Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-06-19
THE PHANTOM PORTRAIT,
OR TIE COUNT AND THE PEASANT GIRL,
A SiJly's Sketch.


OR TIE COUNT n THE PEASANT GIRL.
A .SiJly's Sketch.
The autumn wind swung the branches of
the old trees in the avenue to and fro, and
howlcd amid the battlements-now with a
low moan, like thato deep grief; now with
a slrill shrek, like that of the sufferer whose
frame Is wrcnclicd by sudden agony. 1t was
one of those drcary gales which bring
thoughts Of slipwrcck, telling of tho tall vcs-
sci, with her brave crew, tossed on the mid
night sea, her masts fallen, her sails riven,
her gnns thrown overbord, and the sailors
holding a fierce rcvcl, to shut out the pre-
sence of dcath riding the black wave around
them, or ola dcsolatc cottage on some lone
sca-bcacl, a drittcd boat on the rocks, and
the bcrcavcd widow weeping over the dead.
Lucy Ashton turned shivcring from the
easement. She had watched the stars one
by one sink beneath the heavy cloud which,
pall-likc, had spread over the sky till it
qucnclcd even that last and lovely one with
which, in a moment of maiden fantasy, she
had linked her fate.
"For signs and for seasons are thcy," said
the youthful watcher, cs she closed the lat
tice. "My light foot will soon be hidden,
my little hour soon past"
She threw lcrscltinto the armchair beside
the hearth, and the lamp-light fell upon a
beautiful but delicate face, from which the
rose had long since departed; the blue veins
were sinpularly distinct on the clear temples
and in the eye was that uncertain brightness
| which owes not its lustre to health. Her pale
golden hair was drawn up in a knot at the
top of her small and graceful head, and the
rich mass shonc as we fancy shine the bright
~tresscs ofan angel. The room was large,
lofty, and comiortlcss, with c%orniccs of black
carved oak, mtho midst stood a huge purple
velvet bed, having heavy bunch of hearsc-
like feathers at each corner ; the walls were
old, and the tapestry shook with every cur-
rent of passing air, while the motion gave a
mockcry of life to It's gaunt and faded group,
The subject was mythological-thc sacrifice
of Niobe's children. There were the many
shapes Of death, from the young warrior to the
laughing child but all struck By the same
memorable fate. One figure in particular
caught Lucy's eye, it was a youthful female
and she thought it rcscmbled herself: the
outline of the face certainly did, though 'tho
gloss had dropped from the gold hair" of the
pictured sufferer.
Sand yet" murmured Lucy, "far hap.
pier than 1! The shaft which struck her il
youth did its work at once; but | bear the
arrow in my heart that destroys me not
Well, well, its time will come -
The hlckcring light of an enormous chin.
ney,-wlosc hearth was piled with turf ant
wood, now flung its long and variable shad
ows round the chamber !; and the figures OF
tapestry seemed animate with strange AM
CHASTITY life. Lucy felt their eyes fixed upol
her, and the thought of death came cold an
terrible.
Ay; be resigned, be hopeful, be BRAY,
as we will, death is an awful thing Tn
mailing down in that close black cofin--th
lowering into the darksomc grave-the DAM
mould, with its fearful jewellers, the slim
worm and the loathsome reptile, to be tram
pied upon you-these are the realities c
dread and disgust And then to die in yout
, life unknown, unenjoyed /; no time to sa
E tiate of its pleasures, to weary of Its troubles
to learn its w~retchcdncss-tO feel that yO
!, wish to live little longer--that you couldb
happy.
r "And," added the miserable girl, ct
d know that he loves me-that he will knee
o in the agony ola last despair by my grave
But, no, no they saw he is vowed to anotf
era tall, dark, stately beauty what al
a !, that he should be true to me :"
It She wrung her hands, but the paroyys,
h was transitory and fixing her eyes on til
: burning log, she sat l~istlessIy watching ii
dancing flames that kept struggling throu.
the smoke.
"May | come in, Miss Ashton 7" said
e voice at the door, and, without waiting fl
an answer, an old crone entered. She az
preached the hearth, placed in a warm noe
a a tankard of mulled wine and a plate of sp
, ced apples, drew a low and cushioned set,
" forwards, seated herself, and whispered in
y %subdued, yet Kissing tone, 81 thought yc
A would be lonely, so | came up for half q
d hours chat it is the very night for some
# your favOurite stories."
,r Lucy started from her r%ccumbcnt positio
!" cast a glance around, and seemed for the fin
time sensible of her companions presenc
!" "Ah! is it you, Dame Alison ? Sooth
c. is but a dreary evening, and ! am glad Of
I'd cOmpanion-these old rooms arc so gloomy
tn "You may well say so, for they have maj
a gloomy memory /; the wife has wcpt (
ne her husband, and the mother for her chile
II and the hand of the son has been against
\ father, and that Of the father against his SC
- Why, look at yOnder wainscot sec you
he dark stains there Z In this very room"
ng "Not in this room; tell me nothing of
ROOM" half screamed the girl, as she turn