The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-06-13
THE IRON HEART.


''iib hCl Eyes IulSeu tOWHI(
blue sky, in which the sun is seen burs
ing through scattered clouds, and sipiin
pleasantly upon the vegetable world. An
the character thus drawn forcibly illustrate
that variable, trembling and vet Joyous sea
son. Like n sweet prisoner long held i
despotie thradom 10y giant winter, sh
comes forth released, to look after til
blighted flowers of the by-past summer.
to walk abroad in the scared and desoiat
forests, and bid them bud again, and cal
the feathered choristers back to their lon.
deserted homes. What wonder if, in view
OF so much ruin, and in the recollection O
the reign of death from which she had es
capped. she should gush forth in tears, an,
" smile and weep, and smile and wee
again."
1t was on an April day, and a day i
which April wept most sadly that reach
ed the wild and romantic village of Bur
ling Ford, in journey l was muking dow
the Susquehanna. TO one who has live,
amid the tame and sameess spIendor of tn,
city. or the smooth and quiet scenery O
lowland countries, Burling Ford would pre-
sent nature in novel and interesting dress
On a day when the sun was shining. he
he might go up to the summit of hill, tina,
all the morning had overshadowed the vii
lage, and wash his hands m clouds, which
from below, seemed bright with arching
rainbows; or, on morning like the one
l found there, he would see, as he gazed
through few scattered cottages, the nigh.
ty rush Of the full white flood, as it thun.
dered down the rocky cataract, and hur-
ried away every thing that opposed its pro-
gress; and raising his eyes to the lion
bound shore beyond it, where piled up
rocks presented giant boundary FAR as the
eye could reach. he would discover hum
dred torrents pouring over the lofty cliffs
and foaming down its dark and ragged
sides, white as the driven snow, until thew
mingled and were lost in, the wild pillows
beneath.
One of the saddest misfortunes dispir.
tied traveller can meet with, is, to fall in
for the day or night, with a dull or lifeless
landlord, in country village, in rainy
season. felt that it was so, and my shout.
ders invoiuntarlly touched my ears, as oh.
served on the face of my host, cloud dark
er than that which hung above the settle
ment and threatened all the valley with q
hOiuRCs L iOSC uut W1Ihcu W Tic WIIluOW,
The rain still battered on the low rooted
houses, and the haze thickened and be-
came more dense as noon approached
there was no prospect of cessation that
day. The windows of the white washed
cottages adjacent to the inn, were general.
ly closed, and when an occasional strag.
gler appeared, picking MS way along the
mlry path, his head hung down detected
and he passed his handkerchieftwice across
his eyes in pacing twenty yards. The vii
lage was as gloomy as the weather, and
sought for llveler company than my host
who now sat in corner of the room, witt
his cheek resting on his hand, engaged ap
parently in deep meditation.
In this pursuit made my way into The
adjoining room where a sleepy looking cir
of sixteen or seventeen, sat moping over ,
book, and looking now and then in sad dis
gu etude on the torsaken streets.
alt is wet days" said.
"Oh yes" she replied, Sand very bat
for the funeral; poor Miss Jane, they say
her heart is broken"
"And who then is dead" | asked.
"Why don't you know, indeed ?-all il
the village are sad for the loss of poor Mrs
D.. She died yesterday, only few
hours after she heard of the death of he
husband in the gaol to which he was sen
by old Blendell, who lives over the noun
tain, and is one of the richest men in al
the country. She. died-and they say poo
June will die-they say her heart is brok
en-"
The poor girl spoke the last sentence il
and NH ;t y
held her book next 20 her face, to concea
ner tears.
There was, in this simple narration, 8,
much of sorrow; and it was told in ton,
and manner that evidenced SO much of tn,
genuine warmth of juvenile friendship an.
youthful love, that any feelings were inter
ested in the story; and notwithstanding tn,
unfavorable weather, | made my way to tn,
dwelling of the disconsolate and bereayet
family with a crowd of villagers, to puy tn,
last tribute of respect to the memory of tn,
departed mother.
Death is at all times the messenger O
grief Here he was doubly so; for he ha,
blasted the luxuriant vine upon which de
pended many branches. and they SCENE,
whitening in the blight. The corpse Ia,
in mean coffin on side of the room; n,
sable pail enwrapt it-no holy man stoot
over it ready to pronounce its panegyrc
but instead of these we're seen and hear
and felt Ivy all, the general burst of over
flowing sorrow, and the bitter lamentation
that spoke the praise of the departed on,
in loftier strains than language could hav,
spoken. And when the last sad adieu wa
TO he taken, and six innocent and beautiful
children hung at once over that cold AM
changcless brow, which once had answere,
their playful! smiles with smiles as sweet
and glowed with the fervor of mother
love, hut which now regarded not thei
teafs of anguish, and warmed not at thei
orphan kisses-oh, it was heart-wringin:
sight-it would have melted the hardes
bosom. But they were torn away, the lii
was shut, and in another moment, scale,
up forever. The grave was not far distant
1t received its victim; and had scarce
closed the dead, before the home of the OF
phan children, which in barbarous az
would have been held sacred to quiet an
mourning for season, was entered by tn
ruthless hand that had pursued the parent
to the tomb, and stripped of every aIticl
of furniture. So well did the villagers o.
ply to Blendell the appelation of-Tho Iro
Heart.
The orphan children we're sca,tere
among the villagers; and when returne
to the inn, Julia, the eldest, an enchantin
girl of but sixteen years, was there wit
her youngest sister. But it was a seaso
Of the deepest sadness and while the pa
occurrences threw melancholy tlnge owe
every mind, and even the day without gail
cred new gloom from the troubled aspect
of all within, the mind was i'll fitted to fea
on beauty; yet even then, she seemed
move alhid I'LL thai WINS fnnnrncnL Like