Litchfield enquirer., 1846-01-15
From GrGhGm's Magazine for November.
EDITH RAY.
BIZ FANNY FORESTER.

Pity that Albums should have gone out
of fashion, BEL. / feel like an emigrant re-
visiting the old homestead, when open the
embossed red morocco doors, and read the
Handwriting on the wall" To be sure
there are emigrants who have journeyed fur
Their, and been longer gone; but Change la
bors with the rapidity of second class Irish
fairies, and find but little as / left it
Come to our old nesting place on the sofa
and let US examine some of these tributes
from my school mates. Those delicate lit
tie crowquill touches, surmounted by the two
turtle doves on green sprig smaller than
themselves and unlike anything that ever
grew, are Edith Rays. have her bright
face before me now as it looked when, despite
her notions of pretty penmanship she assu-
med her own character long enough, to give
that preposterous flourish to find 9, then
.clapped her dainty little hands, and laughed
at her own work, as fully conscious Of its
childishness, Chilling doves and all, as such
wiseacres as you and BEL, are this NOR
ming. l thought the whole, especia lily the
doves, miracles of prettinesS then; and,
strange as it may seem, am no happier
since have discovered that they are things
TO laugh at.
Edith Ray was joyous creature, with a
heart so trimming over with mirthfulness,
that every one who came into her presence
caught the infection. She was womanly and
delicate. too, and yet fearless as young ca
gle; doing whatever she purposed in the
face of all opposition; and telling the most
unwelconfe truths particularly when she
might thus unmask hypocracy, or expose any
thing mean and cringing. Yet every body
loved her, for although she possessed dan
gerous power, it was never called into exer-
else for the purpose of crushing being kept
in check by kind and affectionate heart
Edith Ray, as all who saw her would be very
likely to suppose, was only child, and quite
an heiress withal; so it is not strange that
she should take conspicuous place among
the Alderbrook bellies. The schoolmaster
used to quote poetry to her, and bring her
boquets. Mr.. Sheriff., dashing young law
student, was the companion of all her horse
back rides, and walked with her to the church
door every Sabbath morning, with the evil
dent hope of one day handing her in very
gracefully; and the doctor, the grocer and a
"wild slip" Of dry goods merchant, had sew
orally shown an interest in Mr.. RAYS at
fairs truly gratifying. Yet Edith would
parody the SchoolmaSter's verses most ludi-
crously to his face; give her gallant squire the
slip whenever it suited her convenience; and
ridicule the pretensions Of the other outright
1t is strange that the Argus-eyed supervisors
Of our little village had no suspicious as to
the real cause Of Ed1th'S indifference TO
her admirers; but certain 1t 10 ill.,. .
pale, student-like face passed in and out of
Mr.. Rays door, particularly on rainy eve
nings, and at other times when gayer ones
would not be likely to interrupt the visit,
without exciting the least remark. Perhaps
it was because all had decided that the wild
owls son never would introduce a new mis-
tress into the parsonage: and perhaps the
improbability of the grave young pastors
taste, leading him to make such q selection.
Whatever the cause might have been there
was certainly an important life-lasting secret
locked fast in the hearts of Mr.. Robson and
bright Edith Ray. The young lovers were
striking1y cOntrasted in outward seeming; but
there was rich undercurrent in the char
acters Of both that perfectly harmonized;
SO Edith feared only for her volatility when
she gave her heart 10 another's keeping, and
the young pastor prayed only that he might
be enabled to repay the trust The betrolhal
passed, and still the secret was not discover
ed, though Edith had unconsciously assumed
gentle manner, and sweeter expression,
which could not fail to excite observation.
As l said before, Edith Ray, feared moth
ing but to do wrong; and her daring had
been so much the subject of remark, that
she felt not little pride in exhibiting her
courage-a quality which her young friends
took every opportunity to test. Unknown to
her companions, however, there was one
point ON which Edith was vulnerable she
had when a child seen her own mother
stretched out in death she remembered the
rigid limbs, with their white covering giving
fearful mystery to their half revealed out
lines, and any thing that bore the slightest
resemblance to such form, inspired her
with horror.
1t was on fine moonlight night in mid
winter, that social group had assembled in
Mr.. Rays parlor, and Edith, unlike her woat
when Mr.. Robson was present, had been the
gayest Of the party. As the evsning drew to
a close, Mr.. Sheriff. expressed wish to see
book Of eEgrayirss that had disappeared
from :he par.ur, desire which Edith declar-
ed such an evidence of improved taste, that
1t should be instantly gratifed. She tripped
lightly from the room, and as she disappear
ed We all observed that Sheriff. crept care
fully towards the door, The next moment
short shrill cry, followed by low, half
choked sound, as of one strangliny, brought
us TO our feet. With one bound poor Shir-
rill was in the adjoining apartment, but he
was scarce in advance of the young pastor.
The rest Of US followed hastily, alarmed at
we knew not what. But We soon knew
Upon long table lay an object covered with
cloth, with moonbeams Pickering over it, re-
vealing the fearful outlines of human fig
ure with apparent certainty. Before this
crOuched Edith Ray, with her fingers clench-
ed in the masses of long hair descending on
each side of her face, her eyes distended, and
white foam wreathing her motionless lips.
Edith, my own Edith" whispered Rob
son in a voice hoarse with agony.
Edith started to her feet, and the mock
ing walls echoed her wild unnatural laugh.
"Look, Edith-lookG' entreated Shirrell,
ait is nothing;" and he shook out two or
three clOaks artfully arranged. "Nothing
but these-L did it, Edith did i'll put
nse