The Northern star, and farmers' and mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1830-1834, 1830-05-15
THE BRoKEN-HEARTED.

LIE DhOkEN-H EARIEO.
l have seen the infant sinking down,
like stricken flower, to the graye--the
strong man fiercely breathing out his soul
upon the field of battle-the miserable
convict standing upon the scaffold, with a
deep curse quivering upon his lips-Il
have viewed Death in all his forms of dark
ness and vengeance with fearless eye
but could never look on woman, young |
and lovely woman, fading from the earth
In beautiful and uncomplaining melancho-
ly, without feeling the very fountains OIL
life turned to tears and dust. Death is |
always terrible-but when form of angel |
beauty is passing off to the silent land of
the sleePers, the heart feels, that some
thing lovely III the universe is ceasins
from existence, and broods, with sense
ofutter desolation, over the lonely thoughts,
that come up, like spectres from the grave
to haunt our midnight musings.
Two years ago, / took up my residence
for iewweeks in country village in the
eastern part Of New England. Soon af-
ter my arrival, became acquainted with
lovely girl apparently about seventeen
years ofage.. She had lost the idol other
pure hearts purest love, and the shadows
OF deep and holy memories were resting
lide the wing Of death upon her brow. !
hrst met her in the presence ofthe mirth-
full. She was indeed creature to be
worshipped--her brow was garlanded with
the young years. sweetest fowers-her
raven locks were hanging beautifully and
low upon her bosom--and she moved thro'
the crowd with such floating and unearth
" grace, that the bewildered gazer almost
looked to see her fade away into the air,
like the creation Of some pleasant dream.
She seemed cheerful and even gay, yet /
saw, that her gaiety was but the mockery
OF her feelings. She smiled, but there
was something in her smile, which told,
that itsmournfil beauty was but the bright
reflection of atear--and her eyelids, at
times, closed heavily down, as if strug-
CLING to repress the tide Of agony, that
was bursting up from her hearts secret
urn. She looked MS if she could have
left the scene offestivity and gone out be-
meath the quiet stars, and laid her fore
head down upon the fresh, green earth,
and pour out her stricken soul, gush after
gush, till it mingled with the eternal foun-
tain of life and purity. ~
Days and weeke passed on, and that
sweet girl gave me her confidence, and !
became to her as brother. She was
wasting away by disease. The smile up
on her lip was fainter, the purple veins
upon her cheek grew visible, and the ca
dence Of her voice became daily more
weak and tremulous On quiet evening
in the depth of June, wandered out with
her little distance in the open air. 1t
was then, that she fret told me the tale ofl
her passion, and of the blight that had
come down like mildew upon her life.-
Love had been q portion other existence.
Its tendrils had been twined around her
heart in its earliest years, and when they
were rent away, they left wound which
flowed till all the springs other soul were
blood. /" i am passing away" said she,
:" and 1t should be SO. The wind have
gone over my life. and the bright buds of
hope and the sweet blossoms Of passion {
are scattered down, and lie whitening in I
he dust, or dropping away upon the chill
waters of memory. And yet / cannot go I
iown among the tombs without tear
Il is hard to take leave Of the friends who
owe me---it is very hard to bid farewell to
hese dear scenes, with which have held
communion from childhood, and which :
rom day to day, have, caught the color of {
my life and sympathizee with its Joys and !
sorrows. That little grove, where / havet
80 often strayed with my buried love, and
where at times, even now, the sweet tones :
IF his voice seem to come stealing around
me till the whole uir becomes one intense !
md mournful melody--that pensive star,
which we used to watch in its eafly rising,
md on which my fancy can still picture
MS form looking down upon me and beck
,ning me to his own bright home: every
lower, and tree, and rivulct, on which the
Of our early love has set It's uAdy- 4
ng seal, have become dear to me, and q
cannot, without sigh, close my eyes uP-
On them AsSSSs. ----- - -