Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1844-03-21


hope defcrrcd"-and our little Virginia, now
lovely girl Of seventeen had earned money enough
by her bewiiching way Of offering matches for
sale, to introduce hersclfas a pupil into one Of
the hrst boarding schools Of the country not to
commence, but 10 finish her education; for, with
a passionate love OF books, she had found means
to cultivate her tastes and talents in many ways
The lovely and lonely little orphan had s,rug-
ged with hunger and cold and fatigue, with temp
,ation in It's most alluring and beguiling forms,
with evil in thousand shapes, yet had she kept
the heavenly sunshine OF her soul pure and un-
cloudcd through it all. She had never taken mo-
ney as gift nor ns bribe. She had assisted
from her little store, many child Of misfortune,
still humber and poorer than herself; and with
faith, truth aud purty-an angel guard around
her-by the light Of her own innocent smiles she
glided, like q star, through the gathering clouds
unframed, unstained, unshadowed. In the words
Of our beautiful poet
"Peace charmed the street, beneath her feet
And honor charmed the air."
and musc--the mucic of her own sweet heart
and silver voice went always with her through
the world
II was on the evening preceding that on which
the annual ball Of the school took place. The
young ladies were discussing, round the school
room fire, the dresses they were 10 wear. Vir.
ginia, little apart listened to them and halfwsh-
ed she had fairy godmother like Cinderella's, to
deck her for the festival "Pearls, diamonds, jap
onicas Satins, laces, velvets She alas had
none of,hese She had only the plain, white
dress in which she had been crowned Queen of
May the spring preceding. 1t was so very plain,
not even bi. ortrmming about the throat"
| "And what are you to wear, Miss Lindon p
said one of the aristocrats of the school, turning
I 81 49,. Il r.. = Il
young stranger.
Virginia bIushed, and said simply, "My white
muslin"
"And what ornaments ~
| Virginia smiled "Oh, can find some bright
autumn leaves for wreath"
| Imogen Grey would have given her diamond
necklace for such blush and smile for her own
sallow cheek was never so illumined but she
sneered nevertheless al the white muslin and the
garland Of leaves and deigned no further ques-
ton.
| Virginia's delicate and sensitive spirit felt the
sneer intensely, and she left the room with a swell
ling heart and fearful eyes Once safe, in the as
ylum of her own little chamber, peace descended
again like dove into her soul, and, after undres-
sing she knelt in her night-robe, by the side Of
her bed, and said her prayer, and sung her little
childish hymn--
Vi old tn Apostle walked the wave,
As ssamen walk the land,
A power was near him strong to save,
For Jesus held his hand
Why should fear, when dangers near!
I'm safe on or land;
For I've IN heaven Father dear,
| And He will hold my hand.
Though on dizzy height, perchance,
With faltering feet stand,
i No dread shall dim my upward glance,
i For God will hold my hand.
But oh il doubt should cloud the day,
And sin beside me stand,
Then frmest. lest I lose my ,cay,
My Father! hold my hand
/ Doubt and danger and sin were nearer thar
she thought, but her little hand was held by One
Who would not let her faH As she rose from
her devotons she saw, for the first time, box or
a table by the bed II was addressed on the cover
simply to "Virginia." She opened il, wondering
and found set of exquisite pearl ornaments fol
the arms neck and head. Her little heart bea
with girlish delight She hurried to the glass and
wound around her hair a chain of snow-gems
less fair and pure than the innocent brow beneath
Next she barred her graceful arm, and clasped I
bracelet there. How exquisitely the delicate or
; naments became her childish loneliness Sh'
thought she had never looked so pretty-not ever
when she used to deck her hair with wild flow
ers, by the clear pool in the woods. And sh
could wear them to the ball But who coult
have sent them? Again she looked at the box ant
this time she saw note peeping beneath the cot
ton wool on which the gems had rested. Virgin
las fair cheek flushed as she read
'Lei Innocence and Beauty wear the gift o
Love. HOWARD GREY"
Had the bracelet been serpent with its dead.
sting in her arm, Virginia could scarcely hav
uncIasped il with more fearful haste. The chair
. too was snatched from her head, and both, will
!. the note, replaced in the box and then the fai
child threw herself again on her knees and burie
her face in her hands After silence Of som
, minutes, broken only by faint sobs, she sung ono
more, IN low and lremulous tones, the hymn
which seemed to her a ialisman for all evil, an
then calmly laying her head on the pillow, an
5 murmurng the name which was music to he
soul, sunk into the soft and deep slumber Of limo
cence and youth.
For nearly year had.he young libentine, How
J ard Grey, pursued her with his unhallowed pa'
T sion aided as he vainly imagined by his costly an
+ and tasteful gifts but there seemed magic hal
around the young Virginia. through which n
shadow ofevil could penetrate. Besides the no
tive purity and delicacy Of her mind, there wer
, two other influences at work in the beautiful we
zfk l. 1a,s;n to nravanf GOA Or ark thFed