The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1847-09-04

avoidance of man. She also seemed pos
sessed of the spirit unrest. She could
not, she would not, be confined, but was
continually 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 this sad propcn-
sity: but when they died, the stricken
child became a wanderer, homeless friend
less, and forlorn.
Through laughing springs and rosy sum-
mers, and golden autumns and tempestuous
winters, ii was tramp, tramp, tramp-no rest
for her of the crushed heart and the crazed
brain.
remember her as she was in my early
childhood, toward the last of her weary pill
grimage As my father and my elder broth
ers were frequently absent, and as my moth.
er never closed her heart or her door on the
unfortunate, "Crazy Lucy often spent an
hour or two by our freside. Her appear
ance was very singular Her gown was
always patched with many colors, and her
shawl or mantle worn and torn until it was
all rpen work and fringe. The remainder
of her miserable wardrobe she carried in
bundle, on her arm, and sometimes she had
a number Of parcels Of old rags, dried herbs,
&c.
In the season of flowers, her tatered
bonnet was proiusely decorated with
those which she gathered in the wood,
or by the way side Her love for these,
and her sweet voice, were all that was left
her of,he bloom and music of existence.
Yet no, her meek and childlike pidy still
fingered. Her God had not torsaken her
down into the dim chaos of her spirit, the
smile of his love yet cleaned faintly-iu
the waste garden of her heart she still heard
His voice at even.tide, and she was not
''aiIaid." Her Bible went with her every
where, torn and soilcd volume, but as holy
still, and it may be, as dearly cherished, my
reader, as the gorgeous copy now lying on
your table, bound Gin purple and in gold"
and with the gliding untarnished upon its
delicate leaves.
| remember to have heard my mother re-
late touching little incident connected with
one OF LGcy's brief visits 10 Us.
The poor creature once laid her hand on
the curly head Of one of my brothers, and
asked of him his name.
civilian Edwin" he replied, with TIM
id upward glance.
She caught away her hand, and signing
heavily, said, as though thinking aloud.
knew an Edwin once, and he made me
broken~heared.
This was the only instance in which she
was ever known to revert TO the sad event
winch had desolated her life.
Thirty years from the time of the COM.
mcncement of this mournful history, on
bleak autummal evening. rough country
wagon drove in the village ofC---. 1t
stopped at the almshouse, an atlenualed form
was lifted out and the wagon rumbled away
THUS aras Lucy DITTO" brought to her natice
tOugl 10 die,
She had been in Il decline for several
months; and the miraculous strength which
had so long sustained her in her weary wan
dein4s al last forsook her utterly, Her sister
had died some time before, and the widowed
husband had soon after removed to the far
West. SO Lucy had no friends, no home but
the almshousc.
But they were very kind 10 her there.
The matron, a true woman, whose heart
even the hourly contemplation of human mis-
cry could not harden gave herself with I'M
wearying devotion 10 the care of the quiet
sufferer. With the eye Of christian faith, she
watched the shattered bark of fiat life as
borne adown the tide of time, it neared the
grea. deep Of eternity with an interest as in
tense as though itwere royal galley
One day about week from the time of
her arrival; Lucy appeared to suffer greatly,
and those about her looked for her release
almost impatiently; but at night she was evil
IDENTITY better, and, for the first time, slept tran
gully until morning. The natron, 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 moning!" Lucy looked bewildered,
but the voice reassured her, and she exclaim-
ed
ooh! what a long, long, night this has
been! Then glanciug around inquirngly,
she added, "Where am Il And who are
you? | do not know YOU"
A wild surmise flashed across the mind
of the maron. The long lost reason Of the
panderr hadret,uncM But the good woman
replied calmly and soo'hingly--
"Why, you are among your friends, and
you will know me presently"
"rhen may be you know Edwin and FL
len," rejoined, the invalid. 'Ilave they
Gomez Oh! had such terrible dream! II
dreamed that they were married! Only
think, Ellen married 10 Edwin IT'S strange
thai should dream that"
only poor Lucy" said the matron, with
l IL. ,4,t L