The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1837-11-07
MISCELLANEOUS.
A STORY OF THE PLAGUE.
BY LEIGH HUNT.

| n young merchant or MurSellleS was SelZeO
with symptoms Of the plague, just as the day had
been fixed which was 10 unite him with his mis-
tress. Some difficulties had been thrown i'm the
way Of the union by grabbed guardian and
many hours had not elapsed from their removal
and every thing been settled, (Which the lover
fastened to see done with the greatest impa-
tience) when the terrible spots appeared which
were to cut him off from communication with
the unaffected. 1t is supposed that the obstacles
III the first instance, and the hurry afterwards
threw his blood into ferment, which eXasperat-
ed the attack He wishes to make light of the
matter, and to go about his ordinary concerns
but the strangeness of his sensations, and the
thought of the peril that he might bring to his
mistress, soon made him give up this pretension.
He said that his horror at first inclined him to
cry aloud, to tear his hair, and dash himself a.
gainst the wall of the room but the thoughts of
her again controlled him, and he resolved to go
through with every thing patiently as might
be, lest he should add to his chances of losing
her. He sent her message to that effect, bidding
her he of good heart and then in passion of
tears, which he resolved should be his last, but
which, he said, seemed to give him IL wonderful
kind of humble support, betook himself to his
prayers, and to his bed.
He was soon left alone with none but an old
nurse to attend him; but as he did not sleep, and
the good woman observing him tranquil, slept II
great deal, he thought next day he might well
rise and go into The garden for little air. The
garden, though in the city, was very pretty one,
and as il abutted on some grounds, belonging on
one side to church, aud on the other to field
where they shot at butts, was removed both from
sight and noise, and might be thought even soil
tary. He found himself alarmingy week 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 it would add to the
grace of his memory with her he loved, if he
died in sweet a spot rather than in the house.
Besides, he could not bear to think of dying in
what he hoped would have been his bridal bed.
These reflections made HIM again shed tears in
spite Of himself, and he lay down on a bench
under a tree, wishing he could melt away in that
tender despair, The young gentleman guessed
that he had lain in this way good hour, during
which he had sleep that little refreshed him.
when lie heard himself called by his name. He
thought it was the nurse, and looked towards the
house, but saw nobody. The name was repeated
twice. the last time with the addition of an cpl
tibet of tenderness, 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 OH the top of the
wall nearly opposite to him, and under tree
which overhung it from the outside his beloved
mistress, holding with one hand on Il bough, and
with the other supporting herself in the posture
of one who intended to come down. ooh, Rich
ard !" said she, ''what blessing to find you here,
and nobody to hinder me! have cheated them,
and skunk away-lny love! my lifen'
Our lover said these last little words had won
dcrful effect on him. With all her tenderness
his betrothed bride had never yet INDUCED it so
far rs to utter such 'conjugaf words THAT was his
phmse.) He said they seemed to give her Il
right to join him. and they filled him with such
love and gratitude, that the very lansuor of his
illness 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 to urge it, and he
did so. But the lady had no such dread. She
had come OH purpose to brave 1t. In vain he
spoke as loudly rs he could, and rose up and be-
gan to drag his steps towards her; in vain he
made signs to her not to descend. "Dearest
said she ''if you cannot help me down,
t is but an easy jump, and do think any thing
will induce me to go back? ! am come TO nurse
you, and make you happy" You will die"
said the loverTin faint voice. now arrived within
nearing, and still making signs of refusal "Gil
40; Heaven will bless u.s." cried she: " will
not go back, mark me; will not indeed; l can
not much less now have seen YOU, and in that
sick gown. But see you cannot help me down.
You are unable. Therefore 1 come" With
hese words she made the jump, and the next
minute was supporting him in her arms. She
)ut her arms round him, and took his repeIlng
land into hers, and, raising herself kissed him
IN the mouth, saying, "now belong to you.
Let me seat you on the bench, and get you some
rink am your wife now, and your dear SER
'ant, and your nurse" Their eyes We're filled
With tears, and the lover could only lift his head
owards heaven, much as to say, that 'they
hould at all events live there" Not being able
o reach the bench, he sat down in thicket Of
oses. The young lady went to get him some
rink and returned with the news that she had
walked the astopished nurse, and sent her to tell
Ter guardian where she was Nobody expected
lin to venture to come and fetch her, and he did
lot. He told the gentleman who had these par
icuars from him, that this behavior of his be-
rothed BRIDE put him in a state so new and
that he conceived an alteration OF
lis blood must have taken placevery speedily at
er her return from the house for though he
ould hardly bear his delight, he began manifest
y to get better within an hour afterwards. The
ady never received the infection. Their friends
aid she would, and that two would die instead
# one. The physician prophesied otherwise;
Neither the lover nor his mistress. however, would Ii