Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1830-08-04

klSScS VI Ills slstcI, anu at last i"iht
heaving of his breast, and the eIoquence
of his half closed eye, and flush at in
tervals, upon his wasted cheek, like the
first violent tint of morning cloud, were
all that told he had not yet passed "the
dark day of nothingness.
The twelfth evening Of our absence
from land was the most beautiful / had
ever known, and persuaded the girl to
go for short time upon deck, that her
own fevered brow might be famed by
the twilight breeze. The sun had gone
down in glory, and the traces ofhs blood
red setting, were still visible upon the
western waters. Slowly, but brilliantly,
the many stars were gathering them to-
gether above, and another sky swelled
out in softened beauty beneath, and the
foam upon the crest of the waves was
lighted up like wreaths of snow. There
was music in every wave, and its wild
sweet tones came floating down from the
futtering pennon above us, like the sound
of a gentle wind amid cypress grove
But neither music nor beauty had spell
for the heart of my little friend. / talk
ed to her of the glories ofthe sky and sea
i pointed to her the star on which she
had always loved to LOOKOUT her only
answer was sigh-and / turned with
her to the bedside of her brother.
perceived instantly that he was dying
There was no visible struggle-but the
film was creeping over his eye, and the
hectic flush of his check was fast deepen
ing into purple. l know not whether at
first, his sister perceived the change in
his appearance; she took her seat at his
side, pressed his pale lip to her own, and
then, as usual, let her melancholy eye
rest fxedly upon his countcnance. Sud-
dently his looks frightened for moment,
and he spoke his sisters name. She re-
piled with passionate caress, aud look
ed up to my face as if to implore cncour-
agement. l knew that her hopes were
but mockery. A moment more and a
convulsive quiver passed over the lirs OF
the dying boy-a slight shudder ran
| through his framc-and all was STILL
The girl knew as if intuitively, that her
brother was dead. She sat in fearless
silencc-but saw that the waters of Bit
terness were gathering iearlully at their
| fountain. AT last she raised her hands
with sudden effort, and pressing them
upon her forehead, wept with the un-
controllable agony of despair.
On the next day the corse of the dead
boy was committed to the waters. The
little girl knew that it must be so, but she
strove to drive the thought away, as if il
| had been an unreal and terrible vision.
When the appointed hour was at hand,
she came and begged me with tone that
seemed less like human voice than the
| low cadence of disembodied and mel
ancholy spirit, to 60 and look upon her
brother and sec if he was indeed dead.
| | could not resist her entreaties, but
went with her to gaze upon the sleeping
dust, to which all the tendrils of her life
seemed bound. She passed by the bed
side. and | almost deemed that her very
existence would pass off in that long fix
ed gaze. She moved not-she spoke
not-till the form she loved was taken
away to be let down into the OCEAN
Then indeed she arose, and followed heI
! lifeless brother with calmness that NIGH
have been from heaven. The body sunk
slowly and solemnly beneath the waves
a few long, bright ringlets strcamed on
upon the waters, single white and beau
tiful glimpse came up through the glanc'
ing pillows, and all that had once beer
Joy and beauty, vanished forever.
During the short residue Of our voyage
the bereaved sister seemed fading away
and beautiful as a cloud in n summer &c
NTH. Her heart had lost its commmu-
Mon with nature, and she would look
down into the sea, and murmur incoher-
4 II