Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1832-10-10
From the New-York Albion.
THREE NIGHTS IN A LIFETIME.

This is an aronizing narrative of an lliSfated
attainment. The incidents and persons are few
bnt tina, which is related is thrilling, and makes
I'D by force what it wants in variety and relief
The DESIGN of the tale is new, we believe, IN the
form in which the author has put it, although the
theory il expounds is familiar to every one who
has felt deeply, or experienced any very memora-
BILE events either of Joy or sorrow. The division
of lite-tme into certain epocha which emphatl-
cally mark the circumstances by which is destl-
nv was influenced, is we'll calculated to Impress
unon the mind a distinct sense of the progress OF
mental suffering through all its changes. Three
niphts in the life of Sophia WoIsingham contain
the elements of her fate; each OF these nights,
by the mysterious links of moral association, the
whole of the past IS recalled unbldden into one
imape. as if she lived over her life again, while
the fItlre is dimlv Swallowed forth IN unutterahie
hone or nameless fear. The first night is the
evening preceding her intended marriage. She
;s ahsorhe5 in the most delicious expectations of
the bapn;ness that awaits her. The scene, fi
If TRANQUIL beauty, aud in the depths of her mas
five solitudes. favors that luxury of the heart
Her lover. distinguished youth, of singular
intellectual endowments, and remarkable grace
of ners On and manners, is devotedly attached to
her Their ,ov in each other is perfect; but
morninr breaks npon the entranced Sophia TO
make her wretched for life. On rising she finds
the household in confusion, and learns that her
father is engaged in his library on business. In
vain she canlectures the nature oil the mystery.
At Jast she is summoned to her fathers presence
where she expects to meet Talbot, her lover, who
was IN "A visit al the house
Gas Sophia entered The library, her father, who
was seated at his writing -table, looked up, an!
that single look at once sent qulverlng thrill -
horror and underlined alarm, like an arrow, thr ,
his daughters heart and frame. She perceived
Immediately that there was something dreadfullv
wrong. Mr. Wasingham's face was as pale as
death. his ewes haggard and bloodshot, like those
of person who has passed the night without
sleep, and every limb seemed trembling under the
influence i some strong and uncomfortable enc
tion. He held out his hand to her, but appeared
unaei. 10 speak One only thought possessed
s ,,hia-"W,lliam,n she exclaimed, "my Gnd! =
William! something dreadful has haPpened--ie
me. uapa-resl me at once-for mercy's sake"
She sunk into chair, with clasped hands that
seemed to lock and squeeze themselves together,
az if to restrain her agony, Mr.. Wasingham
rose. and folded his arms around her. Compose
yourseG,'' said he in a thick and broken voice,
sscompsse Yourself my poor girl"
ale is dead, l know he is dead" gasped s.
phia. "nothing else would -" the shuddering
of her whole frame became such that she could
moi utter another word.
an Saphia-no-mv darling child, he is well
but-b,li-my child my child! for Gpd's sake
for m, sake, be calm, restrain yourself, Sophia
ltmust he told, and the sooner it is done The bet
ter;-he is gone awav-gone. William Talbot
is an accused villain, my child, and you can
never, never be his wife. bless my God that
know him for what he is, before he has made
you so"
More her father might have spoken, but the
words fell meaningless on the ear of the misera-
Bile GIRL. Like one at whose feet the thunderbolt
of Heaven has fallen, she sat, perfectly still and
moiionless. with fxei ewes, as it the very pulses
of her heart had been arrested by the blow. AT
length her pae lips slowly and taintly articulated,
"gone--gone away, Wiliiam?"
"My child, it is fearful task-bnt must per-
form il. Read this letter which | received last
night you know the writer-you cannot doubt
his veracI,y, but if you could, Sophia, he--he has
avowed it! l have not been in bed all nights
with the earliest light went to him, and drew
from his own lips he confession of guilt which
must for ever estrange him from my child Will
ain villain! Oh my poor dear unfortunate
Cir! Would to God had not trusted in him as
i d,L AT who-who could have dreamed Of this :;
Read it, my poor girl-read it,"
Her dim and glazing eyes slowly gathered in
the meaning OF the fatal scroll. At length the
sense of The words, which at first fell ndstinctly
and doh On her perceptions, became apparent TO
her. Again and vet again, she read IT.
"Father, ,ather, he has not confessed this? you
did not say he had confessed this? 1t is false, it