Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-07-13
miscellaneous.
THE WAY-SIDE BELL.
"oh! many a winter night pve wept
And smiled, to hear them toll,
With quivering lip and upward glance,
The iegend Of The beI.n


With quvering lip and upward glance,
Iae legend " The bell"
On the borders of dreary wood, in the
northern part Of Germany, stands a little
wayside chapel, the bell of which is only
toiled when funeral goes past. The toll
ling of a bell is always melancholy sound
but this, although loud, and capable of be-
ing heard at a considerable distance, has a
peculiarly sad and solemn cadence, as if it
knew it was never in future to speak of a.
nythng but death.
In small and pleasant cottage not far
from the chapel, there lived, at the time of
which we WRITE young man called Paul
Vanderpant. For many generations his
family occupied the same house, and toled
and far between; while many legends of
the now fast decaying chapel passed from
father to son, and were repeated with white
lips around the midnight hearth. More than
once it had CHANGED that the narrator was
interrupted in the most interesting part of
those wild tales, and obliged to go forth in
to the dark night, and certify to the living,
by means of the wayside bell, that the dead
were going past to their long home.
The present proprietor, however, was not
one to care for tales or legends he had no
belief in spirits, and he used to laugh at
such superstitions in way that made the
old gossips of the place shudder, and shake
their heads at his temerity. If Paul Van
derpant had of late begun to entertain ser-
Gus thoughts that it is not good for man to
be alone, it was assuredy some other sent-
ment than fear which engendered them, or
he would not have made choice of Gertrude
Hoffman for a companlon-unless indeed,
he thought, with ourselves, that there is no
surer charm against the power of the evil
one than love for one another and trust in
God.
Gertrude was the eldest child of poor
widow, who occupied an adjoining cottage.
She spun and sewed, and made lace tend
ed and arranged the flowers which her little
brother Eric sold at the neighboring mar
ket-place; nursed and waited upon her aged
mother, or romped and laughed with her
young sister Lily. She was never idle, new
er out of spirits, and her sweet voice might
be heard from morning till night singing at
her wheel, or among her flowers, or as she
passed fearessly through that dreary wood
where few cared to be after night-iall.-
Gertrude feared nothing but doing wrong.
Sometimes the poor girl fancied that it might
be wrong to be always thinking ofPaul Van
derpant for, dearly as she loved her own
little circle, she could not but feel that he
was dearer than all to her for it is strange
how soon such affections outgrow the love
of kindred And many time has she
knelt down, all alone in the little wayside
chapel, and prayed to God to keep her from
idols But Paul was worthy of her, and
her influence--for oh, how great is "A wo-
mans influence who loves and is beloved
fell upon him like blessing
Widow Hoffman had seen great deal of
trouble in her day, and although for her
chidren's sake she still chung to life, there
was shadow over her heart that would not
suffer her to enjoy it as she had once done.
From this cause she had habit of talking
weary place, to all of which Gertrude list
ened with hlial reverence and an incredu-
lous smile. 1t seemed a beautiful world to
her, and full of sunshine 1t is beauti-
full world for all and its few days, its will
derness wanderings make us prize the sun
light and the flowers all the more; or, bet
ter still, weans our affections from earth to
that bright and far off land, where there
will be no more signing or sorrow. Ger
trude's creed was, Let us enjoy and be
grateful for the present, and trust the future
to Him who knoweth what is best for US
whether it be good or evil.
Paul Vanderpant, as we have said, was
no believer in the supernatural, or Gertrude
either, although the deep reverence of hel
nature made his mockery appear painful
and for her sake he ceased to Jest upon suci
themes as he had once done.
After all, said Gertrude, upon one oc
casion, when the conversation CHANGED t,
turn upon this subject, there are man,
things constantly happening around us
which are too well authenticated to be de
MED, and too strange to be explained.
certainly do not believe in ghosts, but | a
certainly believe that nothing is impossible
TO God
Lily, who had all young girls love O
the marvellous and romantic, asked Paul
he had ever seen the spirit which was sal
to haunt the little way-side chapel, of whic
mention has before been made.
mo, never and yet have been Their
at all hours. But what is it like, that
may know it, in case we should ever meet 7
Like woman, they say, dressed all i
white, with her long hair floating on he
shoulders"
"Who says so, LilyP
"Nonsense How provoking you are !
But surely you know the legend ?"
"Not l ;" replied Paul, carelessly
"She is said" continued Lily, withor
needing his incredulous smile, "to hav
been the only daughter of proud an
wealthy baron, who wanted to force her il
to a marriage with one whom she could ne'
er have loved, even if she had not been, a