Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1844-04-20
From the Philadelphia Forum.
The Insane MOurner.
BY F. B. GRAHAM.

BY F. B. GRAHAM.
Twilight possesses charms for the lover of soil
tude--lf a communion with ones own thoughts
may lie considered solitude-and have ever made
it the period of my lonely ranlbles. On one occa-
sion, not many years since, was led q know not
Why to the door of cottage in very small street
in our city, where resided an elderly widow. A
daughter and sister-n law comprised her little
fresde circle. Considering myself privileged by
slight acquaintance, | entered; for the formali-
ties of the fashionable are not observed by the
humble, though honest poor, and friends eyer
heartily welcome to place at their fresides. It
was early in autumn, but the weather was not cold,
and few embers bazed upon the hearth. The
matron of the tenement informed me that her wild
owed sister in law had not returned from her eve
ming visit to the grave Of her husband-Who had
been brought home corpse but few days prev-
ous-and she requested me to remain short time.
The presence of friend is eyer a consolation to
the bereavcd, for gloomy is the dwelling from
which death has but recently taken loved one.
had not sat long before the young widow en-
tered. She was beautiful, even though sorrow
had driven from her cheeks the flush of the rose.
But few months had elapsed since she had given
her affections unreseryedly to the man she now
incurred. A strange wdness beamed from her
eyes, and ptcouS smile placed upon her counte-
nance, as she sat down by my side, victim Of an
sanity.
81 thought you acoud come" said she, gazing
wildly into my face--'' they said you had died in
distant land, but did not believe it. Why did
Won stay so long? Did you not want to see meT
Bat you are here and will not reprove you. OH
Pm happy now. Why don't you speak to rne3-~
Have you forgotten me. Oh why did you go away
and leave me' ?"
She paused, and cast her eyes towards the fire.
as though musing. A tear trembled for moment
on her eyelid, and then fell. Presently she again
gazed at me, and continued, in the same touching
strain:
Come closer to the fire, my husband--it IS
cold--very cold! You do not know me noW-you
do not remember your Clara; but am happy now
oh, yes, am very happy because you are with
Il me- You will not leave me agan--l know you
will not!'
Thus incoherentIy did she talk, and no one an
swered or attempted to lure her from her delusion.
Fl looked upon her, and my heart sWelIed with sor-
row at the sight Of wreck so beautiful and lovely
have seen the tall oak of the forest torn from the
ground by the whrlwind, without a sigh; but
have Wept when the fragrant rose was riven from
its tender stem by the Autumn winds. have ga
zed upon the remains of friend | loved, have
wept over his coffin, and turned away to forget
him; but when contemplated the shattered mind
of the being before me-when viewed that once
beautiful flower, now lovely even in its pad
bloom--contendng with the storms of affection,
and in danger ofbeing prostrated to the earth COL
oress and lifeless, my feelings were entirely over
COME could not weep, for the very fountains Of
sorrow were dried up by the excess of sympathy
| could endure the pain of so melancholy speca-
Gle no longer, and in the midst of her incoheren-
/ cles | arose to depart. When opened the door
she caught hold Of my arm.
"You are not going again, said she, how can.
. you 60? Oh, do not leave me now must ac-
company you, for if you 30 alone, you will never
RETURN know you will not. I have had Dire M
an awful dream, and if you go away shall not
see yon again. know shall not. Oh, will YOU.
not stay with me?"
| tore myself from her determined grasp, bur
ried back to my lodgings, and never saw her after
wards.
To this very day do mediate upon the strange
incidents Of that night and frequently do awake
from dreamy sleep, imagining that again hear
her voice begging her husband not to leave her!-
Poor thing, her troubles soon ceased; and though
her Henry never came back to relieve her disor-
| dered mind, she was soon called to join him in q,
better world.
+ The old lady of the cottage still dwells there,
and to all her visitors repeats the sad tale have
just related She says that oft at twilight she i'm
AGNES that the spirit Of the lovely Clara returns to
her fre-sidc; and the whstling Of the winds she
~ construes into plantye means Of grief
n have since frequently set in that chimney cor
ner and reflected upon the mysteries of the female
heart-so confding--so tender-so lovely, even
amid the whitening blasts of adversely Although
. tender bloom, tits unfading; for when riven by
q sorrow, it never fails to hestow its fragrance.
"Earth's blossoms thrive not in the shade,
n UnbIest by gentle showers from heaven
l. But that sweet flower by kindness made
To bud and bloom, will never fade,
1t And freely are its orders given"
~ N5-A bit of wag on board of steamboat from
,. Norfolk being nota little dsqueted in his slum-
bo,s 4