Madison Whig advocate. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1839-1841, 1839-06-08

stance by the contact of the rose.) thai
influence must be strong indeed on the
soul of feeling. The breath of a cor.
rupt world NAV dim the native gems Of
the heart, but let the language of pure
and elevated sentiment be heard and the
chords Of responsive feeling will at once
awaken like the sleeping tones of a harp
atuned by the winds of heaven. For a
time the pageantry Of the world lost Its
power on the mind of the gay Courtney
and the haunts of pleasure were forgot
ten. He shuddered as he contrasted the
'elegancies that surrounded him with the
destitution he had Witnessed. The straw
pallet Of age and infrmity-the scanty
fuel-the precarious supply-the picture
memory drew, seemed even vet more
vivid than the reality.
The following day Mr.. Courtney had
left the city, but blank cover enclosing
two hundred dollars, had been placed bv
an unknown hand in that of the old sol
dier.-1ears passed away, and the glow
Of unearthIy pleasure that the traveller
then experienced was gradually forgot
ten. The Establishments of pleasure
resumed their wan.ed inf1uence-her
glittering wave again hurled him onward
without the power of reflection; and if
a momentary wish had led him to en-
quire the further fate of Alvah Hamil-
ton, the bright phantasma that surround
ed him, diverted his purpose. Death
had deprived him of an amiable wife
whose influence might have won him
from the sphere of illusion, and his only
child, early accustomed to the rounds of
fashionable pursuits thought not of Oppos-
ing them. The exalted sentiments, how
ever, which even in childhood she had
Imbibed from her mother, preserved her
from their communicating influence; and
amid the blghts of a gay world, the pu-
rlty of her character remained stainless
as the SHOWS Of the unapproached cliff
Gentle as the reed of summer, she yield
ed to the impulse of those with whom
her lot was cast; but her mind, support
ed by high and frequent communion With
the memory Of her sainted parent, es
capped the thraldom which habit might
otherwise have secured.
At the age of fifteen, Isabel accom-
panied an invalid friend to the medical
springs of Ballston. This village, at
that time, was place of fashionable re-
sort, and to a mind like that of Isabel
Courtney's afforded themes of limitIess
reflection. The buoyancy of health
was here contrasted with the languor of
hectic of death with the
laugh Of reveIry-palpabe images of
mingled with the votarics of
listless who strove to an
initiate time, and the dying, who sought
10 add few days to those they had now
to number. Soon after the arrival of
Isabel, she was one day struck, on enter
ug the common sitting room, by the APP
pcarance of an old man, who sat alone
and apparently unnoticed. His sightIess
eyes, his palsied limbs, and the white
locks that were thinlv scattered over pal
I'D temples, all at once riveted her atten-
ton. Her heart throbbed with pity, but
reverence mingled with compassion as
she marked the settled and placid ex-
preston of his ccuntenance. At no |
great distance a group Of ladies were in
lulging in bursts of levitv that at this |
moment struck most discordantIy on her |
EAR. She felt that the presence Of IN /
ortunate age should at least inspire res |
,ect; and involuntarily approached the !
lnheeded old man, she was half rcsolv- |
d to address him. Her natural timidi- |
V, however. still withheld her, till at |
ength she was called by one Of the hoy
len group to partake Of some strawber-
les. The irresolute expression of her
at once changed to that of
leasure. II will beg some," she said
nhesilatingly presenting her work bas-
ct, '.for this old gentleman ?''-and she
ow approached him without embarrass-
lent-''Wil you accept some strawber
les. sir?'' The voice of Isabel was
Ike the low, dying notes of an instru-
lent; it touched every chord of the
oul The old man received them with
smile, that spoke a benediction; lille
n elegant, though youthful stranger,
ack towards them, suddenly turned
ound and fixed his eyes on the blushing /
irl with mingled admiration and sur {
rise. She Immediately rose and joined I
lie group she had hitherto Stunned, and 5
lingled in their trifling. Soon after the :
outh himself approached with basket. {
resenting it with a look of indiscriba- q
lie import he said, accept, Miss the
ranks and blessings of age for your {
slicate attention" He then disappear {
/. In a short time he returned and ad
-essed the old man IN a tone Of respect '
I'd tenderness. Il have at length found a
ore quiet lodgings, sir, and will attend a
ou whenever you feel able TO walk" c
he old man rose and leaning on the /
m of the youth, left the apartment. t
They are then to be temporary solourn- n
5 in the village" thought Isabel; and .
sensation of pleasure, of which per- f;
Fps she was unconscious, arose from Fl
e idea OF again meeting them. She p
as not disappointed. They met the B
xt morning at the spring-and again Il
d again met Who shall describe the 81
ngling of kindred spirits? Who shall e
ice the intricate and delicate sources re
that mysterious passion which at d.
lgth sweeps like a torrent over the a:
man soul? Scarcely a word had pas N
1 between the youthful strangers b