Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-03-27

30 tncy all deserted MIN, ana the minister
from whom the old man differed in some
trihing points of doctrine, spoke very
%slightingly ofhim (; and by and by all
looked upon the clf-educatcd farmer
with eyes of aversion. But he little cared
for that, for derived his consolation from
loftier resources, and in the untracked
paths of science found a pleasure as in
the painless woods! He instructed his
son in all his lorc-thc languages, Htcra-
ture, history, philosophy, science, were
unfolded n by one, to the enthusiastic
son of the solitary. Years rolled away
the old man died. He died when a storm
convulscd the face of nature, when the
wind howlcd around his shattered dwell
ling and the lightning played above the
roof; and though he went to heaven in
faith and purity, the vulgar thought and
said that the Evil One had claimed his
own in the thunder and commotion of the
elements. l cannot paint to you the
grief of the son at his bereavement. He
was for a time as one distracted. The
minister came and muttered a few cold
and hollow phrases in his ear, and a few
%neighbors, impclled by curiosity to see
the interior of the old mans dwelling,
came to the funeral. With a proud and
lofty look the son stood above the dust
and the dead, in the midst of the band of
hypocritical mourncrs, with a pang at his
heart, but a serenity on his brow. He
thanked his friends for their kindness,
acknowledged their courtesy, and then
strobe away from the grave to bury his
grief in the privacy of his deserted dwell
ing.
"He found, at first, the solitude of the
mansion almost insupportable, and he
paced the cchoing floors from morning
till night, in all the agony of wo and des-
%olation, vainly imploring heaven for re-
lief. 1t came to him first in the guise of
poetic inspiration. He wrote with a
wonderful case and power. Page after
page came from his prolific pen, almost
without an effort and there was a
time when he dreamed (vain fool y of
Immortality. Some of his productions
came before the world. They were
praised and circulated, and inquiries were
set on foot in the hope of discovering the
author. He, wrapped in the veil of i'm
penetrable obscurity listened to the voice
of applause, more delicious because it
was obtained by stealth. From the OBJ
security of yonder lone mansion, and from
this remote region, to send forth lays
which astonishcd tho world, was indood u
triumph to the visionary bard.
"His thirst for fame was gratified, and
he now began to yearn for the compan-
ionship of some sweet being of the other
sex, to share the laurels he had o to
whisper consolation in his car in moments
of dependency, and to supply the void
which the death of his old father had oc-
casioned. He would picture to himself
the felicity of a refined intercourse with
a highly Intellectual and beautiful woman
and as he had chosen for his motto
"what has been done may still be done"
he did not despair of success. In this
village lived three sisters all beautiful and
accomplished. Their names were Mary
Adelaide, and Madeleine. | am far
enough past the age of enthusiasm, but
never can l forget the beauty of those
young girls. Mary was the youngest, a
fair-haired, more laughing damsel never
danced upon a green. Adelaide, who
who was a few years older, was dark
haired and pensive j; but of the three, Ma
deleine, the eldest, possessed the most
fire, spirit, cultivation and intellectual
billty. Their father was a man of taste
and education, land beng somewhat above
vulgar ~prcjudiccs, permitted the visits of
the hero of my story. Still ne did not al
together encourage the affection which he
found springing upbetween Mary and the
post. When, however, he found that
her affections were engaged, he did not
withhold his consent from her marriage,
and the %rccluse bore to his solitary man.
sion the young bride of his affections.
Oh sir, the house assumed a new appear
ance, within and without. Roses bloom
ed in the garden, jessamines peepcd
through its %llttices, and the fields about i,
smiled with the effects of careful c%ultiva.
ton. Lights were seen in the little par.
lor in the evening, and many a time would
the passenger pause by the garden gate
to listen to strains of the sweetest music
breathed by coral voices from the cottage
If the mysterious student and his wife
were neg elected by their %neighbors, VIVA
cared they? Their cndearing and mutu
al affection made their home a little par
adise. But death came to Eden. Mar,
fell suddenly sick, and, after a few hour
illness, died in the arms of her HUSBAND
and her sister Madeleine. This was thu
Students second heavy affection.
"Days, months, rolled on, and the on
lu snlaca Of the hereaYed was To sit Wit]