Delaware advertiser and farmer's journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1828-1831, 1831-10-20


should teach us that nothing blissful is Of
permanent duration.
"Yet hope attends companion ofthe way.
His dream by night, his vision of the day.
The grave was soon filed; the earth as
il was thrown in returned u hollow sound
which every moment became fainter and
/ fainter until it was heard no more. Here
was a scene which called forth the noblest
feelingsOf our nature; it was one which the
philosopher might pause to contemplate
with silent conviction; or which the poet
might linger to admire with all the glow
of melancholy rapture.
BY this time the procession began to
move homeward; the night was fast APP
preaching, but the moon had risen, though
she shone but family, as if waiting till the
sun had quit the scene, that she might as
sert her empire undisputed and alone. l
seated myself upon the grass sod of a
neighbouring grave and gazed upon the
multitude as they gradually disappeared
among the intricacies of the wood, and I'M
til was left with no companion but the
sexton. He was smoothing of the grave
and scraping together the dirt around it,
as if fearful that it might be levelled by
the careless footsteps of the school boy in
his daily walk across the yard, or by the
idle sportsman ip his pursuit after game.
When he had finished his task, he turned
TO 40 and observed that he had never fill
ed grave with such heavy heart since
the day he had buried his wife; and he
questioned whether any body in the neigh
bourhood had known an occurrence which
excited such GENERAL inferest
However beneath me / considered this
man, there was something about him which
seemed to check advances and depressed
mark, inquired of him the situation and
circumstances of the deceased. The old
man looked at me with an air of sorrow in
his countenance which ] never shall for
get, and answered, that it would occupy
more time than the day allowed, to repeat
her story.-ssThere," said he pointing to
a grave that looked rs if II had been clos
History would form novel or a romance
of more interest than any Of the present
day. She who now occupies that cold
grave was once the daughter Of foreign
nobleman; a man, proud, arrogant and
wealthy. He dsdained every thing which
he considered not on level with himself
in point Of birth. An officer Of the army
who, though destitute of fortune, was no.
bic, brave and accomplished, aspired to
her hand. The affections of the lady were
obtained, but the consent Of the father was
refused; they were married clandestinely
and sailed for America. o. their passage
the vessel was captured by revolutiona-
ry cruiser, and they we're brought into
Philadelphia. Here the yanquished En-
glishmen were thrown into prison, and
the husband and the wife were separated.
After a few weeks of suffering, arising
from the wound he had received while de-
Tending his vessel, together with the hor-
or a jail, and the ignorance Of his wife's
situation, he died, and she was left wi
dow in a country where she was helpless
unprotected stranger. With few Jewels
which the humanity of the American cap
tain permitted her to retain, but which
the sailors of her husbands vessel at
tempted to wrest from her in the hour of
capture, she found her way up to a village
four miles distant from this church. Here
she procured the best accommodations
which the place afforded, and after having
| fingered for a few months, was quietly
laid in yonder grave, beloved, regretted
! and admired. | saw her when she was
laid in her coffin; she appeared as if slum-
bering, and there was a smile upon her
face. At her interment there was a stran
ger who saw the procession and followed
It. He seemed deeply affected, and when
it was over he enquired her name. On
being told, he appeared convulsed, fell
back upon his horse and was with difficult
ty restored to life. She proved to be his
sister. Her father had heard of their port
of destination, and when it was too late
had repented of the rashness that had de-
priyed him of an only daughter. He des-
patched his son to Bermuda, but he learn
ing there that the vessel had been captur-
ed, hired the captain of ship to convey
him to the coast of America. They ac-
cordingly sailed, and he was landed on
the sandy shores of New Jersey by few
sailors who returned to their vessel and
Immediately set sail to avoid the cruisers
of the revolution. On his landing he
learned the fate Of her husband and the
residence of his sister, and was on his way
| to it when he met her at the grave.
He received the melancholy consolation
of knowing that the closing moments Of
his sister were rendered comfortable; that
she often mentioned his name among those
of her absent friends, and that she died
resigned, contented and regretted"
As the old man finished his story we
rose to journey homeward. Twas deep
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