The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1840-12-18

Blanche his bride.
We will not detail the story of the two follow
ing years, during which Blanche heard nothing 0
her lover, except report that reached her shor
time after DE Thievry's return to the castle, whic
spoke of Stanley as having overlhrown every chal
lcnger at joust in Italy, where he had stopped OIL
his voyage to Palestine. A long time elapsed be
fore hearing of him again, when there came 4 ru
NOR, vague at frs, and unsatisfactory that he hue
fallen in a skirmish, few days after joining thu
army in Palestine. But though the report uncer-
tain as it was, filled the heart of Blanche will
alarm and grief, months passed away without any
confederation or denial of the story being received
until at length couple of men-at farms, worn,
weary and with battered arms, begged one night
the hospitality of the castle 1t was granted with
out hesitation.
"COmc you, bold strangers" said De Thievry,
at the evening meal, " from the Holy Land as
may judge Gom your appearance that You do"
"That is the place where last we fought" an
swered the eldest of the two, "and having drawn
my sword there, | behink me of shcalhing it
hcnceforih, and retiring to monastery; for it is
not fit merhinks for soldier of the cross to dye
his consecaed blade in the blood of fellow chris
tians,"
"What you say is no doub, very right, though
good men haye bclhought them otherwise. But
pray; holy warriors, have either of you known
aught of the younger knights of the English train
how bear they themselves against their foes.
how maintain they the name of England"
"Ah the flower of them all is dead-hc fell by
II poisoned arrow of the Saracens, before he had
been month in the camp, but in That time he had
immersed three of The best knights of either army.
BY the cross it was gallant sigh, to see Stanley
hur the proud Scur de Rovigny from his saddle
lie was interrupted by shrek from Blanche,
who had thus received confirmation to her fears;
and falling into deep Ginling fit, she was borne
by her landmarks to her chamber. Her father
lrowncd on the crusader, and then hurriedly left
the apartment.
"lour pardon, my brave WARRIOR" said De
Thievry as the speaker clutched his dagger at the
lrown of the parent, " there is no insult intended
and there should none be received. Your news
has been, as You see, somewhat of blow to one
il not more in this family. need moi say Why
You can imagine all yourself, when tell you that
here, and that his death cannot be heard without
emotion. AT such time You can well overlook
the frown of an agonlscd parent"
Yes--yes.-Thc saints bring comfort to all
who are in iroublc'-sad the crusader solenny
Long was it before Blanche woke to a conscious
ness of her being, and when she did, the knowl-
edge of her misery came with it. Her lover then
was indeed dead, and all her fears realised. Oh !
who can tell the deep agony of young and guile
less heart, when finds that its deares, hopes have
all been ovcrhrown, and that the one over whose
absence it has so long pined, will never, never
more return. There is gloom shroudng such a
heart, which cannot be imagined, unless by those
who have walked amid the same bitterness. There
is n melancholy that comes over the mind, drying
up all the springs Of joy, and whitening every gay
and happy feeling, which too often ends in destroy
ing its victim. Life has no longer aught that is
beautiful for the eye of the broken-hcarted one
The sun shines not us of old-ihc wind whispers
no more in mclody-lhe birds have neither music
nor gaieiy in songand the very stars seem to look
down with saddencd faces upon her, and tell her
that for her this world hcnccforlh has no charm
Her thoughts are in the grave. She lives not with
the inhabitants of the GARTH Her only joy, if joy
she ever can have, is to look forth at night upon
the wicrd-kc stars, and fancy that the spirit of
him she loved may be looking down upon her, UNI
seen from some one of those e,er-burning thrones.
Thus was it long with Blanche. Her hear,
dropped within her, her old gaciy had become
melancholy and only a frin, smile would acknow-
edge the kind attentions of her friends
But how often do we see one sorrow removed
by another. So il was with Blanche. The very
misfortune which might have been thought would
have crushed her wholly to the earth, and laid her
broken spirit in that grave, where "the weary are
NJ resi-, was the cause OF ntr ulllinatc recovery.
That misfortune was her fathers death in an igno-
Bile skrmish against some neighboring outlaws, and
though for while this new blow seemed to have
Frustrated Blanche, beyond all hope of recovery,
yet the grief she felt for her parent, by driving the
thoughts of Stanley out from her memory, was
eventually the secret of her recovery. The strug-
gle was long and painiul-for many weary day
her life hung in the balance; but at length her
youth 'Iiumphcd, and though she was no more gay
us of old, ye, neither was she broken down in heart
And Blanche was once more the centre ofall at.
traction. But the memory of her lover burned still
like swce, incense in her heart, and she would Of
ten fall into reyere and dream Of happiness, !ha
might have been hers if Stanley had only lived.
A year passed away. Reports often came from
the Holy Land but each only increased the Ger.
iainiy of Stanleys death. The manner in whicl
he had fallen. however, varied from what the men
alarms had asserted. He had not died in battle
but taken prisoner by the Saraccns had suffered, i
was said, at the stake for not rcnouncng his faith
Blanche dreamed Of him now as a martyr.
Meantime De Thievry had not neglected his suit