Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1839-08-06

~ NtI nCNilolNn anu Ntt iui' IuNtih'HN''
and conienlmcni IN dlsobcdicnce but to
her the name ol parent was holy.
Her school bad been dismissed early, for .
a storm had been gathering for some days.
and already the drops began to fall. Now,
as She sat by her chamber window, pale as
ashes, the clouds were pouring their treas
ures mcrrlly down, she resolved TO consult
the minister, her we'll tried friend; and
Charles, her own Charles, AT the thought of
whom her bosom hea,cd, and her tears min
glcd with the raindrops; and To make them
the arblters Of her fate.
Ii rained all night, hard and steadily
She had determined to trlpup to the minis
ters before schoo. hours IN the morning
but all the morning II was one continual
pour, pour, and she could not leave the
house. She had no pupils that day on
account of the storm, and her loneliness and
agitation were unrelcvcd 10y customary du-
~ She had promised 10 meet Charles III
the evening beneath an aged oak-ther
sacred trystng place, but il poured down
so as 10 prevent her, and oh, how much
more saddcning was this All night--a
sleepless night 10 her-it was splash splash,
upon the saturated earth. and the rivers
roar--for two days and nights of rain had
| swellcd II to mimic torrcnt--soundcd like
! the knell of dcsolation. She awoke and
/ looked abroad when day ligh, dawned upon
| her sleepless eyes. All nature seemed re-
solved into wetness- and still, the third day.
| il was raining hard as ever. Again no pu-
pils-again drcary, drcary day--and no
cessation TO the storm. But, towards night,
it cleared away; the sun broke forth, the
atmosphere became sultry as in midsummer,
and the drops glistoned like pearls upon the
trees. The birds had begun to assemble
from their more southcrly soIourn during
The cold weather, sang gally on the branch
cs, and all was life and light again. The
change in natures aspect infused kindred
influence into Mary's BOSOM and she began
TO hope once more. But about midnight.
after the strange sutriness had become OPP
prcssivc, distant thunder rolled sluggishly
on the ear, giving warning of second
change. Soon rising breeze whispered
through the trees, increasing every moment
until II blew shrill whistle as it careered
round the corner of the house, and dashed
the branches against each other until they
crcaked and grated in the harsh collision.
1t died away for moment, and nature was
hushed in unbroken and awful rcpose, as
though-for it was growing blacker and
blackcr with the dense clouds--shc was
drawing IA long breath to prepare for ter
rlble conflict Then the sharp lightning
flash, followed almost instantly by a crash
of thunder that made the hills tremble TO
their foundations, started the sleepcrs from
their bewildered beds, with dazzled eyes
and anon, all at once, torrents poured down
from the black sky, oyerpowerng, in the
sound of their contact with the earth, the
very roar of the stream. There was but that
one peal OF thundcr-yet, until nearly sun
rise, there was no pause in the rain fall
The sun, however, rose III majesty in an al
most clear sky, and man felt that his beams
would gladden. him through the day.
There had been three days and two nights
Of storm-and, finally, this last hali-night's
torrent. 1t was strange iorgctiuness in
some Of Mary's patrons to send their chill
dren to school that day, for single though,
would have been sufficient 20 convince them
that when time had elapsed after this flood
ing for the surchargcd nils and rivulets t.
pour their contents into the larger streams
fearful freshets were TO be apprehended.--
1t was strange, too, that Charles did no
dream that the pride of his heart might be
in Danger Apathy seemed to have fallen
D
or five lutte girls who went skipping dowr
the hill to the bridge, few minutes before
! the hour Of asscmblage IN the schooI-room
l to drop sticks into the water, as they hat
been accustomed, and scream with deligh
as they were borne along dashing agains
the stones IN their course. But now, whei
D they reached the bridge, thrill Of awe
5 stole through their hearts, and they stoo,
[ molionless and almost breatbess with lh'
3 sticks IN their hands that they had gathered
I high up the bank, as they gazed on the I'M
usual aspect Of the stream. 1t poured owe
4 the dam IN fierce and muddy cataract
, kissing and boiling, and being compressed
T. into a narrower compass, by the Juttinl
I rocks on which the bridge rested, IL ioameo
- against them, Impartng IN IFS gigantic i'm
d pctus, a trembling both 10 the bridge an'
= It's foundations. Now and then huge log
a came dancing madiy over the dam and
j. striking upon one end on the ledge beneath
F, leaped up into the AIR and plunged IN again
= One, OF more elastic fibre than the rest
. I struck tho bridge IN lis fall while the Girl