Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-09-15
VOL. X.-NO. 8.

| upon her
Poor Mary p said she to herself
Shall awaken her, TO feel her sorrow
sharpened by my happness2 No; l will
keep 1t in my own bosom till the morrow
She approached the bed to discover if
Mary's sleep was peaceful. Her face was
turned partly inward to the pillow, and had
been hidden there 20 weep but a look of
motionless conientmer& was now visible
upon it, as if her heart, like deep lake,
had grown calm because its dead had sunk
down so far within. Happy is it, aud strange,
that the lighter sorrows are those from which
dreams are chiefly fabricated. Margaret
shrunk from disturbing her sister-in-law. and
felt as If her own better fortune had rendered
her involuntarily unlailhful. and as if altered
and diminished affection must be the con-
sequence of the disclosure she had to make.
With sudden step, she turned away. But
Joy could not long be repressed, even by
circumstances that would have excited heavy
grief 5t another moment. Her mind was
thronged with delightful thoughts, till sleep
stole on and transformed them to visions.
more delightful and more wild, like the breath
OF winter (but cold comparison } working
fantastic tracery upon window.
When the night was far advanced, Mary
awoke with a Sudden start A vivid dream
had atterly involved her in its unreal life.
OF which, however, she could only remem-
Der that it had been broken in upon at the
most interesting point. For a little time.
slumber hung about her like morning mist.
hindering her from perceiving the distinct.
outline of her situation. She listened with
imperfect consciousness 10. two or three vol.
! oT Il
first she deemed the noise matter of course.
like the breath she drew; next, il appeared
a thing in which she had no concern and
lastly, she became aware that it was sum-.
mons necessary to be obeyed At the same
moment, the pang of recollection darted in
to her mind, the pail Of sleep was thrown.
back from the face of grief; the dim light
of the chamber, and the objects therein re-
vealed, had retained all her suspended IDEAS.
and restored them as she Enclosed her eyes.
Again, there was quick peal on the street
door. Fearing that her sister would also
be disturbed, Mary wrapped herself in a
cloak and hood, took the lamp from the.
hearth, and hastened to the window By
some accident, it had been left unhasped,.
and yielded easily to her hand
"Who's therel" asked Mary, trembling
as she looked forth. .4rsf- -,
i The storm was over, and the moon was.
up; it shone upon broken clouds above, and
below upon houses black with moisture.
and npon little lakes of the fallen RAIN,
curling with silver beneath the quick en-
chantmcnt Of breeze. A Young man in a
sailors dress wet as If lie had come out Of
the depths Of the sea, stood alone under the
window. Mary recognized him as one
whose livelihood was gained by short vow.
ages along the coast nor did she forget,
that previous to her marriage, he had been
, an unsuccessful woer of her own. e.
"What do you seek here, Stephen 2" said
She
Cheer up, Mary, for seek to comfort
you," answered the rejected lover. 'You
, must know that | got home not more than
7 ten minutes ago, and the first thing my
mother told me about was Your husband
So without saying word to the old woman,
clapped on my hat, and ran out of the
house, couldn't have slept a wink before
speaking to you, Mary, for the sake of old
2 times" s
: stephen, ] thought better of you p ex-
4 claimed the widow, with gushing tears, and
e preparing TO close the lattice for she was
I not wit inclined to initiate the first wife Of
E Zadig. s,sla e.a b, 4 sa,.
I 'But stop, and hear my story ont" cried
{ the young sailor 81 tell you we spoke q
brig yesterday afternoon, bound in FROM old
a England. And who do you think ] saw on
, deck, well and hearty only little thinner
: than he was five month ago ~ ai g
r Mary leaned from the window, but could
: not speak e-t.-
e "Why it was your husband himself" con-
tinued the generous seaman. "He and
. three others saved themselves on spar.
when the Blessing turned bottom upwards.
i, This brig will beat into the bay by daylight,
with this wind, and you'll see him here to-
morrow. There's the comfort bring you
; Mary. and so good night. Al
He hurried away, while Mary watched
him with doubt of waking reality, that
seemed stronger or weaker as he alternately
entered the shade of the house, or immerged
h into the broad sireaks of moonlight. Grad
/ ually however, flood of conviction swelled
n into her heart, in strength enough TO over
d whelm her, had its increase been more abb
n rupt. Her first impulse was to arouse her
l sister-n-law, and communicate the new
: born gladness. She opened the chamber
/ door, which had been closed in the course
= of the night though not latched, advanced
II to the bedside, and was about TO lay her hand
D upon the slnmberer's shoulder. But then
d she remembered that Margaret would
e awake to thoughts Of death and wo, render
e ed not the less bitter by their contrast with
III her own felicity She suffered the rays Of
the lamp to fall upon the unconscious form
nj IF tho heraaved ono Mnrnaraf- lav IN nm.