Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1839-01-15
THE BROKEN HEARTED.
RY GEo. D. pRENT1eE.


upon the field of battle-the miserable
convict standing upon the scaffold, with a
deep curse quivering on his lips; / have
viewed death in aIllts forms Of darkness
and vengeance, with a fearless eye-but |
never could look on woman, Young and
lovely woman, fading away from the earth
in beautiful and accomplishing melancho.
ly, without feeling the very fountains of
life turned to tears and dust. Death is al
ways terrible--but when q form of an.
gel beauty is passing off to the silent land
of the sleepers, the heart feels that some.
thing lovely is ceasing from existence, and
broods, with a sense of utter deSolation,
over the lonely thoughts, that come up
like spectres from the grave to haunt our
midnight musings.
Two years ago took up my residence
for few weeks, in acountry village in the
eastern part Of New England. Soon af
ter my arrival / became acquainted with
lovely girl, apparently about seventeen
years Of age. She had lost the idol of
her pure hearts purest loves, and the sha.
dows of deep and holy memories were
resting like the wing Of death upon her
brow. / first met her in the presence of
the mirthful. She was indeed creature
TO be worshipped-her brow was garland
ed by the young years sweetest flowers
her yellow locks were hanging beaut-
fully and low upon her bosom-and she
moved through the crowd with such hoa-
ting, unearthly grace, that the bewldered
gazer looked almost to see her fade away
into the air, like the creation of some plea.
SAINT dream. She seemed cheerful and
even gay; yet saw that her gaiety was
bu: the mockery of her feelings. She
smiled, but there was something in her
| smile which told that its mournful beauty
was but the bright reflection of tear
and her eyelids at times closed heavily
down, as if struggling to reprcss the tide
of agony that was bursting up from her
hearts secret urn. She looked as if she
could have left the scene of festivity, and
gone out beneath the quiet stars, and laid
her forehead down upon the fresh green
earth, and poured out her stricken soul,
gush after gush, till it mingled with the
eternal fountain of life and purity.
Days and weeks passed on, and that
sweet girl gave me her confidence, and
became to her as a brother. The smile
upon her lip was faint, the purple veins up
on her cheek grew visible and the caden.
ccs of her voice became daily more weak
and tremulous. On a quiet evening in
June, wandered out with her in the open
air 1t was then that she first told me Of
the tale of her assion, and of the blight
tina: had come down like mildew upon hel
life. Love had been portion of her ex
istence. It's tendrils had been twinec
around her heart IN its earliest years
and when they were rept away, they left {
wound which flowed till all the springs o
her soul were blood. 81 am passing
away" said she, 'and it should be so
The winds have gone over Try life, ant
the bright bud of hope and the sweet bios
SONS of passion are scattered down, ant
lie whitening in the dust. And yet can
not go down among the tombs without
tear. 1t is hard to take leave of friend
who love me it is very hard to bid fare
well to those dear scenes with which
have held communion from childhood, ant
which, from day to day, have caught tn
color of my life, and sympathised with it
! joys and sorrows. That little grove wher
a / have SO often strayed with my burie
: Love, and where at times, even now, tn
& sweet tones of his voice seem to CONF
: stealing around me, tall the whole air be
comes one intense and mournfuI melody
that pensive star in which my fancy ca
still picture his form looking down upo
me, and reckoning me on to his ow
u bright home-every flower, and tree, an
rivulet on which our early love has set il
ondying seal, have become dear to me, an
; | cannot, without sigh, close my eyes uE
on, them forever"