Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1840-03-24
From the New York Mirror.
TIE TUREE BRIDES

"Do you see" said the sexton "thoso ,hreo
hillocks yonder, side by sidei There sleep
the three brides whose history | am abou, to
relate. Look there, sir, on yonder hill YOU
may observe a little isolated house with stray
Cling fence in front, and a few siunicd ap.
p%le-trees on the ascent behind tit is sadly
out OF repair now, and the garden is all over
grown with weeds and brlmbles, and the
whole place hasa desolato appearance. II
the wind was high now, you might hear the
old crazy shutters Tapping against the sides,
and the wind tearing the gray shingles Off the
roof. Many years ago, there lived in that
house an old man and his son, who cultivated
the few acres of arabic land which belong to
IT.
"The father was a selftauQht man, deeply
verscd IN the mysteries Of science, and, as ho
could tell the name Of every flower that bios
somcd ia the wood and grew in the garden,
and used TO sit up late Of nights at his books,
OF reading the mystic story Of the starry heav-
ems, men thought he was crlzed OF bewiehed,
and avoided him and even hated him, as the
ignorant ever shun the gifted and enlightened.
\ few there was, and among others the minis
ter and lawyer aud physician oftbe place, who
showed some willingness TO afford him coun-
tenance; but they soon dropped his acqnain-
lance, for they found the old man somewhat
reserved and morse, and, moreover, their van
ity was wounded by discovering the extent Of
| his knowledge.
To the minisier lie would quote the Fathers
and Scriptures in the original tongue, and
! showed himself well armed with the weapons
Of polemical controversy. lie astonished
the lawyer with his profound acquaintance
with Jurisprudence, and the physician was sur
prised at tho extent Of his medical knowledge.
So they all deserted him and the minister
from whom the old man differed in some iti-
fling points Of doctrine, spoke very slighting-
ly of him, aud by and by all looked upon tho
self-educaied farmer with eyes Of aversion.
But he little cared for that, for he derived his
consolation from loiiier resource, and in tho
untTacsed paths Of science found a pleasure
as in the painless woods lie instructed his
son in all his lofe-iLc languages, literature,
history, philosophy, science, were unfoldcd
one by one, 10 the enthusiastic son u the SOL
iiary. Years rolled away and the Nd man
died. lie died when a storm coDyulsed tho
face Of nature, when the wind boslei around
his shattered dwelling and the lightning
played above the roof and though he went -
heaven IN faith and purity, the vulgar ihnGgiG
and SAID that the Evil One had claimed hi,
own IN the thunder and commoii0n Of the Gle
ments. ] cannO, paint the grief Of he son
at his bereavement. lie vas FOR d time az
one distracted. ILe minister came and nut
tered a few cold and hollow phrases IN his
ear. and a few BeighbOTs, impclled by cum
osiiy 10 see the interior ofihe old mans Dwell
ing, came 70 the funeral. Nnh a proud ann
lofty look the son stood above the dust and
iLcdead IN the midst Of the band Of bypocni-
zeal mourners, with a pang AZ Ills heart. bat a
serenity on hts brow. lie thanked his friends
for their kiBdncs, acknowledged Their courtesy.
aad then strobe away from the grave 10 bury
bis grief 10 the priyacy Of hs deserted
dwelling.
"Iic found, at first, ihs solitude Of tho man
sion almost i~nsuppOnable, and he paced tho
echoing hoors from moruI1g oil night, IN all
the agony u ~ and desolsuOn, ydniy i'm
plorng heaven lgr relief IL caue 10 him
hs.i ~ tie guiss ofpoe,ic Inspiration Hs