The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-06-27
A STORY OF THE PLAGUE.


ed with the symptoms of the disorder, ias
as the day had been fixed, which was t
unite him with his mistress. Some Difficult
lies had been thrown in the way of the I'm
ION by Grabbed guardian; and many hour
had not elapsed from their removal, an
every thing been settled, (which the love
fastened to see done with the greatest i'm
patience when the terrible spots appeared
that were to cut him off from communion
with the unaffected. 1t is supposed, tina
the obstacles in the first Instance, and III,
hurry afterwards, threw his blood in a fer
ment, which exasperated the attack. He
wished to make light of the matter, and Il
90 abont his ordinary concerns; but the
strangeness OF his sensations, and the
thought OF the peril that lie might bring
70 his mistress, soon made him give uI
this pretension. He said, that his hor.
ror at FIRST inclined him to cry aloud, tc
tear his hair, and dash himself against
the wall of the room hut the thoughts
OF her again controlled him, and he re-
solved to 60 through every thing as pa
tiently as might be, lest he should add to
his chances of losing her. He sent her a
message. TO that effect, bidding her be oil
good heart; and then, in a passion of tears,
which he resolved should be his last, but
which, he said, seemed to give him a won
deiful kind of humble support, betook him
self to his prayers and so to his Ted.
lie was soon left alone with none but an
old nurse to attend him hut as he did not
sleep, and the good woman, observing him
tranqnil, slept great deal, he thought next
day, he might as well rise and 90 into the
garden for little air.
The garden, though in the city, was
very pretty one, and as it abut:ed on some
grounds. belonging on one side 10 church,
and on the other to field where they shot
mt butts, was removed both from sight and
noise, and might he called even solitary
lie found himself alarmingly weak and
the air, instead of relieving, seemed to bring
the weight Of an oven with it {: but there
was grass and roses and he thought il
weuld add to the grace of his memory with
her he loved, if he died in so sweet spot.
rather than in the house. Besides he could
not bear to think of dying, in what he hop.
ed would have been his bridal bed. These
reflections made him again shed tears in
spite of himself, and he lay down on bench
under tree, wishing he could melt away
In that tender despair.
The young gentleman guessed that he
had laid in this way good hour, during
which he had sleep that little refreshed
him, when he heard himself called by his
name. He thought it was the nurse, and
looked towards the house, but saw nobody
Yhe name was repeated twice, the last
time with the addition of an eoithet of ten
derness, which he knew could come from
no such person. His heart began to beat :;
and his ear guiding him truly to the voice,
which he now recognized, he saw, on the
top of the wall nearly opposite him, and I'M
der tree which overhung it from the out
side. his beloved mistress, holding with one
hand on bough, and with the other sup
porting herself in the posture of one who
intended to rome down. o, Richard =
said she, 'what blessing to find you here,
and noEody to hinder me i have cheated
them, and SUNK away,-my love! nv life p
Our lover said, these last little words had
a wonderful effect on him. With all her
tenderness, his betrothed bride had never
yet INDUCED it so far as to utter such con-
jugal' words, THAT was his phrase.) He
said, they seemed to give her right TO join
him. and they filled him with such love and
gratitude, that the very languor of his i'll
ness became COMPOUNDED with bewitching
pleasure.
He confessed. that the dread of her being
infected, though it still required to him, was
much fainter than before. However .he the
more thought it was his duty 20 urge it, and
did so. But the lady had no such dread.
She had come OH purpose 70 brave it
In vain he spoke as loudly as he could,
and rose up and began to drag his steps
towards her; in vain he made signs to her
not TO descend. Dearest Richard said
she, { if you cannot help me down, it is but
an easy jump, and do you think any thing
will induce me to go back | am come to
nurse you and make you happy
You will de- said the lover, in faint
voice, now arrived within hearing, and still
making signs of refusal.
Oh no: heaven will bless u.s. cried she /:
Il will not go back, mark me | will not
indeed; | cannot, much less now I have
seen you, and in that sick gown. But see
you cannot help me down. Your are una
BILE. Therefore come
With these words she made tie Jump,
and the next moment she was supporting
him in her arms. She put her arms around
him, and took his repelling hand into hers,
and raising herself kissed him on the mouth,
saying, Now | belong to you. Let me
seat you on the bench, and get you some
drink. am your wife now, and your dear
servant, and your nurse
Their eyes were filled with tears, and
the lover could only lift his head towards
heaven, as much as to say, that they should
at all events live there Not being able
TO reach the bench, he sat down in u thick
ct of roses. The young lady went to ge,
him some drink, and returned with the
news that she had walked the astonshed
nurse, and sent her to tell her guardian
where she was. Nobody expected him tc
venture to come and fetch her, and he die
not
He told the gentleman who had these
| particulars from him, that this behavior o
his betrothed bride, put him in state ST
new and transporting, that he conceived al
alteration of his blood must have takel
place, very speedily after her return from
the house; for though he could hardly beo
his delight he began manfestly to get bet
ter within an hour afterwards. The lad
never received the infection"
Ralph Esher.
How TO BE SAFE. Doctor" said a p
tent, " about five years ago, after reading ov,
the prescriptions Of a distinguished friend
temperance, whom i'll health had Obliged hi
TO consult, Doctor, do you think that a lit
F spirits, now and then, would hurt me We
much :" Why no, sir" anwered the doctc
deliberately -" do moi know that itte-nc
aud then-would hurt you rtry much; but, $