The Columbian fountain., 1846-03-09
WASHINGTON,
WILLIAM WORDSWORTH THE
STATESMAN. @ Ar

STATESMAN.
IN NINE PARTS.
By the author Of g The Exiles Grave" The Retro
pect,o aSketches," &c. &.
CONCLUDED.
PART Ix--THE REFORMED MAN.
All sther soft'ning, sober evening takes
Her wonied station in the middle air,
A thousand shadows at her back. Thomson.
The night was calm, bright, and lovely.
The sky was unclouded. The moon and
stars, from their golden orbs, were pouring
a soft, modest, and mellowing influence
over all earthly objects. Nature appeared
in her, sweetest, purest garb, and seemed in
the enjoyment Of heavenly repose. It was
such time when imagination chooses to
plume her wings and sore ethereal heights,
and when the heart is most devoid of earth
and its vices, and most open to the warm
feelings Of love, or to religious devotion
and heavenly aspirations. AT this hour was
to be seen vending his way from the SUI
burbs Of the capit,l, a solitary man, whose
infrm step, pale countenance, and agitated
department, at once spoke his sorrowful
situation: he was an invalid, and misera-
BILE, unhappy man, one whose whole life
had been spent in dissipation and vice, and
whose memory dwelt upon few "green
spots" on the dreary waste he had traversed.
He was just recovering from severe sick
ness, during which, his mind had dwelt
upon his crimes and the misery which they
had caused: lemorse had taken firm hold of
his heart. He had been at the very verge
Of death, and the prospect assumed more
terrifying aspect than he could have ina
gined. He was now taking moonlight
ramble, and indulging in reflection.
He proceeded towards grave yard,
where arriving, he sat himself down, and
INDUCED in thought. He was disturbed
from his revere by approaching footsteps;
on looking up he perceived woman whose
dishevelled locks, wild unmeanng eyes,
and gestures and actions bespoke ruined
intellect. She was leading boy, lovely
and beautiful, by the hand. They passed
without noticing him, and approached a
grave. It was the grave of one who had
lately fallen victim to our night rambler.
Upon approaching the grave, the woman,
no longer contained her sad emotions, but
broke forth in paroxysm Of weeping and
bewailing, truly frightful. At this moment
soft and heavenly strain of music, from the
harp of some nocturnal minstrel, was watt
ed to the ears of those in the silent grave
yard. Who has not felt the magic of music
by moonlight? The woman ceased her
rawlings, seated herself with her boy upon
the grave of her murdered husband, and be-
came absobed in thought!
And how felt the wretched spectator at
this solemn hour, in that melancholy place?
ayes, how felt be the wretched man,
Reclining there-while memory ran
Der many year Of guilt and strife,
Flew Ger the dark food Of his life,
Nor found one sunny resting place,
Nor brought him back one branch of grace ~
The romantic scene-the graveyard
the widowed wife and her orphan, seated
beside the grave of their husband, father
that husband and father too, slain by him !;
and soft, enchanting music, operated upon
him as nothing had ever done before.
"He hung his head-cach nobler aim,
And hope and feeling, which had slept
From boyhood's hour, that instant came
Fresh Ger him, and he wept! he weptv'
His heart melted beneath the sweet, soft
magic influences around him, and in thn
hour WILLIAM WORDSWORTH felt his eyes
bedewed with the
"Blest tears Of soulfelt penitence,"
and he knel-and over the grave of him
he murdered, and by the side Of those
whose hopes and happiness he had wreck
ed, he lifted his bloodstained soul TO mer-
ciful heaven in fervent, penitentia prayer!
The duelist rose from his knees an altered
man. He spoke to the lady; confessed
who he was and humbly entreated her
forgiveness. No answer was returned
Alas her tongue was silent She had
attained her last wish--she had seen nd
pressed her lips upon the grave of her
Charles The "golden bowl was broke n, ,
the 'siver cord loosened," and the soul
Of Maria had winged its fight beyond
earth, pain and sorrow William became
father TO the son of the devoted couple
whom he had destroyed, and trained him
up in the observance and practice Of those
virtues which alone can smooth lfe's rug
ged path, and sweeten the cup of existence
--~-~~~~~-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~,
TIMEING IT..
A minister in the Highlands Of Scotland
found one OF his parishioners intoxicated