The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1843-02-10


eslly; it's not right to keep her away. Where is
she' Let me know the worst
Il have already told you, George
'Yes, yes; know ii; but tell me again. Where
is shen
Phillips answer was almost whisper, as he
said. In the gravel
Wilkins shrunk from him. and then with some
thing like shudder he attempted to draw his coat
around him, MS if attacked by sudden cold The
next instant without noise, almost like shadow,
he passed from the room, and was rushing through
the streets with desperate speed.
On the second night after Wilkins interview
with Phillips, man was passing through the VIII
luge where Lucy was buried. lie walked feeby,
and once or twice paused and looked up at the
clear sky and said something in low tone, and
then went on.
Pale, emaciated with hollow eyes and sunken
cheeks, none would have recognized Wilkins; yet
he it was. Disease and remorse had done their
work, and the wild CLASSY eye which gli,iered in
the pale moon-beam like living fame showed
that the spirit within was burning brishl!y-loo
brightly for reason.
Once or twice he observed persons coming from
the opposite direction, and he shrank into the
bushes and crouched there until they had passed,
, and then resumed his course toward the church
Sometimes he paused, stared vacantly about him,
then placing his hand to his forehead, dashed has
\ tily forward, and went on muttering as before.
Arrived at the gate of the cdlice, he stopped
and as If altering his mind, he quilted it and went
y to the front of the church and tried the door. 1t
was not boiled, and opened with melancholy
h crcak, which echoed up the empty aislcs. Will
: kins listened, shook bis head and sad 'No, no.
4 tina, was not her!' And then he began TO wander
g lis,essy up one aisle and down another. AT last,
# coming TO II pew-door, he opened it, entered, and
IS sat down. Before him laya small prayerbooh
d much worn and stained, but on which name was
d still legihle in gilt letters.
lie tool, it up and held it IN the moon beam, where
he read in the indslinc, sh, the words Lucy Wa
!, tiers. 1t was the name of his wife before he mar
e ricd her. Without noise or cry he laid The book
:, in IT'S place. and bending his head forward against
# it, groaned uudib!y. 'Lucyr whispered he; 'Lu-
cy, dea, Lucy! Do You hear mc' Pray for me,
& Lucy!
N He listened, as If expecting an answer ;'hcn Turn
(, cd and gazcd limidy about him. Lucy, Lucy
say exclaimed he more loudly; and pushing back
&c the matted hair which hung over his eyes, and
&c stirring wildly around the church: NO, no; sht
to isn't here. Getting up, he went along the aisle t'
m the door communicating with the burial ground
This he flung open, and strobe ont, keeping OF
is until his eye rested on simple tablet ut the far
I'd Their end of the yard, newly erected and the in
n, scrip,ion on which was paiay esible in the moon
light. lie stopped and read; Lucy rife Of Georg
ne UTikias.' That's me, that's me- mu',cred he
that's me-
10 lie crouched on the sod. 'I',o found her n
=. last. Here she isl lie bowed his head to tn
earth; thick -crowdug iancics, mingled with all thu
phanasies of madness, came sweeping upon hi
- brain. The presen, was forgotten. Again he wa
10 boy; again the bright days Of youth and purit
~ wcc before him : his past life was dream. sh
5 could no, be dead! hat warm confdng hear
" which had loved him so well, could not be colt
i. forever! I, was n dIeam-a wild and trouble
5 dream! lie shouted loudly TO awake her; Ju
1T she a,rokc not lie cluchcd the dank weeds in hi
id hands; he knelt down upon the gave; he laid hi
nj cheek to the cold cath that sIiroudcd her an,
those low gentle tones which in the days Of lhei
N early attachment she had always loved and al
I'd ways responded TO. lie whispered it again, N,
G. answer muiicred he. shes gone, she's gon
ne forever, or she would not have been silent now
is when my heart is broken, and all the world j
nd against me- Lucy, Lucy, dear Lucy! do yo'
I hear me! Answer, OH answer me now
is The wrcchcd man stretched himself at full length
h. upon the cold earth, aud sobbcd like heart-bro
ken girl The past came fierce and furious upoI
il him. In one instant the wild I'll was over. II,
10 remembered the hot angry feelings between him
"a self and his wife; his iauns, his chickering's, BIZ
snccrs; and last Of all the Jioie which had scpara
ted them for ever. Then he thought Of his tempt
m cr-of Bolton. Revenge was now uppermost.-
= Frantic with fury, he spang from the grave, rush
ed through the clurch-yard nung open the gate
re- and hurried down the road us if life and death de-
pended on his speed.
10
Hour alter hour passed; still there sat the Ator
I'd rey lie seemed to hive grown old since he en-
ID tered the room. His face was haggard; his tenn
pies sunkcn; aud he twisted his fingers one in n
in mother with Kind Of childish helplessncss.
VI It was near midnight; ard faint noise echoins
through the street mnde him start and cast hi,
III eyes fealfuy about him; for he was grown with
T. IN the last few hours supcrs'itous as n child.
'e lie drew his chair closer to the fire; he stirred
up the dying Goals, for he was beginning TO be