Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1847-07-22


junction, and many time he left the field sports, oil
which he was passionaiely fond, 10 come and talk
with his sister, and lead her into the beautiful for
est, where she could hear the birds songs and be
made glad with the gadness Of nature. But moth
ing could altogether remove the perpetual sadness
which now dafkened The face of the blind GIRL
Excluded from the pleasures of childhood, hers
passed away like a sorrowful dream. She grew up.
living within herself, in a world OF her own imagn.
ing, over which death hung, like an eternal shad-
ow. mysterious woe which she could not faihom,
and which yet haunted her like spectre The re-
membered touch oil that icy hand made her shudder
in her dreams; il was ali she knew Of the great
change. Her mind undverted from the pas, by
any charms OF the present. became dead 10 all out
ward impressions, and alive only 10 Imagination and
most OF all TO memory.
Thus, in this dreamy state Of mind, the blind
girl insensIbly passed from childhood into eirlhood
She had attained the age Of which poets write as
sweetest Of ALL when the bud is Just opening into
Hover, and life is in its hopeful spring. How little
do these said poets know that this is the saddest Of
all. What woman would ever wish 10 be again
Sweet sirieenr Childhood's life is a reverend
ing present, con,ented dwelling on what is best
and pleasanies notr, without memory 10 sharpen the
past, OF anxiety to darken the future. But with
youth, soon-ah, how soon comes the thirst for
soneting more-he bitter, uns satisfied yearning af.
ter vague happiness, some glorious ideal Of human
felicity, the same in ALL yet varied in form, accord
ing 10 the different minds in which il abides One
dreams Of wealth, another Of gayety, another-alas
for her l-oi love; and so the young creatures 90
on resilessy seeking 10 fathom their newly awaken
ed thoughts and feelings and knowing not their
own hearts. nor yet life they wander about. bndly
dazzled or cropping in darkness. until the waking
comes 10 that troubled dream, and they enter on
the reality the true life OF hear, and soul, for which
woman was made
Stella entered upon girlhood with few or none Of
the buoyant hopes OF most young naidens. She
saw not beauty, and lore was 10 her only name
that brought TO her the memory OF her mother--the
sole love she had ever known. ALWAYS thoughtful
she lived more than ever within the dark chambers
OF her own soul-her only world. But that world
now became peopled with deeper and wilder fan
cies; every day new cords were touched in her
heart, the mysterious haFmonies OF which she could
scarcely understand. She loved 10 be alone IN
winter she listened TO the wind until she almost fan
cied II talked with her; in summer, she sat for
hours IN the still, silent sunshine, and thought of
heaven, Of the time when she should 70 thither and
see her mother, with eyes no longer darkened.---
Then a warble--a perfume would bring back the
dreaming girl 10 earth, aud she would think how
sweet the world must be TO others, and droop her
head and weep that she was blind.
One gift atoned to Stella, in some measure, for
the loss Of sight, and that was, sound to which
music was at its very breath Her voice had those
Deep low tones that thrill from the heart to the
heart; not clear, musical, gladstone MARBLE, but q
voice that spoke Of mind, OF feeling, Of passion,
such as came from no angels lips but from wo-
mans heart. We once heard, and from one TOO,
who spoke and thought well, tine saying One
must always love woman who sings sweeiiy,' aud
Sielas was voice not TO be admired, perhaps, but
to be loved, as coming from heart as pure and
beautiful aud sincere as ITSELF Blu, now this lovely
voice was only to her as the means whereby she
poured out tina, overlooking heart in river OF mel.
ody; sitting, Ophelia-like, for hours and hours
chanting 'snatches Of old songs and running her
fingers over that sweetest Of homes Friends the FIRE.
side piano, in harmonious revealings And when,
day by day the vague sadness Of aimless and I'M
satisfied youth grew upon her the blind girl still
chung 10 her ever mournfu strains, that made her
feel less the weight Of her solitude.
There are in life crises, distinct and vivid, on
which we can look back and feel that they have
coored our whole destiny; can say, but for tina,
one year, one week, one day. how different would
all have been. Silently. unconsciousy are we swep,
on towards these moments, which lie like hills,
placed here and there, from whose top we can see
our whole life, like panorama, stretched out be-
fore US aud know that but for such and such
events we should moi have felt and been as we are
Chance fatality, are the words on the lips Of the
wise proud man, in explanation Of this but the
humble, loving spirit looks higher for the unvenH
Of these maryels which pass worldly wisdom.
Thus, nearer and nearer came the blind girl Ia
the boundary Of that golden shadow which over
hangs human life and ever has done so since the
time when the first created one wooed the mother
of all men, in the twilightof paradise. Once, and
once only, can come this sunny cloud over morta
life. Man may love twice, thrice-nay, even wo-
man's consistency may know the freshness of early
fancy, or the calm peace OF healed affections but
be II first or last, every man woman has or la.
had. some love supreme 10 which all others are a,
nothing. And this is The immortality of love
falsehood, or change, or death may intervene the
wounded heart may be healed the tickle vow for
gotten 10 other and higher ones, but no other feel
ings can ever be exactly the same Ii is the ideal
izaton Of love. which happens but once in life
time and which each yonng life that enters ear,l
renews in itself, thus making ever fresh eternii
of love.
Some inexplicable within aured the retired an,
sudous Mr. Brandreih from his home, aud he Sc
of 10 travel on the continent, taking with him hi
daughter YEARLY did the blind girl ask to be lei
IN peace with her birds aud flowers and heavily an
fearfully did she look forward to entering on
world that could bring her naught but pain. Sie
la did not know that the silken thread Of her des
ny was insensibly drawing her towards him VIII
was 10 tighten its burthen, and make all Joy an
sunshine to her. Thus il was that she met him.
Asa man Of science and learning. Mr. Brandret
had the entree everywhere among the gifted, an
the patrons Of such. Thilher he also carried hi
blind daughter, perhaps because he thought
a please her, for he was kind father, in the mar
and perhaps be liked 10 see many eyes resting wit
= admiration on the beautiful English girl. aud /
81 haur ~ H.. -. ID