Southern marksman. [volume] (Clinton, Miss.) 1838-1839, 1839-01-08

Seated by her embroided~fame, Mary
Stuart, the unfortunate Queen of Scots,
was adding the last siIken violet TO rich
border of fruit and flowers, which her
magic needle had wrought on a robe: of
thick orange-colored silk. Her supper
stood untasted on a little table at her els
bow; and it was not until the twilight had
darken all the brilliant colors into one, that
she permitted herself a moments respite
then she turned to the table and placed
a bit of food between her lips. With diff
Guilty she swallowed it, pushed the table
from her, and threw her graceful form back
into her heavy chair. Bright tears gath
cred in her eyes, and she looked mournful,
" on the nearly finished robe, and MUIR
INJURED, st will soon be finished-this
sweet hope will no longer cheer me, and
then what will occupy my lonely hours?
Alas, what . fearful thing it is to be alone
With bitter thoughtsn
The unhappy captive wiped the tears
from her face, had lights by her embroide.
ry-frame, and again piled her needle, while
dark and gloomy sretrospections passed
through her mind. She thought with pain
full regret of France, her own dear France,
the home of her youth, the land of gaiety
and chivaIry. While these thoughts oc-
cupied her mind, her taper fingers fingered
on the silk, and large tears rolled down
her still round cheeks, and soiled the rich
embroidery over which she bent. A mo-
ment and deep color was breaking into
her cheeks, over which the tearxdrops fell
at more distant intervals. She was think
ING of Scotland, then of her reception af-
ter crossing the channel TO take posses
sion of her hereditary crown. She re-
membered the ridicule her refined accom-
plishments had excited in the rude people
she was called upon to govern; then the
warm blood deepened and burned in her
cheeks, almost drying the tears that lin
gered there with its heat. Darnley, the
sensual, brutal Darnley, was in her mind,
the husband on whom she had, for time,
layished the wealth of her warm affec<
lions; the man who had rewarded her love
with infdeIity, and her kindness with base
ingratitude. By degrees her cheeks re-
gained their pure white-the muscles of
her sweet mouth were working about the
corners, and twitching under the white
skin; her opened forehead concentrated
itself, and her little hand lay trembling
upon the frame, with the needle between
it's fingers.-The working of that speak
ing face told more plainly than words,
that the horrid circumstances of Danley's
murder were passing in her imagination;
but the remembrance Of the foul suspi-
cions that had been attached 10 herself,
soon brought back the glow to her cheek
and the peculiar brightness to her eye; her
graceful head was erect with the con-
seriousness of perfect innocence. Indeed,
it is astonishing that thesuspioions OF MUIR
der could rest for moment on one who
had never been found guilty of single
act of cruelty, and who, to her kind and
gentle nature, together with want of
firmness, owed all her misfortunes. In
short, the very womanly virtues of Mary
Stuart proved the ruin of the Queen
while the want of these virtues
kept the tigress Elizabeth upon the throne
of England, and gave her power over the
liberty and life of her beautiful cousin
The cunning and duplicity of Elizabeth
and her want of feeling were her safety;
while the very frankness and gaity of Ma
rvs disposition, expanded as it had IN,