The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-04-01

lay0iue hauhts. livery lhlns she saw Oroushl u"
page wildly before her eyes. Sometimes an inscrip
ton on lrce-the walks, the flowers, the bowe
where last they met-a, all brought with them the
memory Of him. She srove to Danish, as high rea-
son to her happiness, all thoughts of him-und the
6rmness other nature conquered She ilmlIlalsed
herself to ali the old spots where she had loved to
be with hinl-and she though! she was happy-al-
most-happy,
The day at length came clear cloudless -
sunbright, And then the lady's heart msgave her
she said not word, however, but let them deck
her in her bridal gear, scarce knowing or caring
what they did,
Evening came. The chapel was brilliantly liglh-
ed. The bright red wine flowed freely-and JOY
danced in all hearts, save one.
Isabel wAspaIe, very very pale when she enter
ed rhe ch.pe. The orange buds that wrcathed her
hair were not more pale,
The Talavera had not yet come All was ready,
The priest in his long flowing rohes-the father
the brdesmaid-the guests; for the iather had in
vited many noble house to witness his daughters
nuplials. All were ready, and still the bridegroom
came not, At length was heard confused move
ment, and in the midst Of that joyous mass of life,
n shadow fell. Within that gorgeous room were
life and death Bright breathing life, and dark
death, The Marquis of Taavera had been thrown
from his carriage, and the servants, in then fright
and dismay, scarce knowing what they did, had
borne HIM in his litter to the chapel
The lady Isabel grew even more pale, as she
looked upon the bier. There lay the lord who
was to have been her husband She gazed on him
in n sort Of nightm fascinaion--a weight SEEM
ed taken from her heart-a feeling of relief min
gcd with the horror of the hour,
The Dona Isabel enjoyed one short month of
tranqui'ity-and then came news iiom the castle
of Taluvern. The will of the marquis had been
read, He had beQueathcd to his son and eir all
his vas. estates, together with the Ludy Isabel,
should he himself die before the marriage took
place, The bond still held good.
A letter came from the young marquis to the
count, demanding his daughters hand in marriage
The letter was gracefully written, and told how he
had long heard of the wondrous beauty oftho Dona
Isabel, and how ardenty he desired 10 become the
posscssor of it,
Again the lady yielded 10 her fathers persua-
sion. The present marquis was young and hand
some--sotho Object on ofiage was r,moved. All
Spain knew he was noble, and bmve-and all the
bright eyed daughters Of SPUN NIGH, well look
with envy on the favored Isabel, that the young
TaNyera had chosen her.
lie was then travelling in the interior of Europe |
His letter was dated at Vienna. One year from the
day oflhc elder Taavcra's death was the day fix
ed upon to celebrate the brida!s of the bayes cav
alicr and lo'eliesl flower in all Spain
Isabel yielded, and tried 20 seem cheerful, but
hen step grew slower and slower, and her fair face
paer aud more pale. AS her days went on did she
each day lose some part of this earth, earthly So |
very gradual was the change that neither her ia.
,her nor those around hen seemed to observe it. !
So passed seven months, -Four months more were
to find her Il new home in the heart Of the Tala.
vera.
She daily visited the spo, where she had las,
seen him, in the hope of---- she knew no,
what
The Dona Isabel was in her bower-peilher |
reading, nor sewing, nor watching her flowers
but in state of IstIcssness, half reclining on the
cushioned scat, when suddenly her name was spo-
ken! 1t was no, her fathers voice. The next ill.,
slant saw the Dona close 10 the heart of the page
Jose. Neither spOke-the. heart of each was too
fall for words dull words cannot expresses our
strongest emotions, when the heart is too big for
ulterancc, speech is but mockory. Words came
at length, aud the pngc told her how much anguish
ho had suffered, aud how he could no longer stay
away from her he loved. That he came, hardly
expecting to see her, and if he did see her, he fear
ed he should find her changed.
"And, dearest Isabel thou art changed-not in
thy ove-but thou art bu, the shadow of the Isabel
that in days syne' bounded so joyruly over these
hills" lie he'd up her hand
alt was 50 thin and transparent of hue,
You might have the moon shine hroughn
The lady Isabel told the page all. How tina,
she had consented to become the bride of the
young Ta'aycra. The pnge learned the reason
from her, too, why she had consented TO become
the wife of one she could not love. lie smiled |
when he heard that the Tllayera must become |
master, either OF the castle and property Of YsOlo-
Rose, or of the lovely Lady isabel
When Isabel retired 10 rest that nishi it was
with light heart. Day after day witnessed the
meetings of the lady and the page-and day after
day witnessed her returning bloom Of face and
buoyancy ofhear She was once more that glad, |
bright Isabel as when the page first came to her
fathers castle.
The father, without inquiring the cause, saw
his child happy and smiling. aud he was satisfied. |
And she was happy and smiling-ihe smiles never
left her little dimpled mouth-soon as one went
another came. Even in her sleep her Joyous heart
beamed from her face.
The morning came bright and sunsliiny ms il had