Tri-weekly journal., 1847-05-27
NO. II


alms-house An attenuated form was LIED out
and carried in, and the wagon rumbed away.
This lcas Lucy Datton brought to her natiUe
tolCR to dis. so
She had been iii a decline for some months,
and the Miraculous strength which had so long
sustained her in her weary wanderings, at last
forsook her utterly. Her sister had died some
time before, and the widowed husband had soon
removed with his family to the far West;-so
Lucy had no friends, no home but the aims
house.
But they were very kind to her there. The
matTon, a true woman, whose soft heart even the
hourly contemplation of human misery could.
not harden, gave herself with unwearying de-
votion to the care of the quiet sufferer. With
the eye of Christian faith she watched the shat
tered bark of that life, sbone down the tide Of
time ii neared the great deep of eternity, with
an interest as intense as though it were roy
al galley.
One day. about week from the time of her
arrival, Lucy appeared to suffer greatly, and
those about her looked for her release al
most impatiently; but al night she was evident
y better, and for the first time, slept tranquil
ly until morning. The matron who was by
her bedside when she awoke, was startled by
the clear and earnest gaze which met her own
but she smiled and babe the invalid good
morning. Lucy looked bewildered, but the
voice seemed TO re-assure her, and she ex-
claimed,
ooh what long long night this has beenl'-
Then glancing around inquiringy, she adj
ded- i.tl1ii
.Where am I?-and who are you? i do not
know you t..t ..a.......I......
A wild surmise flashed across the mind of
the mairon-the long lost reason of the lrandcr-
or had returned But the good old woman re-
,,1ia1 alDolv aud Soo+hinalv
why, you are among your friends, and you
will know me presently
Then maybe YOU know Rlwin and Ellen
rejoined the invalid; have they come? Oh, |
had such terrible dreaml dreamed that they
were married. Only think, Ellen married to
Edwin!--it is strange that | should dream
that
My poor Lucy said the matron, with
gush of tears, that was not dream-'twas all
true
All trtlep cried the invalid, then Edwin
must be untrue-and that cannot be, for he
loved me, and we loved each other well, and
Ellen is nay sister. Let me see them. will
! 90 to themr
She endeavored to raise herself, but fell back
faR9Rgg . n Ri th d5ds tins mean SAID SE What
makes me so weakr
Just then her eyes fell on her own hand
that old dnd withered hand? She gazed ON il in
blank amazement. ffn a4.4i1faf
Something is the matter with my sight she
said, smiling family, for my hand looks to me
like an old womans.
'And so it isl said the matron, gently, 'and so
is mine; and yet we had fair, plump hands
when we were young. Dear Lucy, do you not
know me? am Maria Allen, | was to have
been your bridesmaid
| can no more will not make the vain at
tempt to give in detail all that mournful re-
vealng, to reduce to inexpensive words the
dread sublimity of that hopeless sorrow.
To the wretched Lucy, the last thirty years
were all as though they had never been. OF
not scene, not an incident; has she the slight
est remembrance, since the night when the re-
creant lover and the taitoress sister stood be-
fore her, and made their terrible announcement.
The kind matron paused frequently in the
sad narrative OF her poor friends madness and
wanderings, but the invalid would say with
fearful calmness, go go, go on though the
beaded drops of agony stood upon her fore
head fa
When she asked for her sister, the matron
replied:
She has gone before you, and you father
also
'And my motherf said Lucy, her face lit with
a sickly ray of hope. sr..f ....
Your mother has been dead for the last t,centy
year8p
Dead! All gone. Alone, old, dyingl Oh
God, my cup of bitterness is fullr And she
wept aloud
Her friend bending over her and mingling
tears with hers, said alfectionately:
But you know who drank that cup before.
YOU
Lucy looked up with bewitered expression
and the matron added:
'The Lord Jesus, You remember him.
A look like sunlight breaking through cloud,
a look which only saints may wear, irraddiated
the fearful face Of the dying woman as she re-
piled:
ooh, yes knew him and loved him before
feel asleep la 80
+, The man of God was called. A few who
had known Lucy in her early days, came also.
There was much reverential wondering, and
some weeping around her death-bed. Then rose
the voice of prayer. At first, her lips moved,
as her weak spirit joined in that fervent appeal,
then they grew still and poor Lucy was dead,
dead in her gray-haired youth!
But those who gazed upon that placid face,
and remembered her harmless life and her pa
tient suffering doubted not that the morn of
an eternal day had broken on her NIGHT OF
YEARS.
TIE Finances OF THE WoRLD.-The world must
soon stop, said merchant to Prof Mitchell.