Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-05-12
upward to bear the munitions of additional

horrors.
Not breath agltated the remaining leaves
of the trees. Scarcely "A word from the gath
cred groups iDterfcred with the sound Of
prayer or the :llriek of continued terror that
broke from the neiglboring houses. There
was pause il nature, and man hushcd the
emotion of his fears as if silence was the true
attribute of the hour. A wide spreading
blaze of lightning almost seered the uplurn
ed eye of the people, and peel Of thunder
seemed TO break in the very milst-many
sunk down in sheer weakness and some
screamed aloud in the agony offcar. There
was another pause, when one universal cry
of horror fixed every eye upon the south
west portion of the horizon. There had
sprung upward as if from the earth, for its
base could not be seen, IA mighty column Of
fire, it reared itself toward the cloud--a wild ,
lurid flame flashed from its sides quite across
the whole heavens, leaving sickly light up
on the northern and western sides o! all the
buildings. When the column had attained
what seemed to be nearly the leigh, of the
clouds, an inverted cone Of vast dimensions
| appeared to reach downward TO the summit
of the earth-born pillar Of fire. Then COM
menccd the scene of wides, horror. Groans
and screams rose wildly upon the air, while
here and there was seen some silent waiter
: sitting in utter abstraction, folding himself
about, and looking to be included in the gen.
eral dissolution. While this last fearful 81 N
cleaned in the eyes Of the aflrigllrd people,
the tempest was renewed-thc thunder and
the lightning came with relonblcd force, and
: the wind which had been gathered in the west
: swcp, onward and bore upon Its wings and
, scattered downward jagged masses Of ice
t that cut like winged swords.
The inundaton began again, and many
who had scolled at the frs, outbreak of the
, tempest, rcmbed at the awful dcmonstra-
ton Of this, when the magazines Of heaven
! seemed to be exl,austing themselves for the
destruction of earth.
In the midst Of this awful uproar, William
0 who had more than once sough, to gain ac.
e cess 10 Gerlrude's chamber, renewed his at.
d tempt, and found her stretched ont upon the
n bcd nearly dressed for the evening ceremo.
= ny. 1t was IA fearful sigh, on such a moment
but it was doubIy painful to find her nscnsi-
!, BILE 10 his presence, and to the appalling up.
+, roar abroad.
: He knecled beside her bed and called tc
a her in every tone Of affection to recognize
h him-but she gave no heed. A, length tho
= thunder was sllcnced-lhc rain and hail ceas.
n ed, and William called to the people of the
n house to aid him with Gertrude.
: In a short time he took her in his arms
!. and carried her TO the door of her chamber
G with Il view of showing to her that the occa.
S sion Of her fears had been removed, and thai
k the storm which had SO much alarmed hel
S had passed away. He directed her a,tcn.
o ton to the west, where beneath the lifted
masses Of the clouds the sun was sinking il
t a glorious set---and all around seemed to b,
5 a trembling sea of light and heat of which the
sun was only centre.
i DO you see how lovely the evening come.
= n7' said William.
Il see it, said She 1t is beautiful. fal
:, far more beautiful than EARTHLY scenes
!. And such an evening too for our mar.
S riage, better than we had ven,ured TO hope,
# added William.
;, rs there marriage in Heaven? said Ger.
o trude-wlh hestancy.
S William turned towards the east and look.
e ing out saw that the sun was throwing a mos,
J., brilliant rainbow on the water clouds tina,
1 had passed. 1t was magnificent sight
C the whole horizon was spanncd by the gor.
= geous arch which was made doubly beautiful
t by the dark cloud upon which it rested.
S Look said William, 'what heavenly
:, sigh,-how full of hope and promise is tina,
n token
d Gertrude lifted her eyes towards the cas-,
S then dropped gently on her knees, and
with her hands crossed upon her breast and
= eyes upturnod, she rather sighed then utter
: ed There was a rainbow round about the
= throne
9 Williams heart sunk within him MS he fell
: that the mind of his bclrolhed had received
n an irreparable shock. lie called her mother
f and placing Gertrude in her arms, turned
o with shifted heart from her chamber
= The storm had indeed ceased to wild up.
= roar had succeeded the calm, soft loveines,
Q of summers evening, doubly enjoyed from
n the tremendous terror which had been en-
i dured.
S 1t was soon known that the column of fire
S which had been seen near tho close of the
}, storm, sprung from an immense mass of lum'
G Der and wood lying near and on brick kiln
!, in the south western part Of the city fire hao
: been communicated either from the kiln Of
by lightning, and the peculiar state of the at
= mos phere and the density of the dark clouds
is above exaggerated the terrific appearance
;; Poor Gertrude-I saw her at the close o
1915, and the few words which she uttered
p the only ones for many days, were indicative
e of the state of her mind. 1t is something,
d said she, to escape the place Of punishment
S blu. see not the pleasures of bette
state-ihis lingering on the confines Of earl
l. with earthly feelings and heavenly hopes j
I, a sad probation
=. More than year after tina, interview, he
lie wounded spirit escaped. William, who hat
IS sat for hours by her side, received the las
IT look sho had to give. After lingering be
yond all expectation. and appearing iudee'
,e often to have departed. Gertrude turned to
a ward her lover-,he film had pas, from he
he owes, there was lustre in them beyond tina
sr Of their early youth and soundest health.-
So Ger,rude-Ger,rude,' exclaimed he vii,
at subdusd voice as he pressed a kiss upon he
Iforakaa1