The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-07-12
Vol. III.

are Romans, and noble, Berenlce! you
will not descend to undue familiarity
with slave."
| Berenice remembered this iniunc.
ton: she meant TO obey it; but shortly
after this conversation she wasattackec
by painful illness, and during the te.
dious hours of sleepless nights, she
could not restrain from desiring Alice
to tell her stories, and sing her songs,
as she had been wont to do. Often
and often, as she watched the quick
soft step of her attendant, and compa.
red her unwearied assiduity and gentle
activity with the Incidence and carless-
ness of her other slaves, she wondered
what could be the crime of which SO
meek and unoffending a creature had
been guilty. One night she felt worse
than usual; and having persuaded her
sister to retire for awhile, she lay per-
fectly still, meditating on the past, and
on the future, that fearful future, OF
which she knew SO little, and which
she SO much dreaded. Alice was kneel-
ing by her couch, and believing her
mistress to be asleep, she prayed in a
soft voice to the God of the Christians
for her recovery. Beienice listened
in still attention; she heard, to her sur
surprise, the meditation of Being i'm
plored, of whose very existence she
was totally ignorant; she saw Alice rise
at last, with an expression of resigna-
ton and holy hope in her meekly rails
ed eyes which she had never witnessed
in the votaries Of Jove. She called
the trembling girl to her side, and bade
her quickly explain her sacred faith.--
Alice hesitated; she knew the danger
she would incur for both, and some re-
mains of the fear of man yet fingered
about her heart; but she conquered the
unworthy feeling, and drawing from the
folds Of her robe roll of parchment,
she read aloud to her attentive audi
tress the record of the most surprising
even, in the ; history of mankind. !,
Months had passed away. One ev-
ening the sisters were together in their
own apartment. Veronica stood be-
fore a mirror; her vest of satin, her
flower-wreathed robe, her zone Of bril-
lants, told that she was preparing for
a festival. At the farther end OF the
room Bercnice was seated. She was
in PLAIN white dress, and her
long hair fell unbraided in its own rich |
luxuriance about her throat and shoul-
ders; with one hand she fondled a
dove, and ever and anon
her dark hair fell over the gentle bird,
and it nestled lovingly within it; the
other rested on a parchment which ap-
peared to engross the maiden's deepest
attention.
"Come, now, Berenice," said her SIS
Ter, playfully fixing the wreath ofroses
for herself on her sisters
olow, "lay aside for once your melan-
holy book, and send your dove to his
est, and come down with me to the
Berenice looked up, and
answered gently:
"Not so, Veronica, not tonight; it Is
he anniversary of poor Alice's death;
md did she not die for love of me,
Watching and waiting when all others
lept? Her image has been with me II
trough the day;l cannot join the BAN
uet with my heart full of sad memo
les. leave me, sister," and Berenice
ook off and returned the wreath. |,
"Yet listen, one word more; thou
newest who will be there this evening. F.;
Ny father will frown, and Lucius En- /;
lus will sigh when 60 IN alone. Lu-
ius departs tomorrow for the battle;
nd shall he 60 without one benison 6
,om his afiancedr' q
"No," replied her sister, speaking c
wv and faltering; "you, Veronica, will h
ell him that | wait to see him here be- c
're his departure" t
"Berenice! my sister, bethink you of t
ur father; remember his patrician pre- S
ldices; surely this step" Il
"Go,dear sister," answered Berenice, v
'ildly, yet firmly, "for the love you bear b
le, do me this errand. would not r
ny other eye should mark the weak h
ess | fear to betraying at parting with e
ne whom my father has commanded g
e to love; tell my father | am unwell, v
I'd it is true, my head and heart ache b
go, dearest" And Veronica, uncon- b
need, yet persuaded by the tears of F
'r sister, which in truth were flowing n
st, left her alone. o
Berenice resumed her reading, but Il
1t for many minutes; she arose and
ut the volume, saying, "Not thus, not fe
US, with divided attention, and with tc
andering thought, may Ipresume to b
Il l. |