The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-11-03
The Leper's Bride.
BY MRS. >. J. HOWE,

love tnee, an! 100 well i love thee
she softly murmured, as she hid her bushes
in his bosom.
Surely thou dost not blush to own it;
thou art all my own-the last VOW has been
spoken--the blessing of the priest has been
registered, and we are one.' sTo be parted
40 more : she whispered.
'No more, dear one here in this proud
city Of Damascus, than which there is none
more beautiful, we willlive and die-happy
in the love treasures Of our own hearts, and
the compromising of choice friends.'
'Ah! and we have so many friends and
our dear kind parents, they are with us. and
have blessed our union; Benoni, there Is
not clond upon our sky!' 'No, one. The
God of our fathers has given us all earthly
good we have youth, health, riches,
friends; the world can give US no more, and
above all, have thee, thou art my own
'Thine own forever
'In allmy dreams, for years gone by, thou
hast been pre-eminent; through them all
have longed for this hour-to call thee mine,
and away through the broad future, still
look for years Of perfect happiness
'Dear Benoni,is happiness ever perfect il
this world = Surely ours is so. Can aught
be more Perfecl?' Than it is nor it could
not be; but will it be always thus? VIII
there come no cloud to darken, Denoni p
'Clouds this is not an hour to dream Of
clouds. What dost thou aueur from, dear
est? is it from the stars? IT so, look up, see
how brightly they are shining-how loving
ly they look down on u.s.
81 do not read the stars, Benoni but hu.
man happiness is of so frail texture, i, is so
Irnp tbnt q - L.
plucked from the stem beautiful rose. sis
its own type; breath may scatter its deli
cate petals, or rude hand crush out its life
and beauty forever!' But we are very
happy; and in all the future l cannot dis
cover the sma Hest germ ofubhappiness the
possibility Of cloud arising. II is not well
to let these sad thoughts eucroach upon our
bridal hour
'They are not sad they are only pu,ifi
ers, that cleanse the heart. the whispers ui
angels, perhaps, that warn H. not, Ia rely tro
firmly upon ourselves. But We are harry.
happy, indeed'
The young bridegroom pressed his bride
fondly toh his heart: aud then throw ing him.
self in'o listening attitude. Ne laid Hank!
they are seeking u>. and w have been m.
courteous 10 leave our guest, 81 long. let us
20 ! and passing his ann gently mound her.
he assisted her Ia rise, aud they took their
way through dim aud >hadowy walk To.
ward the dwelling.
A few short hours before, they had been
made orc, by all the solemn rites of the jew.
ish religion; for they were Jewish lovers of
the highest caste. They had stolen forth
from the iestal hall from the gay and light
hearted guests TO speak for moment Of
their own exceeding happiness; and, seat.
ing themselves among the flowers of one Of
the lovcliest gardens OF Damascus, they
soon forgot that the world had aueht but
their own breathing forms. Let us follow
them into that noble palace; the lights are
flashing through the windows, and beautiful
ticwer-Vines are peepinc in; the orange
trees are throwing their incense Oh the
breeze, and their white and star-like bios.
SONS twinkle in the moonlight as If they
would outvie the stars, in the far blue hea
vens; within are the loveliest forms of hui
man beauty, and as they pass and repass
each other, rich jewels flash in brightness
rivalled only by brighter eyes. Seated in
the recess of richly curtained window, you
see Benoni and his fair bride, hand clasped
in hand; they are still dreaming of the fu.
ture. All! little think ye, dreaHers of a
glorious present, Of the myriais Of evils that
are constantly lcagueing together TO destroy
your future! And now they arise; with
arms entwined around each other, they trea d
the marble floor, but see, the color has left
Benoni's cheek (; the brightness Of his eye is
dimmed; the ruby has passed away from
his lips; his brains reel, he io,ters, he falls
With shrek that made the hearts of the
guests stand still, the bride kneels beside
him, and bares his bosom to the air; but why
does she so quickly draw down his robe over
his breast, aud throw herself upon him with
such frantic grief? Alas even while the
sky was cloudlcss, the lightning flash has
descended enoni, the lover, the bride.
groom, is leper.
The distracted bride is torn away, and
carried to her desola,e chamber; and those
who but few moments before were fawn.
ing aud smiling upon the miserable husband
shrink from him with horror and loathing
and few Of those in authority, who were
once his best friends with threats and jeers
drive him out before them to return 10 more
10 the bosom of society. o, how quickly i,
the Eden of earthly happiness despoiled oil
its earthly beauty; how soon are all its faiI
proportion marred, and its bright hued
flowers crushed to revive no more!
On, on, Benoni flew through the dark de.
serted streets Of Damascus, not knowing Oh
caring whither--ior the world TO him wa.
but wide and extended desert. A few Of
the iniuriated servants, who once would
have knelt at his feet for smile, still pur.
sued, and cried away, away, with the lep,
er.' Having reached the outskirts of the
city, he threw himself down heavily; the
flowers were blooming around him; the or
ange trees swinging their blossoms in ih,
air above him; and now before him arost
the vanity, the perishableness, Of all human
happiness. He who but a few moments be
fore was the idol of a throng; who sat upoi
the highest pinnacle OF earthly biss,in who's,
bosom love and hope delighted to make lhei
dwelling, was now wretched outcast, gro
yelling in the lowest depths of human n.is
cry: robbed Of all that had 50 lately mad,
the world an Edrn-the bride al an hour
torn from his bosom wealth aud honor con
tiscatcd forever, and he the victim oi diseas,
too horrible 10 dream OF. All! human hir
such is only one Of the many i,a,tul phase,
which thou do>t assume
Vainly did B,noni strive to uurnch III,
fire IN his heart--io >ull It's fearful irrin
bling> and death, in any form, would hav,
been welcomed gladly, A step started INN