American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-02-04
From the Columbian Magaznc.l
LIXZY-A THRILLING STORY.
BY l.. MARIA CHILD.

LlLLI "A IliHliLLlNp Sloht.
Ely l.. MARIA CHILD.
THE following story is founded upon facts
which occurred during the latter part of the
eighteenth century The leading incidents
are still IN the memory of many Of the nhab-
,ants of Chester county, Pennsylvania
Elizabeth Wilson was of humble, though re-
spectacle parentago. From infancy she was
remarked for beauty, and delicate nervous
organization. Her brother William, two years
older, was likewise handsome child with u
more sturdy and vigorous frame, He had a
gentle, loving heart, which expended its atfoc-
tons most lavishly on his mother and little sis
ter. In their early years Lizzy was his con-
slant shadow. If he went to the barn to hunt
eggs, the little one was sure to run prattng
along with him, hand in hand. If he pelted
walnuts from the tree, she was sure to be there
with her little basket, to pick them up. They
sat on the same blue bench to eat their bread
and milk; and with the first jack-knife he ever
owned, the aifectionate boy carved on it the
letters w. and E., for William and Elizabeth.
The sister lavishly returned his love- If pie
was baked for her, she would never break it
till Willie came to share; and she would never
go to sleep unless her arms were about his
neck.
Their mother, a woman of tender heart and
yielding temper, took great delight in her
handsome children. Often, when she went out
to gather chips or brush, she stopped to look in
upon them, as they sat on the blue bench, feed
ing each other from their little porringers of
bread and milk. The cross-lights from side
window threw on them a reflection of lilac
bushes, SO that they seemed seated in a flower
ing grove. 1t was the only picture the poor
woman had; but none of the old masters could
have oqualed its beauty.
The earliest and strongest development of
Lizzy'S character was love. She was always
caressing her kitten, or twlning her arms about
Willie's neck, or leaning on her mothers lap,
begging for kiss A dozen times day she
would look earnestly into her mothers eyes,
and rGaire, most beseechingly, "Does you love
your little Lizzy?" And if the fond answer did
not come as promptly as usual, her beautiful
eyes, always plaintive in their expression, would
begin to swim with tears This "strong neces-
sty of loving which SO pervades the nature of
woman, the fair child inherited from her gen.
tie mother; and from her, too, inherited a def
cheney Of firmness, of which such natures have
double need. To be every thing, and do eve
ry thing, for those she loved, was the para
mount law of her existence.
Such being was of course born for sorrow.
Even in infancy, the discerning eye might al
ready see its prophetic shadow resting on her
expressive countenance. The first great atflic-
ton of her life was the death of her mother,
when she was ten years old. Her delicate
nerves were shattered by the blow, and were
never after fully restored to health. The dead
body of her beloved mother, with large coins
on the eye-lids, was SO awfully impressed on
her Imagination, that the image followed her
every where, even into her dreams. AS she
e.,
eye-lashes, and nightmare visions made her
start and scream. There was no gentle voice
near TO soothe her perturbed spirit; none to
throw an angels shining robe over the hideous
spectre that lay so cold and stiff in the halls of
memory. Her father fed and clothed his chill
dren, and caused them 10 be taught to read and
write. 1t did not occur to him that anything
more was included in parental duty. OF cloth
ing for the mind, or food for the heart, he knew
nothing; for his own had never been clothed
and fed. He came home weary from daily
toll, ate his SUPPER dozed in his CT awhile
and then sent the children to be-. A few
times, after the death of his wife, he sscd his
daughter; but she never ventured to look into
his eyes and ask-"Does you love your little
Lizzy?" Willie was her only consolation; and
all he could do was to weep passonately with
her, at everything which reminded them of
their mother.
Nature, as usual, reflected back the image OF
the soul that gazed upon her. To Lizzys ex-
cited mind, everything appeared mysterious
and awful, and all sounds seemed to wall and
sigh. The rustling of the trees in the evening
wind went through her, like the voice of a
spirit, and when the nights were bright, she
would hide her head in her brothers bosom and
whisper
"Wllie, dear, wish the moon would not
keep looking at me. She seems to say some.
thing to me; and it makes me afraid.''
All susceptible souls have felt thus, partc.
ular!y when under the influence of grief:
ssThe snow of deepest silence
DER everything doth fall,
So beautiful and quiet,
And yet so like a pail
As if all life were ended,
And rest we're come 10 all"
Such a state of feeling, long INDUCED, could
not be otherwise than injurious to bodily
frame originally delicate. The sensitive child
soon became subject to fits, the severity OF
which at times threatened her life. On COM
ing out of these spasms, with piteous tones,
and bewildered looks, she would ask, "Where
lie my mother7'
fit the end of year all important change
came over the lonely household. A strong,
active step-mother was introduced. Her loud
voice and energetic tread, SO different from heI
own quiet and timid mothers, frightened pool
Lzzy. Her heart more than ever turned back
upon itself, and listened TO the echoes of it,
own warnings. Willie, being old enough to
work on the farm, was now absent most of the
day; and the fair girl, SO richly endowed by na,