Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1839-11-22
PHOENIX.
TERMS OF ADvERTIsINc.
THE DEAD RABIES.
by cHAs. HOLDEN.
FOUNDED ON FACT.

had not yet broken from the chambers OF
the east. All nature sumbered with a
stiffness as profound as that which follows
in the train Of death. No sound fell upon
my ear from all the wide and moiionless
world around me, save the heavy beat Of
the surge.as hrolled ia and spent its surge
upon .Jordan's point" near which stood
l had anxiousfy watched for the break
ing Of day A supersttious feeling had
come over me; in the gravelike Stiffness,
around. il seemed as though the earth
was unpeopled--lhat in all its vast and beau
iful expanse, was The last man." i'm
nginedth the funeral Of the world was at hand;
and as these superstitious feelings grew
more vivid. and assumed more power over
me, I thought recognized in the heavy
roll ofthe sea. ms it came tumbling in aud
broke upon the lodges of lesser Island. so.
Tenn aud most appropriate requiem for its
burial. The association was beyond de-
.scription sublime md grand; and were it
no, for the fear that possessed me. i could
have revelled in scene SO sombre, and yet
so eloquent.
II was with emotions Of real joy-such as
they only know who have felt the fesr Of un.
defnabIe danger suddenly removed BY the
appearance of friends and the assurances of
safety. that l discovered even the Pickering
of dim light, from the window of house
near the point" The curtain was thrown
partly aside. so that il would seem that the
first glimmerings of daylight might be obyi-
Gus to the sleepers who reposed within My
mind was yet in perturbed state; and al
though a solitary light in the midst Of uni
,versal gloom. had in some measure soothed
me. was still prone to magnify oil Isaw or
heard INTO cause for alarm. or as the conse-
quence of danger. could not imagine why
that feeble light was left burning within that
chamber there was perhaps no real cause for
surprise at this. II was no uncommon &C.
currence, that the feeble and uncertain rays
OF night lamp should be seen in different d.
rections during the darkness of night And
yet could not shake off the impression
which had fastened upon me. that this light
was ominous of sickness, danger. and per-
haps Of DEATH Might it not be burning by
the couch of a sick husband and did it not
reflect the pale and careworn visage OF some
fond wife, as she patiently watched beside
him7 Peradventure nature had become ex-
haus'ed by her solitary nursing. and she had
sunk into deep seep-and he whom she
loved and nursed, might even be in his last
agony The startling and appalling thought
had hardly passed my mind when was hur-
rying forward to assist the dying man -
There may be no sickness there, said men,
tally, as slackened my pace and why
should intrude upon the privacy ofthe fam
lily upon vague supposition of danger2
turned to proceed homeward; yet an extra
ordinary anxiety still haunted me- turn
ed again towards the window the light was
obscured bysome opaque body. In mo.
ment il again shone clearly; an inmate OF
the chamber had passed between il and he
window ;,he proportions of the form were
SO slender and graceful, that knew il was a
female whom had seen. The actions were
those Of female who watches at the beside
ofthe sick. when she has cause 10 move
abont. Every step was taken with precau.
ton. The yeryalttude OF the body was that
which would produce the least possible
noise.
i WAS in a measure satisfied. There was
sickness in that chamber. But who was the
sufferera Was il an adult that was wasting
away under some mortal disease2 or was Il
an infant2 The female that saw was a
mother. There was that in her manner
even by which one who was an observer Of
the manifestations of affection, could have
said, that woman has pressed her child 10
her BOSOM Were her yigils held over a
husband or child2 II oyer husband.
might she not be alone. excepting him that
was sick. and her babes7 And might be
not have grown suddenly worse, while no
one was near him 70 call for assistance, save
her who feared to leave him alone Ought
not to offer my assistance to procure medi.
cal add Every day charity seemed TO dc
tate that should. Still undecided what to
do, Icrossed the narrow street and drew
near,o the house Then for the 6rst time,
discovered thatthe windowof the chamber