Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1836-03-04

evening ramble. y r.yf. rrt
The idea Of parting had never before
occurred TO her. II broke at. once upon
her dream of happiness: she looked upon
! II asa sudden and iDsurmouniabIe evil,
and wept with the guIltless simplicity Ola
child, He drew her TO his bosom, and
kissed the tears from her soft cheek; nor
did he meet with a repul, Sc; for there are
moments Of ming led sorrow and tender.
ness, which haIlow the caresses of affcc.
iion. -. asa7.r.. .t.a ...
lie was naturally impetuous; end
the sigh of beauty, apparently yield.
lng in his arms;l The coniideuce Of his
power over her: and The dread ofloos
log her forever; all conspired TO over
wbelm his better feeIings-he ventu
red to propose that she should leave.
her home, and be the companion Of his
fortune.
He was quite novice in seduction
and bIusbed and fAIlered at bis own
baseness; but so innocent Of mind was
his intended victim, that she was at
loss 10 comprehend his meaning, and
why she should leave her native vii
lage and The humble roof of her pa
rents? When at last the nature Of his
proposal alshed upon her pure mind +,
the eff CT was wilhering She did not
weep; she did not break forth in re.
proach-she SAID not word l. but she
shrunk back aghast as from a viper;
gave HIM look Of anguish that pier
ced 10 his very soul; and clasping
her hands in agony, fed as for re-
fuge, to her fathers collage. ,.
The officer retired, confounded, ku
INFLATED, and repenant. Ii is uncer
tain what might have been The result
of the conflict Of his feelings, had mol
his thoughts been Diverted by the bus
tie Of departure. New scenes, new
pleasures, aud new complnions, soon
dissipat4d his self rrproach, and stI,
asd his tenderness; yer, amidst the
stir Of camps, the reveiticS of garrisons
,he army Of armies and even the din
Of battles, his thoughts would some
times steal back TO The scene of rural
q liet and viiJge S.m?Iiclly-lhe
white cot,age-lhe foop4th along the
silver brook and up the hawthorn
hedge, and the ltlIe village maid lott
erinS along il, leaning on his arm,
and listening to him with eyes beam
iDg with unconscious aIeclion. ..r . ..
Tue shock winch lne poor girl had re-
ceived, 10 tho desiru stlon of all her IDEAL
Sord, had indeed been cruel. FaInuhgs
and Mysteries, had at first shaken her
tGnderrdme, and were succeeded by a
sottlel and piuing meIanchoIy. Sha
had behsld from her windJw the mlr rch
Of departing troops. She had seen her
iAiIhless lover borne Off, AS If in triumph
amidst the Sound of drum and trumpet,
md the pomp Of arms, She strained u
last aching gazs after hm,.as The morn
ing sun gIluered about his figure, and
his plume waved in the breez4: he passed
away like bright vlsiOn from her sight
and left her all IN darkness. ...
Ii would be useless 10 dwell on the par
ticuIars of after story. 1t was like other
tales of love, melancholy. She avoided
society, and wandered out alone 10 the
walks she had most lrequented with her
lover. She sought, like the stricken deer
10 weep in silence and loneliness, and
brood over the barbed sorrow that ranked
in her soul. Sometimes she would he
seen late Of an evening, sitting in the
porch Of the village church, aud the milk
maids, RETURNING from the fiel'Is. would
now and then overhear her, singing some
plaintive dilly in the hawthorn walk.
She became iervent in her dovotions AT
church: and as The old people saw her ap
proach, SO wasted away, yet with hcc
tic gloom, and that Ralowed air which
melancholy dilfuses round the form, they
would maks away for her, as for thing
spiritual, and looking after her, would
shake their heads in gloomy iorboding.
She felt conviction that she was
Fastening to The tomb, but looked for
ward 10 it as o place of rest The
, silver cord that had bound her to ex'
, istence was loosened, and there seem
cd to be no more pleasure under the
0 sun. If ever her gentle bosom hat
r entertained resentment against heI
( lover it was extinguished. She wa
;. incapable Of angry passions; and in
d moment of saddened tenderness, sh'
. penned him farewell letter. ltwa
= couched in the simplest language, bu
touching from its very simplicity
u She told him that she was dying, am
b did not conceal from him that his con
. duet was The cause. She even depic
), led the suGerings which shs had ex
r perienced; but concluded with SayinI
: tha, she could not die in peace, uni
v she had sent him her forgiveness an