The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1845-11-03
THE THREE BRIDES.
A THRILLING STORY.


Look there, sir. on yonder hill you may observe
lille desoated house with struggling fence in
front, and lew stun,ed apple trees on the ascent
behind It, Ii is sadly out of repair now, and the
garden oveTgrown with weeds and brambles, and
the whole place has desolate appearance. If,
the winds were high YOU might hear the
crazy shutters Tapping agains, the sides. and the
wind tearing the grey shingles off the roof =
Many years ago there lived in that house an old
man and his son, who cultivated the few acres of
arabic ground that belong TO it,
The father was a self taught man. deeply
verSed in the mysteries of science and as he
| could tell the name of every flower that blossom
ed In the wood grew in the garden. and used
TO sit up late at night at his books, or readino
the mystic story of the starry heavens men
thought he was crazed or bewitched and avoided
hun as the Ignorant ever shun the gifted and en-
Ilghtened. few there were, and amongst 9th
ers, the minister, ard lawyer and physician of
the place, who showed willingness to afford him
cnnnlenance, but they soon dropped his acauan-
lance, for they found the old man somewhat re-
served and morOse, and moreover their vanity was
wounded on discovering the extent of his know
ledge.
To the minister he would quote the fathers
and the Scriptures in the original tongue and
showed himself well armed with the weapons of
poemic controversy. He astonished the LAWYER
with his profound acquaintance with jurispru-
dence, and the physician was surprised at the
extent OF his medical knowledge. So all of
them deserted him, and the minister from whom
ne differed in some tTiiing point of doctrine, spoke
very slightly of him and by and by looked ON
the self educated farmer with eyes of aversion.
He instructed his son in all his lore, the laa-
guaGes, literature. history, philosophy, science,
were unfolded one by one TO the enthusiastic SON
Of the solitary
Years rolled away, and the old man died He
died when storm convulsed the face of Nature:
when the wind hOwled round the sheltered dwell
ling. and the lightning played above the roof.
and though he went to Heaven in faith and purj
ty the Vulgar thought and said that the Evil
One had claimed his own in the elements. |
cannot paint to you the grief of the son at this he
reavement. He was for time as one distracted
The minister came and muttered few cold and
hollow phrases in his ear, and n few neiuhbors
| lmpelled by curiosity TO the interior of the
old mans dwelling came to the funeral With
proud and lofty look the son stood above the dust
and the dead in the midst of the band of hypo
critical mourners, with a pang at his heart. but
serenity upon his brow. He thanked his friends
tor their Kindness, acknowledged their courtesy,
and 'hen strobe away from the grave TO bury his
grief in the privacy of the deserted DWELLING
He found at last the solitude of the mansion
almost insnpporable, and he paced the ebony
floor from morning till night in all the aronv of
woe and desolatiOn, vany imporuninp Heaven
for relief. II came TO him first in the guise of
poetic inspiration. He wrote with wonderful
ease and power. Page after page came from his
prolific pen. almost without an effort; and there
was a time when he dreamed vain fuolO of inn
mortality. Some of his productions came before
the world. They were praised and circulated.
and inquiries set on foot in the hope of discover
ing the author. He, wrapped in the veil of i'm
penetrable Obscurity. listened to the voice of an
pIause, more delicious because it was obtained
by stealth. From the Obscnrity of wonder lone
mansion, and from this region, to send laws which
astonlshed the world, was indeed triumph e
| the visionary bard.
His thirst for fame had been pratfed. and he
now began TO yearn for the companonship of
some sweet being Of the other sex, to share with
him the laurels he had won-and to whisper con-
ISOLATION in his ear in moments Of despnndency-
| and to supply the void which the death of his
father had occasioned. He would picture to
himself the felicity of refined intercourse with
highly intellectual and beautiful woman, and as
! he had chosen for his motto, whatever has been
done may still be done, he did not despair of sue
cess.
In this village lived three sisters, all beautiful
and accomplished Their names were Mary,
Adelaide and Madeline. am far enough past
the age OF enthusiasm, but never can forget the
beauty OF these young girls. Mary was the
! Youngest, and talrer haired, more laughing dam
sci never danced upon the green Adelaide who
was few years older, was dark haired and pen.
/ slve hit of the three, Madeline, the eldest pos
sessed the most fire, spirit, cultivation and intel
| ectuaty. Their father, a man Of taste and
education, and being somewhat above vulgar pre-
! judlces, permitted the visits Of the hero Of nv
story. Still he did not altogether encourage the
affection which he found sprnging up between
Mary and the poet. When however he found
that her affections were engaged. he did not with
hold his consent from their marriage and the re-
cluse bore 10 his solitary mansion the young bride
Of his affections Oh. sir, the house assumed
new appearance within and without Roses
bloomed in the garden, jessatnlnes peeped through
the lattices, and the field about it smiled with the
effects of careful cultivation. Lights were seen
in the little parlor in the evening; and mapv
time would tie passenger pause by the garden
gate. TO listen to strains of the sweetest npsic
breaihed by choral voices from the cottage MI
the mysterious student and his wife were neglec,.
ed by the neghbors what cared they Tbe,,
enduring and mutual affection made their boroe =
little paradise But death came TO Eden Marv
suddenly fell sick and after few bonrs illness
died in the arms of her husband and her si.,e,
Madeline. This was the Students second beavv
afllclion
Days, months rolled on, and the only solace If
the here aved vUas In ait with fbo r a