The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-05-07


when heard for The first time, rarely Call on a heed
less ear. A new world was immediately opened 10
Mary. The dreams Of wild romance, the vague
fancics of girhood, were now merge into bright
and beautiful reality, and could she have forgotten
the dark cloud which oyerhurg the lOrlupcS Of her
house, she might have given Up her heat to hope
and happiness. Eu blight had early fallen upon
her e and even while listening TO her IolCr ten
dcrness, she felt cod nisgiying c4 the arp0urh
ofeyll. Lord nemalne was neither vicious m hah-
it, nor depraved in hearl-he was only WHcUiy SCI
fish. lie admired Aiary's singular beauty, he
pted her weakness of mind, (lor such appeared 10
him. her gloomy iunces,) and he coveted her no.
bic fortunes. With such notions he set himself 10
the task of gaining her affections, and his worldly
wisdom was more than match for Alary's guile
less ignorance. 1t was in one Of these moments Of
confidence that she related to him the wild legend
of her ancestors crime and punishment. Iul the
man of the world had little sympathy with the fan
c'u enthusiast He smiled at her crcdullty, 'ooih
ed her excited feelings, affected 10 syn pnlhlze IN
her melancholy, and iny resolved 10 wed her as
quick as possible, lest madness should snatch from
his grasp the rich prize which he sought With
the enthusiasm so natural to her character, Mary
had yielded up her whole heart to its new passion,
and even whlie she looked forward to marriage us
the seal Of her broken vow and her fatal destiny,
she resolved to wed the lover who wooed with such
earnest fondness,
Many an oninous shake Of the head was seen
an org the peasants, as Lord ncnuiuc led his
bride from the church where they had pigh,ed
their vows.
CAV. NV, i, is a brave bridal" said m Old de-
cript creature, as she holhlcd 10 a scat on tomb
stone, to watch the procession "l isa brave tri-
doi but there will he a drawer tNyjGL Have they
forgotten the curse Of the Dark Iadyc Of ONenhan:
With woman came the curse, by woman must
it be fulfilled
These words were moi lost upon their hearers,
and ore the sun set, they had cIordcd the brow,
and troubled the spirit Of the youthful bride. lul
| Lord Dcmane bore her 10 the home OF his fathers,
and amid the society Of new friends and the gate
ties of new scenes she slro,e TO forget the evil au-
CURES of her fate.
Put time passed on, and heavier trials hcfsl the
sensitive hcrcss Of Oyeuham. Yet how my me
pen Of the legendary describe the gradual groW.h
Of GOODNESS, distrusl, Indifference, in two welded
hearts; How depict the progress OF petty annoy
anccs and irinrC grievances, until they became
serious evils and mighty wrongs Lord llc'monc
Mncied himself good husband, because he Meth
er irsuIcd his wife by open nidcies, nor restrict
ed her from indulgng her own tases and pleasures.
He surrounded her with luSurics, and pTldcd hin
self upon the lavish expenditure with which he
purchased ihcR, but he had no idea thai duty re-
Ouircd him to watch over the cXcabIe nature OF
: his Young wife, and to guard her from dsuppoinl-
ment and sorrow. lie was Il good natursd, care
less, fashionable husband, and with woman oi
worldly character might have managed TO i've IN
peace, if not happiness, Ru, lac had choscna wllc
whose morbid feelings hid been cherished IN soil
tudc-whose imagination had always exceeded her
judgcment--whO had never learned the mystic lore
of the human heart. To such woman, his neg
lec and Indifference, his careless manner and fire.
ouent absence from home, seemed the height Of
cruelty and insult. She hroodcd over wrons, in
secret, md met him too oilcn with murnlurs ard
rpprnachrs The passionate nature Of her rare cN-
i>ed in full ygor in the fragile form Of the last Of
the family, and the very strength Of her affection
for her husband. gave new bitterness To her anger
at his arrangement. Lord Drlmainc was nrapa-
bic Of conprehrnding fully tho character Of h' sus-
cephe wife he knew not upon how nice bal
ance hung the faculties of her mind, or, II may he
hoped he would have been lcsa carcICs, Of cNciiln.
her restless and moody spirit lie encountered hci
sorrow with Indifference, her rcproaChcs with nm.
ger, and finally wearlcd with The daily cXci,encni'
Of so stormy life, Mary determined 10 return ir
the loneliness of OSenhnm Hail. I.oid DcImnlnt
would scarcely have consented so readily to hc
desire, had he know that the darling wish of h'
heart--lhe birth of an heir, which could alone en-
sure to him the future possessions of the Oxenhan
estates, was so near its fulfment But there wa
no longer any confidence between the husband ant
wife, and he saw her depar, with scarce sem.
bancc Of regret.
II was with sad and troubled feelings that ihC
Lady of Oxrnham entered once more within thu
walls of the home which she had lell happy and
tr,,I La, tul had sad To-
spirit in the DAYS of her childhood, had many .
them been fulfilled, and Others seemed vcrcing ~
wirdS their accomplishment. She believed lha
a.sthe curse had fallen upon her, and felt hcrSe'
! doomed to complete the circle Of destruction. IL
her wandering mind, every thing seemed corrobo
raiiye of the ancient prophecy, and she looked Tor
ward 10 the birth Of her child as the period OF II
| final fulGlment The apartments OF ONenham Hall
Z haunted nv old traditions of the Dark ladtc IN,
the wicked John, mud filed with the rich remain
, of the splcndors which the wealth Of the Indian
bride had furnished, the grim portraits whl'h hnr
4 upon the walls, the still grnmor figures winch look
: ed down from the ancient tapestry all were caIrn
% lated to deepen the melancholy which was last set
e ting over the mind of the lonely wife Old legends
, old lnles Of horror, old prophecies, Old stories
. fearful mar: ydom were the subjects Of her Mood
. ncdito,ious'; and rs dav after day p9ssrd 81. II
"
: lgh, of reason faded slowly away. Vet It wa
J. only by SLIGHT tokens that this dhrkcnng Of th
!. shirt was Indicated. The servants looked on he
Is with mingled feeling Of awe and pity; they knc'
n no, whether she was giving expression to n chate
y spirit. or to the vagares hf madness Even tn
: feelings of a mother. which nature has inpanic
# in the breast of all women, seemed TO be- forgotten
: and the ONLY evidence she gave Of her conscious
i ness Of coming anguish. was 10 forbid any SUN
:. mons being sent 10 Lord rrlmane. Alone WI
" ony the faithful nurse Of her childhood, did >il
: give birth to the heir Of Dcluiane aud ONenhan
IS and from that moment every g'eam Of mental Ilgi
l. vanished from her mind. a messenger was imnie
l. dia,ely despatched TO Lord Delmnine with the It'd
/ inus and the timid servants waited in stupid terto
Is for his arrival, to free them from the responsible
r charge of the mad Lady Of ONenham.
10 II was late in the evening when Lord Delmaln
m reached the town Of OaLharrpion, and leaving h
4 re,inue. he rode rapidly forward with hui one al
s. ,endant. towards Oxenhan The birth OF sor
rs IN. wished for heir Of his honors and estates h.
10 ,oncbed the hear, Of the man Of fashion, and awaF