Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1839-04-04


and, so Gar as her own knowledge Of il went.
lis inhabitants were nll as guilclcss ms angels.
Il The youth recovered and prepared IA de-
part, bu, during the intimacy that had been
established ~ The short period ui his con
H hnement ai The pnrsouagc. Love had planted
one of his sharpesi darts in Louisa's bosom !;
whit prcdomiDated in the breast of the youth.
l,he sequel Of this narrative will disclose.
II Some twelve months after the period ai
which the above occurrence took place,
was induced 10 visit my worthy friend, the
Rev. Mr.. Mayson, aud II so chanced, that
arrived at his parsonage at most remarkable
epoch in the good mans life. ] stood on
such terms of intimacy with my friend as to
render ceremony unnecessary, and, therefore,
finding the outward porch door open. al,
once entered the place, and proceeded, m.
ushercd, iuto the good mans little study, but
not finding him there, proceeded to several
other apartments in the house, all of which
we're vacant, and found, ON closer lnvcsiiga
tioD, that the house was altogether tenantess,
though there were many things indicated the
late occupants had but very recently quilted
the place.
Il had taken my station at the dining groom
window, and was deeply abstrac,ed III pain
full iii Of musiDg on what could have caused
the family to quit the house, when my atcn-
ton was drawn to group Of people advanc-
ing towards the parsonage, in as solemn u
inanner as though they formed funeral pro-
cessioD. In the midst Of the crowd per-
ceived my reverend friend, borne in the arms
Of his servants and parshioners, who carried
him to his study and carefully seated him in
his arm chair. perceived that the good old
man was in n grevious state of deep distress,
and soon gathered from one Of the crowd,
that Miss Mayson had eloped with the youth,
who when wounded, had been so Hospitality
received, and kindly treated during his so
| jourD at the parsonage. ! afterwards learnt
that Miss Mayson had been invcgled from,
home under bascly decep,ious promise OF
marriage. Poor Louisa thine was indeed o
sad fall, from the highest pinnacle Of peace,
innocence and happiness, to the lowest depth
OF sorrow, sin, and shame.
Il Ii is unnecessary to continue description
OF the shameful scenes tlat occurred on this
occasion at the parsonage, or TO proceed on
other matters connected with this narrative,
step by step with time, but ovcrtake him
some two years after Louisa's elopcncnt.
II At the last mentioned period the Rev. Mr..
Mayson visited Liverpool-but how changed
his sbrunken body, and melancholy mind
showed that he had become mere wreck OF
the happy man had known in former times.
/ When the business which called Mr.. May
son to Liverpool was completed, accom-
| panied him towards the bank Of the river
| Mersey, where he intended to embark for
| Cheshire but rs we were proceeding along
the south side Of the Old Dock. my reverend
| friend was accosteG by an aged female, who
urged him for the love Of Heaven! it he was
n clergyman, to accompany her to house
fo G.. bo las ,f
| to the living, to poor dying, penitent, sinful
creature, who lay most earnestly imploring
| to have her last moments cheered with spir-
| itual aid.
Il The house 10 which the old woman pointed
was in Bridge street, but no fastdious scru-
| pies would deter my worthy friend from the
performance Of his duty 10 sick, or dying
mortals. He therefore promptly obeyed the
old woman's call by following her to a mean
dwelling, on entering which, we were led by
our ancient guide until we reached wretch
ed apartment, the vertable abode of squalid
poverty and disease. The chamber we had
entered was without table, chair, or bed, bu,
in remote gloomy corner Of the place, there
was spread truss Of straw, over which some
ragged female garments were strewcd, whilst
a tattered sheet las an apology for a curtain)
screened the lights glare from some poor
distressed creature, whose presence was be-
tokcned only by deep, low, and hollow means,
for the sufferers body was buried in straw,
and the visage hid from sight, by coarse
rug, or covering-a blanket Of the foulcs;
description. Never shall ] ou,!ivc the re.
/ membrance Of that wretchcd scene of want,
woe, misery and disease
/ Thus far not a word had been uttered BY
any one Of the party in the apartment, but AT
length the old woman who had brought US
to the place said. 'rhere sho is sir, lying in
her last gasp. q pray for her salvation, sir,
and may Heaven reward your labor Then
pointing to the bed Of straw, she continued,
'Kneel down by her, sir, and speak comfort
to her in her last hour Thus called on, nv
worthy friend made the needful preparations
to enter on his spiritual duties, but the old
woman hastily left us. Alas! fear her soul
was too much scared by sin, to permit it to
have any yearnngs to join us in prayer.
II We knclt and there was that in the scene
which would have also brought the sneering
! sccptic, and the most hardened sinner to n
\ supplinnt posture.
Il My pious friend ever so prcparcd-drew
/ from his pocket The book Of Common Prayer.
and turned for the service To the sick. Bv
this time the loud moans Of the afflicted one
had ceased, but her breathing continued
quick and gutteral, and she attempted to ut.
ter some sounds which l interpreted into
thanks, at having been INDUCED by Heaven
sending her holy minister Of the church to
| give her the last consultations Of religion.
II The good old man began to read, but had
no sooner pronounced, Peace be to this
house and all that dwell therein'-whcn o
feariully wild, and appalling shrek, burs,
| from the lips Of the sick woman, but when
that shrill and hcartrcnding sound subsidized,
all became again as silent as death; the gut
teral gaspngs Of the breath had ceased, the
rustic of feather might have been heard
the silence Of the sepulchre prevailed, or
rather was exceeded for the incessont crnwl.
ing Of the maggots, to and from their feasts,
disturbs the reign Of silence in the tomb
When the transient shuddcr, with which The
sufferers shrek had shaken our frames, had
passed away ] raised the homely covering.
and beheld sad object Of departed beauty {:
| saw Deaths effigy strikingly impressed on
the features Of a young and, but too evident.
Ily, once lovely female.
II made sign to my old friend to announce
that Death had relieved the sufferer from her
worldly woes, but with tho movement Of my
arms, the temporary curtain was thrown to
the ground, leaving q strong CLEAN Of ligh,
TO fall on the livid features Of the corpse, and