Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1841-05-01
THE LONE WIDOW.
A LAMENT.

| A LAMENT.
She was a LoNE WIDOW. What wor!
more expressive Of utter desolation tina
these? WHAT more adapted to elicit IL
sympathy of a cold, heartless and unpit,
ing world? The oak tree nay spare tt
ivy, and the elm the vine, yet is not the
strength diminished, though they have 10.
the ductile foliage, and the rich and purpl
grape. But you may not reverse the case
or the fragile plants are shorn of thei
comeliness; they anguish, they droop, the,
are trodden on the cold earth.
She was a LONE WIDOW. Her staff. he
support, on whom she had leaned so Ions
and so constantly, in storm and in sun
SHINE, was taken away, and she was left tt
battle with the worlds sorrows and deceits
and vanities-alone! Her "gade man.
was her elder by a score of summers. He
was not made Of iron, though some folk:
might have thought it. He had his own
troubles, and he sank beneath them at a
good old age. 1t was a sad scene presented
at his death bed. Not a child looked on to
witness the last moments, or to receive the
last blessing Of a parent. But she alone,
the wife of his bosom, hung over his pill
low, convulsed and sobbing. He graspcd
her hand-he raised his eyes imploringly-
his lips moved-they uttered a few words
almost inarticulate-shey were burdened
with a request-that she would never be
married to another. He essayed vet
again to speak. To her he gave all his
worldly goods, and they were many; to
her his possessions, without division or re-
serve; and the condition was, that she
should never be married to another.
She consented, with a hesitancy oc.
casloned only by the choking sobs. For
the last time, he looked up inquiringly, and
he asked, "Never?" Aud she answered
"NEvER!" So she closed her good mans
eyes in peace. And she arrayed herself
in the deepest mourning, followed him de.
Gently to the grave, and having watered it
with a flood of the b%itterest tears, returned
to her desotate house, LONE WIDOW.
1t was winter time; bat not more cold is
the earthly clod, than the heart berett of
its beloved. She remembered often the
words which her good man had spoken,
and oh she thought it was a crying sin that
should be prevailed on to depart
from widowhood, forgetting what Les cold
in the sepulchre, and to whom they had
their early love; that they should
exchange their weeds for the gorgeous
colors and butterfly robes of vanity, and 60
forth brides-yet not Brides spectacle to
the world. 1t was unseemingly, it was
Immodest. But she would never, never
aside her robes Of mourning she
would 60 down weeping to the gravs-
A LONE WIDOW!
Her neighbors felt her for1orn state.
They came to console her, and to mingle
their tears with hers. Their efforts were
but unavailing. They could
stay the torrent of her grief. They
said time would "do wonders so they let
have full sway. But they spoke Of all
the good deeds OF her good man.. Pleasing
yet melancholy Renaissance! she loved
allude to the words he spake, and to all
he dear works oi his hands. There he
coufted her, beneath the shade of the
I'D elm tree; there they first walked in the
sweet season of youth; there he used to sit
when he played on the viol. Oh! how
sweet were the tunes which he played on
he yiol! But he was gone, the best Of
men, and she, she was-A LONE WIDOW!
When the man of God spake of the be.
eayed, in the sacred desk, or when in So
;lal intercourse he clasped her hand, and
'esought her to forget her sorrows; (for he
vas kind, and afectionate in his nature,
niddle-aged and unmarried; J when he told
that He who fed the ravens, and did
lot let a sparrow fall to the ground without
lis knowledge, would take care of the
atherless, and the lone widow, she wept
With redoubled violence; and in the midst
# quick-coming sobs you might have
,eard those words of bitterness-A LONE
WIDOW!
She lived in her d~esolate house, without
friend to fill up the blank which her good
death had occasioned. 1t was a
house, and looked upon a pleasant
There herbs and salubrious plants
nd flowers, grew in profusion: but what
) all the luxury Of sweets, to those who
mourn for the departed! Who planted the
catnip, and the thym ? VINO
,ept those beds SO clean that not ever a
weed intruded? Her good man. Now
he had only left her ancient cat, which fol-
owed her steps when she walked in that
'leasant garden. There were those who
that she needed a protector and
and they cast in their minds the
many who could supply her need, they
:ould not forbear at last remarking among
themselves, that it was very queer she
hould remain-A LONE WIDOW!
She had a heart which was kind and be-
levolent, and she was not unmindful of
he poor and friendless, nor did she ever
end the needy from her door until they
arried with them the mite of a lone WI
|ow. She was not p~arsimonious in any of
Ter ways. Her robes were dark, but of
he finest texture; her caps were made Of
he c~ostliest lawn; for caps became her
1atronly face right well, and were not un-
ecoming to the peach-like bloom that lin
cred on the cheeks of that-LoNE
Year after year passed away, AMI time
ad indeed wrought wonders" But al
1ough the rank grass waved over the grave
,hich bad been watered with plentiful
she had not forgotten "the vow in
srrupted only by sobs. she still remained
LONE WIDOW!
Many suitors came to solicit her hand.
hey made honorable offers. They would
Ike care of her her property, they would
honor, and cherish forever. But she
rove them all, all into-despair, and told
lem fthey could hardly credit her words