Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1844-05-30

to JOY and thoughtlessness, on leaden ones
to sorrow and "hope deferred and our
little Virginia, now lovely girl Of seven
teen, had earned money enough, by her
bewitching way Of Offering matches for
sale, to introduce herself into one Of first
boarding schools in the country, not to
commence, but to finish her education /;
for, with a passionate love Of books, she
had found means 10 cultivate her tastes
and talents in many ways.
The lovely and lonely little orphan hal
struggled with hunger and cold and ia.
tIgue, with temptation in its most alurng
and beguling forms, with evil in thou
sand shapes. yet had she kept the heaven
ly sunshine of her soul free and uncloud.
ed through 1t all. She had never taken
money as gift, nor as bride. She had
assisted, from her little store, many
child of misfortune, still humber and poor.
err than hetself! and with faith, truth and
purity-an angel guard around her--by
the light OF her own innocent smiles, she
glided, like 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 music Of her own sweet
heart and silver voice went always with
her through the world.
1t was on the evening preceding that on
which the annual ball Of the school took
place. The young ladies were discuss.
ing, round the school room fire, the dress.
es they were to wear. Virginia, little
apart listened to them, and half wished
she had a fairy god-mother, like Cinder-
elias, to deck her for the festival. "Pearls,
diamonds, japonicas satins, laees, vel.
vets!' She alas had mono of these
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 bit of trimming
round the throat.
"And what are you TO wear, Miss Lin
don r. said one Of the aristocrats of the
school, turning, with what she fancied an
imperial air, toward the young stanger.
Virginia blushed, and sad, simply,
"My white muslin"
"And what ornaments ?"
Virginia smiled. "Oh, can find some
bright autumn leaves for a wreath"
lmogen Grey would have given her
diamond necklace for suct blush and
smile, for her own sallow cheek was new.
er so illuminated; but she sneered never
theless at the white muslin and the garland
leaves, and deigned no further question.
Virginia's delicate and sensitive spirit
felt the sneer intensely, and she left the
room with a swelling heart and fearful
eyes. Once safe, however, in the asylum
of her own little chamoer, peace again de.
scended like a dove into her own soul,
and alte. undressing, she knelt in her
night-robe, by the side Of her bed, and
said her prayer, and sung her little child
ish hymn-
OF old tn Apostle walked the wave,
As seaman walked the land,
power was near him strong to save,
For Jesus held his hand
Why should fear when dangers near
I'm safe or land;
For I've in Heaven Father dear,
And He will hold my hand.
Though on n dizzy height, perchance,
With faltering feet stand
No dread shall dim my upward glance,
For God will hold my hand.
But oh il doubt should cloud the day,
And sin beside me stand,
Then frmest, lest lose my way,
My Father hold my hand!
Doubt, and danger, and sip, were near
Ell than she thought, but her little hand
was held by One who would not let her
fdH. AS she rose from her devotions,
she saw, for the first time, q box on
table by the bed. 1t was addressed on
the cover simply TO "Virglnia." She
opened it, wondering, and found set of
exquisite pearl ornaments for the arms,
neck and head. Her little heart beat
with girlish delight. She hurried to the
glass aud wound around her hair a chain
of snow. gems, less fair and pure than the
innocen; brow beneath. Next she barred
her graceful arm, and clasped bracelet
there. How exquisitely the delicate or
naments became her childish loneliness
She thought she had never looked so
pretty-not even when she used to deck
her hair with wild flowers, by the clear
pool in the woods. And she could wear
them to the ball. But who could have
sent them Again she looked at the box,
and this time she saw note peeping be-
meath the cotton wool on which the gems
had rested. Virginia's fair cheek flushed
as she read
'Let Innocence and Beauty wear the
gift Of Love. HOWARD GREY"
Had the bracelet been serpent, with
its deadly sting in her arm, Virginia
could scarcely have unclasped it with
more fearful haste. The chain too, was
snatched from her head, and both, with
the note replaced in the box; and then
the fair child threw herself again on her
knees and buried hey face in her hands.
After silence of some minutes, broken
only by faint sobs, she sung once more,
in low and tremulous tones, the hymn,
which seemed to her a talisman for all
evil, and then calmly laying her head on
the pillow, and murmuring the name which
was music to her soul, sunk into tho soft
and deep slumber of innocence and youth.
For nearly year had the young liber-
tine, Howard Grey, pursued her with