Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1833-05-29
POETRY.
From the New England Magazine for April.]
THE FEMALE MARTYR.

THE FEMALE MARTYR.
BY THE AUUHoR OF 1.-THE OPIUM EATER"
Mary c., aged Is, one of the s'SIsTERs OF
CHARITY,'' died in one Of Atlantic cities, durin
the prevalence of the Indian Cholera, while in youn
tary attendance upon the sick.
'sBring out your deado, the midnight street
Heard and gave back the hoarse low CALI,
Harsh fell the tread of hasty feet
Glanced through the dark the coarse while sheet
Her coffin and her pail.
ssWhat-only one ~ The brutal hackman said
As, with an oath, he spurned away the dead.
How sunk the Utmost hearts of all,
As rolled that dead-cart slowly by,
With creaking wheel and harsh football.
The dying turned him to the wall,
To hear it and to diei--
Onward it rolled while oft its driver stayed;
And hoarsely clamored, Ho-bring out your dead'
1t paused beside the burial place.
"Toss in your load!'' and it was done =
With quick hand and averted face,
Hastily to the graves embrace
They cast them, one by one
Stranger and riend-the evil and the Just
Together trodden in the church yard Dust
And thou, young martyr!-thou vast there
No white robed sisters round thee trod-
Nor holy hymn-nor funeral prayer
Rose through the damp and noisome air,
Giving thee to thy Col;
Nor hower--nor cross-nor hailowed taper gave
Grace to the dead, and beauty to the gravel
Yet gentle sufferer there shall be
Ia every heart of kindly feeling,
rite as holy paid to thee,
As if beneath the convent tree
Thy sisterhood were KIN cling,
At vesper hours, like sorrowing angels, keeping
Their fearful watch around thy place OF sleeping.
For thou vast one IN whom the light
OF heavens own love was kindled well,
Enduring with tyr's might
Through weary day and wakeul night
Far more than words may tell:
Gentle, and meek, and Lowry, unknown
Thy mercies measured by thy God alone
Where manly hearts were failing,--where
The throngful street grew foul with death,
Oh-high souled marty r.--thou vast there,
Iuhating from the loathsome air,
Poison with ever. breath:
Yet shrinking not RON Offices Of dread,
For the wrung dying, and the unconscious dead.
And, where the sickly taper she'd
IT. light through vapors, damp, confined,
iiushed as a seraHh's tell thy treaG,--
new Electra by the bed
OF suffering humankind!
Pointing the spirit, III its dark dismay,
To that pure hope, winch iadeth not away,
Innocent teacher o the high
Aud holy mysteries Of he.ven!
How turned to thee each glazing eye,
In mule AMI awful mpathy,
Asthy low prayers gwen:
And the DER lowering spoiler wore the while,
An angels features--a dehverers smile!
blessed task and worthy one,
Who, turning from the world, as thou,
Ere beings pathway had begun
TO leave its spring time flower and sun,
Had sealed her early vow
Giving to God her beauty and her youth,
Her pure affections and her guileless truth.
Earth may not claim thee. Nothing here
Could be for thee meet reward,-
Thine is treasure far more dear
Eye hath not seen t--nor the ear
OF living mortal heard
TIE Joys prcpared-the promised bliss above
The hoy presence of Eternal Love!--
SLEEP on in peace. The earth has not
A nobier name than thine shall be-
The deeds by martial mani rod wrought
The lofty energies of thought
The fire of poes,
These are but trail and failing honors thine
Shall time unto eternity consigu
Yea--and, when thrones shall crumble down,
And human pride and grandeur fall
tn, herad's line of long renown--
TIL mitre and the kingly crown
Pershng glories all
The pure devotion of tiny generous heart
Sha live in heaven, of winch it was part!
ilaverhill. 81 month 1928
From the Norfolk Herald.
Ihtary Ma tr II 80 hun he null !should