Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-10-02
SELECTED TALE.
MARY,
Or, the Blighted Blosso

I Ors the BIZ nj Q IL o s m.
Men have died and worms have eaten them, but
not for love" ! shall not attempt to controvcrt the
old maxim by labored argumeni it may or il may
not be trne-and yet the story that am about to
tell, will go far to show that the triumph of high
moral sentiments over long cherished affections
may work the slow yet sure decay of gentle ma
ture. In the old Church yard, where have often
strolled during the Sabbath moons, in summer and
autumn sleeps the once lovely form Of Mary Oft
en- have read on her tombstone her name age and
DEATH and the single couplet that expressed the love
and sorrow of those who laid her in her last dark
chamber.
Her history often rehearsed by the neigh
bors who had admired aud loved her, but the old
man who had acted the part Of father to the gentle
orphan was never weary Of recalling every virtue
and grace with which memory encircled her char
acter When an infant, her dying mother had
commended her to the Of his wife, who was an
early friend and as she had no children Of her own,
she bestowed all her affections on her adopted
daughter. No pains were spared TO render her
lovely, and her uncommon docility Of disposition
made her general fayorite.
Among her schoo-iellows was boy, few years
older than herself whose neglected training, and
consequent ungracious manners, won the hearty
dislike Of all bat Mary. She felt that want ofkind-
ness made his heart evil, and always to make
HIM gentle aud happy by winning words aud pleas
ant smiles. The consequence was, that he became
gentle and obgng to her, communicated all his
sorrows and bitterness Of heart, and looked up to
her as his only and best friend. He was child Of
uncommon beauty, and under gentle influences,
became even fascinating and refined; but sense
of wrong, Of shame for the misdeeds of those TO
whom he owed his being, and feeling that he was
degraded in the eyes Of the world on that account,
had embitiered his spirit that her love alone
could soften and subdue its asperities. As they
grew older, the ties that bound their hearts seemed
10 strengthen but the evil influence too often pre-
walls over the good, and when he became man
and how superior was the pure and gentle Ma
ny to his dark wild spirit, he dared not hope to
unite her destiny with his own. She with all the
hope and long suffering of refined and Christian
character, sought TO restrain and lead him back
whenever she saw him overcome by temptation, lit
tie dreaming, even then, that her heart was so much
interested in his behalf.
Indeed, their spheres seemed too widely separat-
ed from them even to hold intercourse with each
other beyond the school room. Nor did they for
some years often meet after those days were past,
for Mary felt that his character was such that il
would bring dishonor upon those she loved we're
she TO encourage his addresses She saw that he
became weaker in moral principle her influence
was less felt. She even knew that her rejection
rendered him hopeless and desperate Often, very
often, did she feel she the only human being
WHO COulu ledu nUl INTO pains VI NUluc anu
peace, yet she feared the force Of early neglect and
subsequent irregularities would be even stronger
than her influence and yet her heart would hope
that he would emerge into higher life aud be-
come the fit companion Of a refined and virtuous
spirit. mysterious sympathy seemed to unite
them, yet each felt that the distance between them
was immeasurable. For months she watched his
course, vacillating between hope and fear until she
learned that he had taken TO The fatal bowl and
q banh her bo, nh ha nOl sin ac
she did, she grew pale and weak, and her anxious
friends, blamed the damp east wind for treating SO
rudely their tender blossom. Physicians said she
was threatened with consumption, and advised that
she should visit the Atlantic coast hoping that the
ocean breezes might nvigorste her decaying frame
a oh 7 said the old man, when rehearsng her
story, you cannot imagine how felt when | saw
her wither beneath its influence knew that my
dear child must so leave u.s. and how could our
old hearts endure life without her!
G He soon returned, bringing his dropping flower
TO fade and die among the hills where il had bloom
ed so sweetly Shortly after her return, she COM
muncated the history of her heart to one Of hel
most intimate friends
+ Said she, Il pitiied the boy for those very faults
. for which others blamed for saw that his hear
5 was crushed by nnkindness, and rendered cold and
;, bitter by want of sympathy; and when | used tc
speak kindly, and notice him in our plays, he was
so gentle aud tender, and his clear dark eyes ex
= pressed much gratitude that cannot wonder he
u became an object of childish love- For that car
g scarcely blame myself, but grew older and saw
u that he could hardly become any other than vic
" ious man, erred greatly in bestowing anything
more than feeling of friendship upon him and ye
] did not regret that he was my hearts idol until
saw tina; he was too surely ruined, and there wal
n little hope that he would ever be brought back to
& life Of virtue.
e My heart sank under il, not much because III
II earthly hopes were blasted from the conviction
n that in suffering such love to find place in it,
had dishonored the kind friends who had acted thu
part Of parents to destitute orphan, and more thai
= all, had departed from the peace and love Of th
Redeemer. But the struggle is over, and
sr feel that shall soon rest in peace in the o
Is my reconciled Savior Ii was the struggle between
m love and duty that undermined my health, and ye
for my own sake, do not regret that my heart vii
be freed from its weakness, but for those who hav
n bestowed on me such undeserved affection, | fee
lie most deeply. know that my early death will al
" most break their hearts.
n You have done wrong in keeping all this iron
10 them, said her friend--'they must know it,
Il could not tell them, replied Mary. Il coul
" not find strength TO say to them that the weakness
IN of my heart had cost them all their suffering an
OF sorrow on my account-but if you think justice de
~ mands il. tell it them for me-
When the old folks heard the story-how sh
u had for their sakes, and for the honor of the reg
" ion which they had taught her. RETAINED from eve
H. encouraging his love, they expressed the deepes
rs regret.
'Oh said the old lady, why have you done SC
my childi We would not think Of opposing 20
Us in any thing