The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1840-01-15


Except, bro,hcrl"
ado YOU know this 7" ke inquired hurried
ly, drawing braid from his bosom.
Catharne paled as she TOOK IL; she conipar-
ed il with her curls. aud looked beseec echingiy
AT her brother,
Walter sent it TO you, With his last blcs-
sing"
"Il is NINE" shrieked the agonzsd lady.
" and my poor cousin is dead--dsad" ~
Her low aud p,elsne holy sobs were cxqnisiie-
" touching; the weeping Agnes shielded her
on her bosom, and Barman, agi,atsd almost be-
yond words, took his sisters passive hand.
mo, uo--not dead MY own dear sister lis
4 ten, and will tell you all was captive at
sea. in British vessel-ons terrible night. in
the fury Of ap appalling storm, we were startled
by the bursts Of cannon aud the shout OF battle.
Shortly came the rattle of musqustfy, and the
furious trampling Of fighting men but louder
than all was The war-cry Of my coun,ry's name.
For more than an hour, the angry battle ragged.
till there burst a dcafening hurrah Of victory.
and all was sileut. We were free, and Walter
De Beuian was among the copqneron."
Then be is alive Oh, where is he ~
ave parted in \ foreign port, two years a
90. | would have sacrificed my commission 10
induce him 10 return; but he shook his head,
and told me the Sta-Gull was his home"
THE ea-Gull then he is gone forever -
slowly repeated Catharne, in the hollow tones
of despair, while the fast and burning tears we're
streaming over her cheeks. She remembered
TO have read a mysterious account Of the Sea
Gulrs last fight.
"And he never spoke nnkindly Of mo T. in
quired the hearts,rickcn lady, with a strong at.
tempt at composure.
| She listened with intense distress while Har-
man related their parting interview, and De
! Beuians's last. touching message.
Then he always loved ms--wtonged and
devoted Walter That sad last prayer has
gone up, and he knows how bitterly ! repent
and love him My kind brother, and you,
sweet Agnes. desrer far than a sister. cheer me
no more with false bopes--sesk not TO win me
from my lone communion with the memory ol
the dead | am calm now and for ever :"
And there vas something so inelapchoI yet
I bcseechinc, in the cannc.s that henc cisnh set
! tied over her lonely hours, that is spell was So.
cred
Months crcpt on. and the world. slumbering
from the fatigue Of it's mig h,isst struggle, vas
shaken from its monentaty rest by the stirring
blast of war. The thunders Of Waterloo peal
ed from pole TO pole. and died away in ths echs
fthe sra. The world was ,asiu sf pe zcsi an.
what kept tho wanderer away There wa
now no strife TO gather those Of burGsned ant
joyless lie, yet still he came not. Herman. a
length. desparcd and the namo Of Waller ID
Berrian was heard only in whispers in the hon,
' Of his childhood.
And autumn came--ihe queenly Cleopair
Of the seasons dying in her robe aud crown.
, WAS the time of pensive raipbes and lionel
thought, when n story is written on every les
aud a warning tongue whispers In every brocss
I IL was one of those sad poetic evenings in tn
fodian summer that HNrman and his bride ha
driven out, ahen Caiharinc took y stroll 10 III
grove on the slope Of the bay. She saf on tn
rustic bench so sacred 10 melancholy thought
for Walter assisted 10 bniId IL. IL was shaded
bv bower Of vines. and sheltered from storm
and sun by an ample oak, above, while the cool
smooth beach swept at its foot, so that the waves
Of the high tide, sometimes washed the ripe
blue grapes that clustered on the lowest bough
The bay Was beautifully Ir2hauil, and the hand
some oak that spread above saw itself IN the
tide, and dropped gentle leai TO WOO IFS shad
ow. The fra messenger drilled TO Cabarine'i
! feet, and was stranded on the sand " Emblem
of my hopes" thought the lady. STOPPING te
titk IL up willie her long hair fell from heI
shoulders al nd hung over her cheeks in raven vol
umes, giving 10 her face The sofiest light OF eve
Caiharine might have well been pardoned fo
= ihs, long and involuntary gaze. as she caugh
her image in the water. A flash Of womanl,
pride was besming in her eye, aud the soul-eb
trsncipe iriumphs Of that mstchless beauty wer'
sweeping IN brilliant array before her Sb'
was again whirling through tie dance on he
birth light ball, the unque.iioDsd queen OF thu
fair; and then came that solitary midnight rev
erie. when the jewellers were bushed IN sleep.
Yes deserve 10 be unhappy" she said
4 and. twiniDg hand III her mourning tresses
she gazed on the tinted sky a. some cxiled an
gel awaiting a summons 10 her home.
But who was that hall minstrel. half brggar
T looking iiinerant, that watched her with the
eyes OF lynx Dressed in a foreign yagrab
+ costume, a dusty, burnt mendIcaut. with
heavy mougscbts. long brownish curs. and Al
old guitar. stood, half hid by the nearest tree
gazing with Wild aud half sffrigbied air at tn,
unconscious Cstbsrint. lie stole nearer, anc
falttred. lie advanced again--his feet was on
the ssnd-and he raised an unsteady hand "a
! the strings Of the guifar-hs arm was sfiIIed al
by the wand of an unseen spirn for Caihsfibs
had begun 10 wsrble hall-forgoi,en air Of hei
girhood. IL was n song Of dreaming. meIzn.
choly meaning, and she had often sung il ID
Walters presence for the mute flatiery OF his
looks. Her voice, so low at first and exquisite.
/ ly sweet, seemed to noat and melt ia mystery,
j as n 10 puzzs the llste0er TO find its On2ID.--
I Concealed as the songsiness ~asby bouglis and
vines, one might have fsDcied IL the lament si
some lone hearted mermaid. who had stolen
from the dark blue sea to die. The song rose
by soft degrees like the tides murmer in sea-
shells, tiii u s~elled to the richest volume oi
melody. The minstrel stood for moment IN
the attitude Of a spsll-bouod listener As II
suddenly reeoIleeiing himself, he lightly step
! ped to his tree, brushed mass Of dusty cuhs
over his features. drew down his slouched hat
and Iiseued eagerly again. Never had Caiha-
rioe sung div,Deiy, even IN the widest rap
ius Of delicious eoquety. Nov. all the poet
ry Of early aod blightcd love. Of youth robbed
Of rs sunny charm, and memory hal ny
joys that we're. seemed bresihing IN her tones
Of passion aud when the last siew note slept
10 the paihos Of sound. the songstrea bowed
her Noble head and wep,.
ii Che .tax.ad nlv mimi a. cncl fro rt