Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-03-03


intently for some moments, and seemed
frightened. He turned pale and struggled
to get off my knee. allowed him to go;
and he ran to his mother, who was standing
al the foot of the bed, and hid his face be.
hind her.
passed breakfast time in great apprchen-
sion-expecting the two arrivals have mem
toned. knew not how to prepare either
the mother or the hetrothed husband for the
scene that awaited them, and which | had
not particularly described to them. 1t was
with no little trepida,ion that | heard tho
startling knock of the general postman; and
with infinite establishment and doubt, that
took out Of the servants hands letter from
Mr. N, for poor Agnes For while
knew not what to make of it. Had he re.
ceived the alarming express had forwarded
to him; and did he write to Miss p? Or
was he unexpectedly absent from Oxford
when it arrived! The latter suppositon
was coroborated by the postmark, which I
observed was Lincoln. felt it my duty TO
open the letter. Alas it was a gay strain;
unusually gay for N; informing Agnes
that he had been suddenly summoned into
Lincolnshire, TO his Cousins wedding
where he was very happy-bo,h on account
of his relatives happiness, and the anticipa-
ton of similar scene being in store for him.
self! Every line was buoyant with hope and
animation; but the postscript most affected
me.
"P.S. The Tenth fully, by the way
my Aggy! Is 1t all over with US, sweet
Pythonlssal Are you and at this moment
on separate fragments Of the globe? shall
seal my conquest over you with kiss when
: see you. Remember, you parted with me
in pet, you naughty one and kissed me
, rather coldly. But that is the way that your
sex always end arguments, when you are
5 vanqushed ~
| read these lines in silence my wife
, burst into tears. As soon as had recovered
little from the emotion occasioned by
! perusal of the letter, l fastened to send
} second sumons to Mr.. N =, and directed it
to Lincoln, whittier he had requested Miss
] P to address him. Without explaining
the precise nature of Miss P-'s disease, I
e gave him warning that he must hurry up to
t town instantly and that even then it was TO
S the last degree doubtful whether he would
f see her alive. After this little occurrence,
l could hardly trust myself to 20 up stairs
} again and look upon the unfortunate girl.
y My heart futtered at the door, and when
G entered, burst into tears. / could utter no
S more than the words, poor, poor Agnes'
and Withdrew.
# was shocked, and indeed enraged, to find
in one OF the morning papers,, a paragraph
n stating, though inaccurately, the nature Of
Miss P-'s illness. Who could have been
# so unfeeling as to make the poor girl an OBJ
ect ofpublic wonder and pity? never as
It certained, though l made every inquiry,
n from whom the intelligence was communica.
= ted.
i One of my patients that day happened to
be niece of the venerable and honored
!, Dean of F., at whose house she resided.
7 He was in the room when called ; and to
e explain what he called the gloom of my
/ manner gave him full account of the mel
Is ancholy event which had occurred. He list.
ened TO me till the tears ran down his face.
u But you have not tried the effect of mu-
) sic-of which you say she is so fond? Do
you not intend to resort to it 2 | told him it
a was our intention; and that our agitation
II was the only reason why we did not try the
III effect of it Immediately after the galvanism.
Now, Doctor, excuse an old clergyman,
Is will you" said the venerable and pious Dean,
O. laying his hand on my arm, and let me sug-
* gest that the experiment may not be the less
successful with the blessing of God, if it be
Is introduced in the course of religious SER
vice. Come, Doctor, what say your I
v paused.
=, Have you any objection to my calling at your
~ house this evening, and reading the service ap.
pointed by our church for the visitation of the
Dc sick! 1t will not be difficult to introduce the
m most solemn and affecting strains Of music, or to
lie let it precede or follow Still! hestated-and
yet scarce knew why. 'Come, Doctor, you
49, know am no enthusiastic am not generally
= considered fanatic. Surely when man has
done his best, and fails, he should not hesitate to
turn to Cod! The good old mans words sunk
into my soul. and diused in it cheerful and
We humble hope that the blessing of Providence
- You'd attend the means suggested. | acquies-
i'd cel in the deans proposal with delight, and
en- eagerness; and it was arranged that he should
be at my house between seven and eight o'clock
rs that evening. think have already observed,
Id that had an organ, very fine and powerful
one. IN my back drawing. room; and this instru-
~ ment was the eminent delight OF Miss p. She
would sit down at it for hours together and her
- performance would not have disgraced profess
" sor. hoped that on the eventful occasion that
Oh was approaching, the tones of her avorite music
with the blessing of heaven, might rouse sum.
no bering responsive chord in her bosom, and aid in
r dspelllng the cruel 'charm that deadened her. :
She certainly could not last long in the condition
W in which she now lay. Every thing that medi-
y cine could do had been tried-in vain and If
ne the evenings experiment, our forlorn hopes, fail.
ny ed, we must, though with bleeding hearts, sub
all nit to the will OF Providence, and resign her to
~ the grave. | looked forward with intense anxi-
ch ety--wlth alternate hope and fear--to the en-.
=. gagement of the evening.
On returning home late 10 the afternoon.
~ found poor Mrs. p had arrived in obedience to
A. my summons: and heart-breaking, learnt, was
IL her first interview, if such it may be called, with
ng her daughter. Her shrieks alarmed the whole
ue house, and even arrested the attention of tho
nv neghbors. had left instructions that in case Of
her arrival during my absence she should be
shown at once, without any precauton, into the
> presence of Miss p. with the hope, faint though
RS, It was that the abruptness Of her appearance.
$ and the violence Of her grief, might operate
l L. A. $1,000 LIZ