Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-09-15
Leaf IRON Travellers Portfolio.
THE BRIDAL AND THE GRAVE.
CHAPTER 1.-THE BRIDAL,

AA DNADAL avn lhE OhAFE.
CHAPTER I.-THE BRIDAL.
TWAS on a soft, delicious evening IN June that
! entered the quiet village of B, situated
on the banks OF one Of the most romanlic streams
that ever murmurrd in ppcl's dream. The
village is in a beautiful valley. surrounded by an
unJroken chain OF hills nv hose bosom il seem.
cd 10 rest, like an infant in iIs molhcr's arms
while The river chaunls the soft lullaby Of its
reposa. The sun was sinking in the west, aad
folding themselves inathOu Island fantastic shapes,
the golden clouds hung like the gorgeous drape-
Ty Of a mona-ch'S couch, VIII lc here and there
u star peeped forth, as though created by the
glance il arresled and the low winds came whis.
pering by, loaded with melody aud perfume,
born in fairy land.
The busllo and activity which prevailed in the
village, told me that it was no common event;
while the crowd Of youthful loiterors, in holi-
day dress, and lheIroops Of smilinggrIs, in spot
Tess white, that swept occasionally past, with
peals Of merry laughter, gave token Of some irs
i've occasion. Ii was the bridal eve of The beau.
ty of the village. The hour AT Length arriyol.
twas festive night, TOO, in the Skies for the
moon was fall, and she came bIushug like vir.
gin bride, with the starry jewellers around her,
aud erbright beams fell inslvery clusters at our
feet, whilelhe fairy sprouts Of mirIh aud ioywovc
them into feutrs, to chain the laughing hours.
How beautiful that young bride Iookcd-spir.
itualiy beautiful She robed in purest white,
and the fair flowers, culej moment before,
seemed spollesS as II snow-wrealh, on her brow,
with dew drops yet sparkling like spirit tears
amid their leaves. She looked herself IS deli.
cate as the most fragile flower, amid the raven
hair thai fell over her brow like shadows on the
moonlight snow, and seemed to move amid The
scene OF fairy land; aud when, with trembling
lip, she vowed elCrnai COnSlanCy To hm on whose
arm she hung, the moisture IN her gazcle.Irke
eye impaired 4 lovciicr shade 90 her unallprahc
beauty. OH what sconce was this could
never look on bridal ceremony without emo
ZION, and here saw, by the tear that gl,tancd in
every eye, that was not alone; for she who
was onshrined ia every heart, the per-. .ction Of
beauty, the life Of love, ani the soul of song
was enrusIing the caskol OF her jewels, the
hopes OF her existence, into alolhars keeping;
aud was turning leaf in the book Of destiny,
now pure as the virgin snow, which might in aI.
ter years be blolted by the tears Of broken
heart. turned away to hide my emotion. A
soft strain of voupuous music announced, ere
looked again upon the scene. that the ceremony
was finished and that Destiny has set his cter.
nal seal on his decree. A troop Of merry dan
GERS moved gaiiy to the bawitching music, and
the bride Of an hourgidcd inrhair midst, grace
fully as fairy in her grouo to the music of her
rosy shell, like one in the delicious trance Of
rapiurous dream. When she spoke it was like
the low music that sometimes comes wooingy
10 the bosom of an evening breath; when she
smiled, you lhou-si h-r very soul was reyeIing
in those un(athomohln eyes.
could not help fearing that one SO lovely was
not born for earth, aud thuI though beautiful as
poets dream, she might pass as soon: that the
dewey wreath on her marble brow, might be an
emblem Of her lale, and thai like ii, she might
bloom only for season, and then fade forever,
leaving those who loved her 10 wonder at the
spell in which she had flllered their hears; and
tJkneel AT the dese ered shrineo Of their idol. to en-
balm her memory in grier's only uxury-teOrs
But no such dark thoughts Swere admitted with
in the portals of their hearts, and merricr grew
the dancers as they mingI, jnhe" "myslic maze;"
and peals of laughter from many youthful group
told full well that no heqrt here trembled beneath
the shadow Of sorrows sable plume. And the
BRIDE thoughn no merry laughter came from her
HCoNlliS OOSOul-S6ClnCu llG very ulNlully OI
hope, and happiness, and love; aud smile and
tear struggling for the mastery in her eye and
lip. gave full token that her heart was one gush
of joy! Alas! that the sweetest joys are those
that first depart, as the oveliesl flowers are those
that soonest lade turned with u full heart
from tho feSlal scene, and bent my footsteps
homeward. The bold mariners of the stars
were steering their bright barks through thedeep
of the blue sky: the moon cast, with the lavish
munlhcence of an empress, her silver showers
at my feet, while flrecy clouds, like spiril-shps,
sailed slowly through the azure sky. And in
the stiffness of that hour, memory flew unGetler.
ed through the dark realms of the irrevocable
past, and brought on her teor-bahed pnons
many bridal drama, at first as beautiful as that
on which had just seen the curtain raise, in
whose after scene were shed the tears of broken
hearts. She whispered, TOO, of one in which
had stood the hero Of the play, but whose fair.
est image owsleeps beneath the coId-coId sod
But The hearless moon, cold and bright as ever,
still wandered on through her boundIess realm,
smiling alike on the scene of joy and the scene
OF woe, and night still slumbcred on her velvet
car with bright stars gliuering on her azure robe
That night dreamed of the village bride.
CHAPTER H.-THE GRAVE.