Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-03-25
6elertco Gales.
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From Godey's Lady's Magazine for March.
BERTHA.
A STORY FOR The THOUGHTFUL
ny u. HASTINGS WELD.

/ A SILENT group surrounded the bed
side OF dying woman. The apartment
showed none OF that luxury Of the sick
room which almos, tempts the healthy
poor to envy the wealthy invalid. ],
was nearly bare Of all furniture and its
sc an,y moveables seemed 10 tell the story
Of one who, having exhausted all that
the world had conferred upon her, and
used to the utmost Of all that she pos
sessed, was now going out, carrying
nothing with her, aud literally leaving
nothing, to which she held any claim,
behind.
The sound OF distant, clock came in
to the room, with slow and lunerally
distinct u,terance. Ii seemed so like @
knell that the attendants Of the dy--
ing woman raised their eyes from the
couch of death, as If prompted by a
common impulse, and looked inquiringly
with ave- stricken countenances at each
other. The close, warm air Of the room
seemed to turn icy cold, and the hearts
Of the living, no less than that Of the dy-
ing, appeared to cease to beat. The
! clock went on and finished its tale. Ten
-eleven-twelve ! Imagination scarce
could resist the persuasion that each sue
ceeding blow fell fainter as it numbered
the last seconds Of the departing year.
| The echo died away A smile, though
a sickly one, passed over the doctors
face, showing that he, all used to scenes
like this, had paraken Of the contagion
! Of superstitious awe. All were reassur-
!, ed, and yentured TO breathe again-all
but the dying woman. She breathed
no more.
: A slight convulsive struggle drew all
eyes and thoughts back TO the dying
bed. A smile passed over the pale fea-
tures, Transforming the gaunt in suffering
! into the beautiful in death The strug-
gle was over A soul was released, and
the thousand clocks which told the last
moment Of the dead year we're its passing
/ bells.
All we're relieved. Near that bedside
had stood neither kith nor kin. The
stranger had been taken from among
strangers, home and the pity Of those
who had befriended her, unselfish, mas
much as il was not that Of dependents oi
kindred, ceased when the sufierings o.
the dead we're over. Tears fell, in sym
pathy with our common frail nature
Words were said in q subdued voice il
praise OF the heavenly meekness and pa
tience Of the sufferer-now q sufferer NJ
longer-and expressions Of pity for lh'
distant relatives were uttered also by
: those who knew the pangs of separation
, from friends. But there arose no wal
Of grief, no bursts Of unreasonable sor
row for all felt that the friendless ant
unknown, who had departed in the cain
confidence OF a Christian soul, submls
sive to the will Of its Maker, and trustinI
in the mercy of its Redeemer, had ex
!, changed what had been indeed bite
e Journey in the vale Of tears, for we
come in that heaven where tears ar
wiped from all faces.
: There was one, indeed, who, but 10
the happy ignorance Of childhood, m'gh
have wep,-an hour or two before sh
had fallen asleep on the pillow where tn
mother strained her dying eyes over th
infants face, and breathed many, man
prayers, unheard except by Him to who'
:, they were addressed. When the bah
slept, she was removed. Now, as if III
strange presence Of death in the hous
had chilled and frightened her bah
IS dreams, she walked and cried in terro
Is The nurse, confused in her divided dot,
caught up the child and returned to tt
bed again. The iniaD. in her arm
danced and shouted as il saw the fac
which all its little life had been its shie
from fancied danger and lis solace
childhood's little affections struggled
= ee, down and kiss the smile which dea
! y had stamped there cIaPped It's lit
= hands and cried out Mother
20 Day had fairly broken. Guns SCUM
ed wiihou, shouts Of the early revele
rose and The attendants looked abros
al,nos, wondering q. they threw up I,
re, windows, now, tha, the air was scar