Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1845-12-18
The Three Brides.
A THRILLING STORY

/ n iHhiLLlNG S1ORf..
do you see," said the sexton, sslhose three
hIlocks yonder, side by side There sIeep
three brides, whose history am atou, 10 re.
late. Look there, sir, on yonder hill YOU NAV
observe a ir'le desolated house with a strae-
giing ience in front, and few siunted apple
trees on The ascent behind it, 1t is sadiy ou,
oil repair now, and the garden is all overerown
with weeds and brambles, and The whole place
mas desola'e appearance IL the winds we're
high now you nigh, hear the crazy shutters
fapplng against the sides, and the wind tearing
The grey shingles off The roof Many wears ago
there lived in that house an old man and his
son, who cultivated the few acres of ground
lha, belong to IT,
! The father was scf-taugh, man, deeply
versed in the mysteries of science, and as he
could tell the name of every flower that bios
somed in the wood or grew ia the garden, and
used 10 ST, up laie al night a, his books, or read
ing the mystic story Of the starry heavens, men
though, he was crazed or bewilched, ard avoi.
ded him as The ignorant ever shun The gfe ed
and enlightened. A few there were, and a.
mongst Others, the minister, and lawyer and
physician of the place, who showed willing
ness TO afoid him coUn,enance, but they soon
dropped his acquaintance, for they found the
old mar somewha, reserved and mornse, and
moreover their vanity was wounded on discoy-
erng the extent Of his knowledge.
To the minister he would quote The fathers
and the Scriptures in The original tongue, and
showed himself well armed with he weapons
Of poemic controversy. He asroni>hed the
lawyers with his profound acquaintance with
jurisprudence, and the physician was surprised
at the extent of his medical knowledge. So all
OF them deserted him, and The minister, from
whom he differed in some tri1ing point OF doc
trine, spoke very slightly Of him, and by and by
looked on the selfeduca,ed farmer with eyes of
aversion. Hc instructed his son in all his lore
of the languages-liIeraIure history. plIoso-
ply, science. were unfolded one by one to The
enthusiastic son Of The solitary.
Years rolled away, and The old man died
He died. " hen storm convuIsed The face of
Nature when the wind howIed round the
sheltered dwelling. and the lightning played
above the roof; and though he went to Heaven
in faith and purify, the vulgar thought and said
that the Evil One had claimed his own in the
elements. cannot paint 10 you the grief Of
The son al this bereavement lie was for
time as one distracted The minister came
and muered few cold and hollow phrases IN
his ear. and few neighbors, impelled by curl
osity 10 see the interior Of the old mans dwell
ling, came to The funeral. With proud and
lofty look the son stood above the dust and the
dead. in the midst of the hand Of hvpocrtica
mourners. with a pang al his heart, but sefeni
~ upon his brow He thanked his friends for
lheir kindness, acknowledged their cour esy,
and then strobe away from the grave TO bury
his grief in the priva.y OF The deserted dwell
ling.
He found al last the solitude OF The mansion
almost insupporiabIe, and be paced he ebony
floor from morning Ill night, in all he agony Of
woe and desola,ion, vainly imporunng heaven
for relief Ii came 10 him first in The su>e of
poelical inspiration. He wrote with wonder
fu ease and power. Page aller page came
from his prolific pen. almost without an effort !;
and there was a time when he dreamed vain
fool y OF Immortality. Some OF his productions
came before the world. They were praised
and circulated, and inquiries Sc, on foot in The
hope of discovering the author. He, Wrapped
in the veil Of impenelrable obsenri,y. listened
TO the voice of applause, more delicious be-
cause /, was oh,aiaed by stealth. From the
obscurity of yonder lone mansion. add from This
region. to send lays which aslonlshed The world,
was, indeed. triumph iothe visionary bard
His thirst for fame bad been grs'iicd. aud ne
now began to yearn Cor The companIonshP o!
some sweet being of the other sex, 10 share
with him the Iaurels he had won--and TO "his-
oer sconsoIar lion in his ear IN moments a de-
Espondency aud TO supply The void which 'he