Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-03-01

again enfolded her. She looked up and
with something Of her old play.
ful tenderness, more touching than the
widest burst Of grief. $ -. 80
!. !. '.Are you not stronger dear Wflliana"
'sAh, fear not, my love. . s : 3 . ..1'.
'sThis is strange, for when | felt he
strength ebbing from my own heart u
thought IT had flowed into yours
: "lhank God for the weakness which is
loyelier than strength! Inuss never leave.
you, Annie.''' r.: .3-e4 -. a,-.s:. ~.
ssNsvesr' ...,.sss = .,s,,.z=.s95 - a,,.s
T he morning OF the Wedding day had
come; and was arraying Annie in her
bridal dress, o beautiful muslin, guiltless Of
ribbon, or lace wished to twine in her
hair, q small string of pearls, which was
once her mothers, but she gently put it
from me.
: ~What, no ornaments?" Ienquired.
q "None, she replied, @but yes, if you will
go into my garden, you will find lovely
white-rose tree, which William planted
when /, first knew him,-bring me one of its
buds, and I will wear it in my hair
I have seen brides radient in healthful
bloom-glittering in jewels-dazzing in
satins, rich wells and costly wreaths, but
never have 1 beheld one so exquisitely, so
wonderfully beautiful, as that dying girl,
with her dress of simple white, her one flo
raj ornament, the dewy lustre of her soft blue
eye, and the deepened hectic of her cheek
When the ceremony was to be performed,
she wished to rise, and as she was too weak
to stand alone, stood by her side, and sup
ported her.. She smiled sadly, as she whis-
pered-"Y You remember, Grace, promised
you should be my bridesmaid"
As the beautiful marriage ceremony (that
of the English Church. proceeded, the face
of the bride became expressive alternately
of earthly and of heavenly love, of softness
and of sublimity, of the woman, and of the
angel, till it grew absolutely adorable.
At the last, she received the fearful con-
gratulations of her friends with graceful
manner, and with the most cheerful smiles
playing about her lips.
1t was morning. morning born OF
bloom and beauty-so soft, SO glowing, il
seemed
"Like rainbow clasping the sweet earth,
And melting in covenant of love"
Annie Gordon was lying on her couch by
ported on the breast of her husband.
And she, a fathers joys brothers pride,
the wife of two short weeks was leaving us
now. Every sunbeam which looked into
her eyes, saw their violet hue grow paler,
and every soft air which kissed her faded
lips, bore back fainter breath on its light
pinion. Her doating father knelt in deep
trance of grief at her side-I stood holding
one of her hands in mine, while at her feet
sat her younger brother, Arthur Moore
weeping with all the uncontrolled passion
ateness of boyhood.
Annie had lain for some moments appa-
rently insensible, but she looked up yet once
more to William, with her own sweet smile
and murmured,
sPray, once again, my beloved-it will
plume my spirits wing for its upward fight
but place your hand upon my heart, tina
you may know when am gone"
And William Gordon lifted his voice il
a prayer, all saint-like submission and q
child-ike loye. He solemnly and tenderly
committed the passing soul of the wife, tn,
daughter ,sthe sister and the friend to he
Saviour and her God, and meekly imploret
for the stricken mourners, the ministration
of the blessed Spirit. Suddenly he pauset
her heart had ceased its beating! Hi
brow became convulsed and his voice wa
low and tremulous, as he added, "She ha
left US; oh! our Father, she is with Thee
now!" ~ -. ...,-.
sGone! our Annie dead! :" exclaimed poo
little Arthur Moore, and springing forwar'
and casting one look on that still face, h
stretched his arms upward and cried-"Oh
sister, sister, come back to us, come back
We arrayed her in her bridal dress, eve
to the white rosebud, twined in her golde
hair. We laid her to rest by her mother
side, in lovely rural graveyard, and fe,
months after I took her favorite rose-tre
from the garden, and planted it over he
breast.
Our Annie had been gone from us a yeal
and the rose was in its first bloom, whe
William Gordon came to bid us long,
might be, last adieu. He was going GU
as missionary to India. On the last even
ing of his stay, went with him to the grav
of our lost one. We remained till the gras
was glittering with dew, and the stars wer
thick in heaven. Many times turned poo
William to depart, and returned again.
We both had remarked single rosebud
very like the one Annie wore on her mar
riage day, and at that second bridal, whel
she was welded to the dust,-and when a
last William summoned strength to go, h
plucked this, and placed it in his bosom
with many tears.
[ doubt not that in his distant home, tina
darkened land, where he is toiling for Christ
sake, that flower is still cherished memen
to of his sadly beautiful past, and touch
| ing reminder of shore to which he hasten
eth, and unfading cline where ever ivet
he rose Of lpue, in the bloom of immortal
ty in the sunlight of Gods smile.
I, too, am far from her grave, but l kno1
almost to day, when that rose-tree is i
bloom. Every morning. l say, another bu
is unfolding over her rest-how it loads tn
air with perfume, as it sways to the passin
breeze!-and at evening, how the starligh
trembles around it, and how sweetly sleep
the cool dew-drop in its glowing heart!
| @ An old Bachelor, who edits a pape
somewhere in the Western country, pu