Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1831-06-23

N'"e, SheeTeu only Oy anucipa
tons OF the future. I received reru.
lar accounts from my friends; and no.
thing trsnspired To interrupt, in the
slightest degree, my felicity. save that
the language of my betrothed spoke Of
sorrowing spirit; and even that, II
our separation was the attributed cause,
was Tar from producing iisagrecable
feelings. At length ceased to receive
letters from her, and others told me
that she was wasting away tn the tomb
that the freshness If her beauty had
iaded, and that she remained but a
the wreck OF departed lovcliness. This
intelligence determined my conduct at
once, and ! embarked TO return.
| was there. Years have
passed over me, yet have not forgot
ten the calm beauty OF her countcn-
ance, a. she lay in her dreamless slum-
Der. ! sat down beside her. and a
cold. deadenlrg sorrow took hold upon
me. The fountains of my heart were
parehed and dry; my brain throbbcd.
and my heart swelled, as if il would
burst with the mighty agony. LAID
my hand TO my aching temples, and
prayed, yet not one blessed teardrop
came to my relief. There she lay be-
tore me, and her mother. broken heart.
ed. bent weeping above her; and the
young and proud came. one by one, To
gaze their last, and shuddered as they
thought how soon they might sleep IN
deaths cold arms like her. And the
crowd, and mirtb, and beauty, were
forgotten. and they went away sorrow.
ing, with that grief which sanctiiies.
The morrow had come. and l knew
the SUI shonc not upon her; conscious.
ness had come back To me, and re-
menibered ~ the sad preparatinn-,hc
funeral Proce-sion--thc sravc---the
hollow sound OF earth upon the coffin
her coffin oh God. lost. hid for
ever from my view, the looks aud
smiles OF her 10 whom ] bowed down,
as the worshippcr OF worth and beauty.
One placed in my hands paper. di-
rected by her to me-ihe dead to the
living. | read, and it revealed truths,
horrible truths, which called for
blood for the injured, and death for
treachery. 1t was long letter, a We
~ long one. and il told Of sorrow for
my departure, Of falsehood aud blight
ed affections. But will give tran
script OF the hateful truths which il re-
vealcd.
Allen Murray had come to her a. a
comforter, and as nv friend. lie
Showed her letters which he pretended
were from myself to him, in which I
had spoken lightly of her. and in high
terms Of new faces where then was.
He managed 10 intercept all my letters
to her, and at length narrated, with
all the coloring Of truth, my marriage
with another. BY degrees he sue
cceded in transferring her affections
from me, as an unworthy object. and
fastening them upon himself, as all
that wss cs'imsble and praiseworthy.
She had often looked back upon the
past, which had been so bright and
beautiful; bat she learned to view il
with calm sadness, deeming the object
of her first affections as IN reality dead.
since she believed all the nobler dis
positions Of heart were extinct. The
future was again full Of glad auticipa
tion--her onward path was again made
CAV with flowers and sunshine. aud
ur1hdppiiy the present was vcilcd and
shut out-all her thoughts were cen.
tered III one object. which her trusting
heart worshipped with all the idolatry
Of wOman's affection. Unhappily.
say,-for how may the weakness OI
oonfidIng love triumph over the wile-
of the betrayer. Poor Bertha. she
lived 10 see Allen AIurrav. who had
assumed the guisc Of an angel, stand
before her ~ his own form. made hide.
Gus by tho levIlish expression Of graft.
fed ReUngs! Upon his rejection he
had sworn TO offer a meet sacrifice "a
ti1t demon Of hell. which had made
hv bosom iis reveIling place Bui
the angel &c Mercy had not cntirel,
for AIKEN the unfortunate, dcluded man
and when he behold that high. souiet
grl dropping to the dust, the bl,gh
that wa- over has spirit passed 90. an,
tic broken ties were brought back {,
his heart. tie remembered the patien
mcrkncss that muFmurrd not az III
taunts and scOfiing-her faithful loy,
~ she stood before him Tor years. 80
, Tie remembered her voice In thc still
solitudes, when he overheard he
prayers as Size knelt down for him. am
affection came ba. X 90 his heart. 1hei
b hs spirit yearned to return from ~
! sinful wandering, but u vas 90
late. Tie whose cold heart bad sever
= cd tie fines, ties of nature. spurrc,
: with unkindness wolnan's faithful love
and made de-ert e her patr, va
not Ca return and bend tie knee az
be accepted. without a pcuance for III
y 49,. IL. III -. - -