Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1839-06-29
THE EARLY DEAD.

and foe ambition IS sti.ed genius has lost .ls
sway; beauty has passed 20 nothihgness he earth
IS no longer their abiding place, or they have out
SCARED iis clouds, and We remain awhile 10 mourn
over their tomhs and 20 emhalm lier memory 10
the purcst sanctuary of the heart THIS is tie 6t
place Tor contemplation. Let those who have seen,
The bark so richy freighted with their love"
sink slowly beneath the waye-et those who have
seen the SICK bed changed to the death bier, and
followed the last one 10 tie silent mansions Of the
departed, 20 there ana mediate. ], is there that
the dim hosts Of Hope and Joy aud Love raise up
at tie same bidding Of memory, i Is there that the
slrckened heart goes down into the swee, hours Of
the past. and the beings who lent a sunlight 10 our
youth, the love that had fallen upon our hearts tie
dew from the bright urn Of heaven, the smiles that
frightened the solitary paths OF manhood, come
back from tie land Of dreams, reopen the ivory
pat of life and hold ont 10 tie garden Of earth
the anticipation OF an eternity of happiness aud
peace
During the summer thaLhas just passed, visited
a sohooluate residing some twenty miles in the
country. A few days after my arrival, ! sroied
out INTO the woods was a clear summers eve
ning The last rays Of the setting shone upon
the calm and wayeless waters OF small stream that
dashed through the thick woods, AID wandered on
through one Of the ovefest landscapes that ever
met the eye Of man. BY The side IT the stream |
walked until the shades of night were gathering
over the earth, aud about 10 return, when
came 10 sight of a cottage strange place Tor SO
neat dwelling, thought Il was situated on
gentle rise Of ground, and clustering around is door
and windows, were many vines md bushes, the ho-
ney .sucklc, sweet brar, hlach. ard labmnam Ev-
ery thing around il bespoke r,st AMI Happiness.
| Near The door was a rustic bendh, on which were
seated an aged couple; and young and very beau
fu girl, completed in this seenethe very poetry Of
| cottage life.
| Full of many pleasant thoughul returned 10 my
| present home aud that night attended a little par
| " with my friend We had scarcely entered the
| room before recognised IN one # the dancers the
| beautiful cottage g,r whom hao seen in my ram
| Bile | was soon introduced to Ter. She seemed
abou' seventeen and never had Ibehed such ias-
cinatinp beauty Hers was indeed countenance
TOO i1ir to worship too divine to love"
The blood could almost be seen cursng beneath
her cheeks. Her dark ustrous EYES seemed the
home of some mlachevous fairy andevery glance
wave of it's magic wanl Her hair clustered IN nat.
ural ringels around forehead like ivory, and was
entwincd with the summers ialrest flowers. Her
voice was like the glad gay notes of bird singing
merrily from the evening SKIES and she moved IN
the dance she seemed a wandering Pen, which the
sptl.bo md gazer expected every moment II float
away to its paradise. Have you seen a butterfly
waving its wings against the lbreeze Have you
seen rose leaf ere the lip Of morn had kissed way
its sparkling dew Have you seen the feet ante
upe wildly bounding over ITS native hills She
was lighter, iiesher, wilder than them ALL The
hours winged by and | was still listening 10 the full
rich VOICE. the sweet words, ami the touching scnt
men,s Of my fair companion. Her mind was
spring oil crystal waters; aud her thoughts were
hike the element which, borne above the sarth, par
-. r.
something 80 rare and beautiful in them, that long
after she had erased and her voice had been hushed
forever, they thrilled upon my heart like the re-
membered tones Of a mute Tyre"
called at the cottage next morning, but could
not see her as she was confined with slight cold
Day after day | called, and she had not recovered
The sixth day came, AMI again walked towards
the house. As iapP'0uv''ed = '@s rhye,ean whom
had seen in attendance, passed out, aud could see
that his face was stained with tears. The aged
mother stood in the door, and the traces of tears
were also visible on her wllhered cheek inquired
after tho daughter, and wlthouta word she led me
into the sick chamber. With a gentle hand she
drew the curtain of the bed aside and | bched the
bright Girl whom lad met but few days before IN
the flush of health, bu. OH how wasted The
voice with which she welcomed me was faint and in
distinct; her eyes were dull her cheek was pale
and hollow, and moist with death dews 1t was
fearful aud alckenlng syht lay succeeded day
until another week had gone, AMI was often at her
side. At length, all hope of recovery passed away.
shall never forget her appearance when this was
told her The recollection of that despalrng hook
is forever treasured in memory. In short time,
however she spoke Of death calmly. :" | know that
am DYING she said one evening, "hu, am pre-
pared. | feel my breath growing fainter, and |
must say that mine is not bitter fate Perhaps my
life would be long fellowship Of pain aud sorrow,
TO which the grave Is preferable Yet cannot die
wi,houta murmur. The valley where have so Of
ten wandered, the tree under whose branches have
sat, the flowers that have tended, the stars that
have watched, the mother that have loved the
father whose eye has Frightened n my approach,
and il is bitter thing 10 part with them, and To bid
adeu to oil love IN EARTH and sink into the grave
with none to gladden. me but il must be So"
The next day was the Sabbath. arrived at the
cottage early The stars had faded one by one
from the sky, and the sun lust rising over the
dun aud distant mountains. The dew covered scythc
lay untouched on the grass the hboIing bee had
not yet len IT'S golden hive. All was silent not
breath stirred the slumberng leaves, or the droop.
ing flowers. The old forest and the rushing stream
were
"Quict as nun,
BreaihIess with alteration"
stole softly into the roam, There lay the cottage
girl with her head hurled in the pillow, and her hair
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