Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-09-09


graceful fall, the wealth of light ringets,
which swept her snowy neck. To the
anxious inquiries of her companion, re-
specting the absent ones, Lucy ever
smiled quietly and replied:
"Oh, something has happened to de-
tain them awhile-we heard from them
the other day and all was well. They
will be here by-and-by-never fear"
/ Evening came, the guests were all as
sembled, and yet the " bridegroom tar
ried." There were whisperings, surmi-
ses, and wonderings, and shadow OF
anxiety occasionally passed over the fair
face of the bride elect AT last car
riage drove rather slowly to the door
They are come !'' cried r6any voices,
and the next moment the belated bride
groom and Ellen entered. In reply to
the hurried and confused inquiries of all
around him, Mr.. W muttered
something about unavoidable delay"
and stepping to the side-board, tossed
of glass of wine, another, and another.
The company stood silent with amaze
ment. Finally rough old farmer ex-
claimed Better late than never, young
man, so lead out the BRIDE"
i W strobe hastily across the
room, placed himself by Ellen, and took
her hand in his Then, without daring
to meet the eve Of those about him, i he said;
81 wish to make al explanation-l
am under the painful necessity-that is,
! have the pleasure to announce that y
am aireddy married. The lady whom !
hold by the hand is my wife.
Then turning with an apologeiical
manner to Mr. and Mrs. Dutton, he ad-
ded 81 found that | had never loved,
until knew your second daughter"
! And Lucyl She heard all with strange
calmness, then walked steadily forward
and confronted her betrayer |! Terrible
as pale Nemesis herself. she stood before
them, and her look pierced like keen,
cold blade into their false hearts. As
though to assure herself of the dread re-
alty of the visions, she laid her hand on
Ellen's shoulder, and let i, glide down
her arm-but she touched not Edwin
: AS those cold fingers met hers, the un-
happy wife first gozed full into her Sis
ter's face, and as she marked the ghastly
pallor of the check-the diated nostrils
the quivering lip, and the intensely
mournful eyes, she covered her own face
with her hands, and burst into tears,
swhile her young husband, awed by the
terrible silence of her he had wronged,
gasped for breath, and staggered back a
gainst the wall Then Lucy clasped her
hands OH her forehead, first gave voice
to her anguish and despair in one fearful
cry, which could not but ring for ever
through the souls Of that guilty pair, and
fell in deathlike swoon at their feet.
After the insensble girl had been re-
moved to her chamber, stormy scene
ensued in the room beneath. The pa
rents and guests were alike enraged a
gainst W; but the tears and pray
ers of his young wife, the petted beauty
and spoiled child, at last soitened some
what the anger Of the parents, and an OPP
portunity for an explanation was accord
ed to the offenders.
A sorry explanation it proved. The
gentleman affirmed that the first sight of
Ellen's lovely face had weakened the em-
pire of her palmer sister over his afec-
tions. Frequent interviews had com
peted the conquest of his loyalty but
he had been held in check by honor, and
never told his love, until when on his
way to espouse another. i'll an unguarded
moment he had revealed 1t, and the ayow-
al had called forth an answering acknowl-
edgment from Ellen.
They had thought it best, in order "to
save pain to Lucy" and prevent opposi-
ton from her-and to secure their own
happiness, to be married before their ar
rival at C.
Lucy remained insensble for some
hours. When she revived, and had ap-
parently regained her consciousness, she
still maintained her strange silence
This cuntinued for many weeks, and
when it partially passed away, her friends
saw, with inexpressible grief, that her
reason had hed-She waS hopelesSiy m
sane! But her madness was OF mid
and harmless nature. She was gentle
and peaceabe as ever, but sighed ire
quently, and seemed burdened with some
great sorrow which she could not herself
comprehend. She had one peculiarly,
which all who knew her i'll after years,
mus, recollect-,his was wild fear and
careful avoidance Of men. She also
seemed possessed by the spirit oi unrest.
/ She could not, she would not be con-
fined, but was constantly escaping from
her friends, and going they knew not
whittier.
While her parents lived, they, by their
watchful care, and unwearying efforts,
in some measure controlled tins sad pro-
pensity; but when they died, their strick'
en- child became wanderer, homeless,
and forlorn.
Through laughing springs, and rosy
summers, and golden autumns, and tr6:
pestuous winters, it was tramp, tramp
no rest Tor her of the crushed hear and
the crazed brain.
remember her as she was IN my err
" childhood, toward the last OF her weary
!, pilgrimage, As my father and my eldel