Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-06-19

tell me of something far, far away
"Wcll, well, dear /; it is only to amusc
you. 1t shall not be of this room, nor of this
house, nor even of this country (; will that
please you :"
Lucy gave a slight inclination of the head,
and again fixed her eyes steadily on the bright
and sparkling fire; meantime the old woman
took a deep draught from the tankard, dis
posed herself comfortably in her seat, and
began her story, in that harsh and Kissing
voice which rivcts the hearing wherein it
CRATES.
"Many-many years ago, there was a fair
pcasant-so fair, that from her childhood all
her friends propllcsicd it could lead to no
good. When she came to sixteen, the Count
Ludolf thought it was a pity such a beauty |
should be wasted, and therefore took possess
sion of it:-bcttcrt that the lovely should pine
in a castle than flourish in a cottage. Her
mother died brokcn-hcartcd; and her father
left the ncighborhood, with a curse on this
disobcdient girl who had brought dcsolation
to his hearth and shame to his old age. 1t
needs little to tell that such Il passion grew
cold-it were a long tale that accounted for
the fancics of a young, rich, and reckless
IdNullCI, ulu, ultCI all, AOthHS CllohSSo 81
soon as love-"
Glove ~ murmured Lucy, in a low voice,
as if unconscious of the interruption; Glove,
Which is our fate, like fate must be immu-
table. How can the heart forget its young
religion? 7"
"Many," pursued the sybyl, "can forget,
and do and will forget. As for the count,
his heart was cruel with prosperity and sell
fish with good fortune; he had never kno WI
sickness, which %soitens; sorrow, which brings
all to its W levcl-proverty, which, how
ever it may at last harden the heart, at first
teaches us our l,elplessncss. What was it to
him that Bertha had left he home which could
never receive her again? What, that for his
sake she had submitted to the appearance of
disgrace that was not in reality hcrs-ior the
peasant girl was as proud as the count; and
f when she stepped over her fathers threshold,
it was as his wife.
, "Wcll, well, he wearicd, as men ever
weary of woman's complaining, however
bitter may be the injury which has wrung re-
proach from the unwilling lip. Many "A sad
hour did she spend weeping in the lonely
tower, which had once seemed to her like a
palace-for then the radiance of love was
around il-and love, fo%rsooth, is something
. like fairies in our own land for a time
il can make all that is lasc and worthless
4 seem most glittcrlng and precious. Once,
every night brought the ringing horn and
i eager step of the noble hunter now til.
| nights passed away too often in dcary and I'm
broken splcndor. Yet the shining steel o
= the shield in the hall, and the fair current .
= ,I,o ,,,,,t,;, e,,;,,u .1,,u,I l,r tI.t La.
face was lovely as ever.
"Onc evening he came to visit her, nnt
his manner was soft and his voice was low
I as in the days of old. sAlas oflatc she Ina,
been accustomed to the unkind look and tn,
u harsh word.
".It is a lovely twilight, my BERTHA sait
- he; 'hclp me to our little bark, ant
and we will sail down the river
"Wilh a light step and yet lighter heart
-" she descended the rocky stairs, and reached
the boat before her companion. The whit
sail was soon spread, they sprang in; an
= the slight vessel went rapidly through tn
stream. AT first the waves were crimson, a
if freightcd with rubies, the last love gift @
the dying sun, Cor they were sailing on di
rcct. to the west, which was one flush, Xix
~ a sea of blushing wine. Gradually the tint
- became paler; shades of softpink just tlngc
"a the far-ol' clouds, and delicate lilach fe
= on the waters. A star or two shonc pur
- and bright in the sky, and the only shadow
. were flung by a few wild rose trees tn;
sprang from the clefts of the rocks. BY dc
=, d grccs the dropping flowers disappeared ; til
r stream grew narrower, and the sky bccam
- darker; a few soft clouds soon gathered int
> a storm; but Bertha needed them not 81
IL was too earnestly engaged in cntreating he
'o husband that he would acknowledge the
a. secret marriage. She spoke Of the drear
~ solitude to which she was condemncd; of he
~ wasted youth, worn by the fever of contir
iio ual anxiety. Suddenly she stopped in fca
it was so gloomy around ; the steep banl
nearly closed overhead, and the boughs
+, the old pines which stood in the tempcst-cle
:" hoilows, met in the air, and cast a darknc
~, i. like that of night upon the rapid water
it, which hurried on as if they distrusted the
=, gloomy passage.
~ "At this moment, Bertha's eye caught Il
~ CHASTITY palencss of her husband face, terri
~ bly, distinct: she thought that he feared Il
VI rou ghtorrent, and for her sake tender
~" =" she leaned towards him-his arm graspe
~ her waist, but not in love: he seized II
"' wretchcd girl and flung her overheard, wi
No the very name of God upon her lips, and al
w. w. pealing, too, for his sake Twice her brig
,o head-Bcrtha had ever gloried in her sum
ne which now fell in wild profusion
w. her shoulders-twicc did it emerge from Il
~ wave her faint hands were spread abro;
Of for help he shrunk from the last glare of h
II, dcspairing eyes then a low moan ; a fe
~ bubbles of foam rose on the stream; and
was still-but it was the stiffness of deaf
An instant after, the thunder burst abov
bo the peal reverberated from cliff to cliff, Il
lightning clavc the black depths of the strcal
:. the pillows rose in tumulluous cddies; b
Count Lundolf's boat CIT its way thong
'a and the vessel arrived at the open river.
No trace was there of the storm the dew
wildlowcrs filled the air with their fra
rance (; and the moon shonc over them pu
and clear, as if she had no sympathy wi
S Sn human sorrow, and shuddered not