happy and favored rival.
As the grey haired priest pronounced aloud
The enQulring challcnge--"If any man can
show just causc.why they may not lawfully
be joined ,oge,her,iet hlnnow speak ,or else
forever after hold his peacc"-I strug.
glcd half upright. and would have cried
out, but the words died away in my throat,
And the ceremony went on--and The
death like rrverie into which ] had fallen
was broken BY the voice Of the priest, Il
require and charge you both, as ye will an
swer at the dreadful day Of Judgment " hen
the secret of ali hearts shall be disclosed,
that ifeither Of you know of any impedi.
ment, why yc may not be lawfully Joined
Together in Mstrimony, ye do now confess
,:-For be yc well assured, that if any
persons are coined together otherwise than
as Gods word doth allow, their warriarc
is not lawfrl." As the solemn tones ofthe
old man died away in the church aisle, ]
almost expected to hear supernatural
voice calling upon him to forbcar. Bu,
there was no sound. started up, and FOR
an instant my eyes met those Of the bride.
The blood boiled rapidly 10 her forehead:
and then sank back, and she was pale as If
death had been in the glance ] had given
her. And could zee the folds Of her rich
dress tremble, and her beautiful lip culver;
bat she turned away her eyes, and the sol.
emn rites were concluded.
returned to my lodgings. Theedcd no,
the gay laughter and the free merrimcnt oil
those around mc. hurried on, like one
who wanders abroad in dark dream, for
could hardly conceive the events of tho
morning as things Of freality. Once indeed
as the coach which contained the newly
married swept past nc, the terrible trn,l
came upon my heart ike tangible sub
stance; and one black and evil though
passed over my mind, like the Whispered
suggestion OF Satnn. II was feeling o
blood; a sensation like that Of grasping tn
s,rangling throat Of an enemy. ! s,arte,
| from " Win UoEIOT. FOT tnS NrSt tltnc
thought Of murder had risen up in my bo
, and | quenched il with the natural at
horrence OF nature prone to mildness an
peace.
reached my chamber, and boiled III
door; and exhausted alike in body and min
threw myself upon my bed--bu, not
$ sleep. A sense os my utter desola,ion ar
c Loneliness came over me, blended with
feeling of bitter and unmeri,ed wrong.
reccollccted the many manifestations ofa
= fcction which had received from ono wi
+ had ihat day plightcd herself, in the pre-
ence of Heaven, 20 another. And then
D, called 20 mind the thousand sacrifices h,
r. made to her ligh,est csprices and variatio
,e Of tempcr--the earnest revealmen,s of
- love which had absorbed my whole bein
in and then came the maddening conscior
as ness Of the black ingrstitud- which had .
10 qui,el such tenderness. Then came &
ir, bitter thought-tii,cr 10 a pride like mi
of that the cold world had a knowledge
h, my fortune--that | should be poin,
III; ont as q disappointed man--a subject
Id the pity Of some, and the scorn and lestin
ID. Of others. Rage and shame blended W
OF the agony Of ofoutrared feeling. 4 will
in. endure it, ! said mentally, springing fr
OF my bed and crossing the chamber viii
nv flushed brow and strong stcp--'ncv
as and ground my teeth upon each OIL