The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-11-05

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richness of her voice when poured forth il
| song was the secret revealed; and this it wal
} which gave to her singing mysterious, in
expressible charm, felt but not understood
r The listner, rapt beyond himself, wondered
why it moved him so. The group arounC
Madeline would not willingly allow her tC
cease the rich strains that cntranced them -
I" Another,-I beg you will give us another
, was heard at the conclusion of each, and she
complied with a grace that broke not the
charm. l have said that she was not beauti
full but at that moment, her countenance
bathed in the rosy glow of sunset, her dark
glorious eyes upturned to their native Heaven
as if the spirit that beamed from them could
find sympath in that wider, freer, purer all
alone, it was face to awaken as sweet and
passionate a dream of love as ever young heart
knew. And nv cousin felt its power For
the first time the deep springs Of his heart
were touched. / saw it in his beaming, In
spired countenance, usually so collected, so
! impenetrable, in his distracted air. in bis fix
ed gaze of intense admiration, almost of wor-
ship. 1t was an hour and a scene to bring
upon the spirit its most unworldly mood; u
time when the so-called realities of life fade
into illusion, and the spirit-world is bright
est and clearest; when, if there is spark Of
poetry in the nature, it flames triumphantly
through all the soul. AS Madeline's song
ended, she turned and encountered the ar
dent gaze of the dreaming youth. Her eye
sunk, and faint blush mantled her check !;
not that which arises from the conscious heart
at the first thrill Of love-pnly the returning
impress of the spirit that has been wrapt away
into far worlds of thought, and is suddenly
recalled to its own identity and its human
| feelings. My cousin, too, half started from
his trance, but he did not assume the noncha-
lent air and careless tone with which he had
been used to disguise his feelings. Through
out our excursion he bore himself like one
possessed Of a purer spirit, and above the fear
of raery. His eye Involuntary followed
Madeline wherever she moved, but he did
not seek to seat himself beside her, nor in any
way to engage her attention. He was thought
full and silent, occupied with the unwonted
emotions that agitated his breast l would
not for the world have intruded upon the sa-
cred privacy of his thoughts, but l could not
help considering anXiously his chance of win
ming that happiness, the dim hope of which
had already so elevated his being. Was he
one to meet the high requirings of such a
heart as Madeline's? 1t would be no common
being, | had always thought, who should have
the power to draw from their sealed urn the
sweet waters of her love. None had hither-
to passed beyond the outer vestibue Of her
heart. Her fastidious taste had found moth
ing worthy Of admiration in the merely per-
sonal grace, the easy flow of talk and polish
ed manner that usually win for their possessor
such universal and unlimited favor with the
fair. Richly gifted and cultivated as she was,
she could be pleased only by intrinsically
great qualities of mind and heart. These my
cousin possessed if he would but cast away
the false theories that dimmed their lustre.-
He had been playing part in society. Few
knew him as did. Few discerned beneath
that carefully guarded manner and polished
phrase, the strong, deep tide of native feeling
that still redeemed him from utter worldli |
ness. | could not ask for more than that he |
would be true to himself. With his bound |
less capabilities of mind he would quickly be-
come that noble character, beneath the shelter |
of whose love the woman Of his choice might |
safely and rejoicingly dwell. As such char
acter alone could he win the love Of Madeline |
Graham, and from my heart babe him God
speed
was absent from town some months, and
was invited to the country residence of Mr.
Graham, where Harry had now become
visitant The lovers were out
walking on the banks of a romantic stream
near the house, and | stroled into the gar
den and sat down in an arbor to await their
return. The seat had taken overlooked the
stream, and was gazing down in dreaming
mood upon the quiet flowing water, when the
shadow of white robcd lady appeared in its
smooth, green depths. looked up, and saw
in the woods opposite the happy pair for whom
I waited. Most like the angels in Paradise
must they be, whose very life has gone out
from themselves to dwell in perfect trust with
in another Whoever had known my cousin
only as the gay and triAing man of the world,
the devotee Of fashion, would hardly have re-
cognized the TRANSPORTED face and form of
the happy lover. The deep, glorious eyes of
were lifted to his with look oflove
so lustrous that | could not marvel at the ex-
cceding brightness of the face on which it |
beamed. All reserve had vanished from my
cousins eye and lip His own beautiful smile
was there, but tentold brighter than before
for the cloud of worldiness had rolled off from
his soul, and the nature so long imprisoned
within the sitting bounds of a narrow and
selfish principle Of action, was now freed, and
revelling in the bliss of love as in its native
element. They passed on, and gradually re-
ceded from my sight beneath the shadowy
trees, and my heart blessed them as they
went Ever holy and elevating is the first
pure passion of the young Uplifted to a Sc
rene air, the soul grows clearer and more
spiritual. In boundless love for the mortal
whom it has seen, it first learns to love fifty
the Father whom it has not seen.
y Y "
I have visited my cousin in his humble
home. He is content that it is humble, for
love and peace, twin-angels that sanctify the
dwelling place of welded hearts, ever meet
him at the threshold. And their purifying
influence may be read in the new expression
that animates his face. 1t tells of soul that
cherishes lofty aims, and works steadily for
their ful6ment. No lurking disquiet, as in
l, Al, LII, l..