The Cecil Whig., 1849-03-17

IS,
her wild life developed fully her physical ma
ture blending the rose in exquisite lints with
the pure lily of her skin, aud flung ires hness, Il
glowing hue of perfect health around her, which
added to the almost iuulless contour OF face a nd
figure made her most indscribably beautiful
She was natures own child in all things--o
| uutr,mneled by bungling art she had given
her an inaPprecablc dowry of bea uty and health;
and her parents too wise to attempt 20 prune an
| originally lovely and amia5lc dispos ton to suit
| the deiorned bias Of their own ruder orr,niza-
| ton, prudently left nature to develop her own
Crea tion in her way, reservng the ir training
until the natural temper ofthe mind had become
firmly established being proudly conscious. that
meanwhile no other mind could cast lis fatal in
tuence OH her pure, guilelcss, unsullcd heart.
| The open hearted, trusting lrankness, the con-
| fding and afiec'ionate disposition and tie force,
energy, decision and lirmness of character which
distinguished her childhood, ripcncd under such
genial influences to strength and power. Nature
had bestowed quick, deep, penetrating, inquir-
ing mind, one which literally found
"ScrnOns in stones
Music in the running brooks,
And good in every thing"
| She could read before she came 10 her wilder
| ness home, but the extent of their library was
confined to the satrica work before mentioned
Her father who possessed a strong intellect.
taught her 10 look 10 nature also for knowledge
--taught her TO reason clearly and Judge from
analogy, from cause to ciect-.aught her not
TO go blndly through the world, but by obsor-
va!on OF the things around her even, to gain
light for future guidance, but taught her ~
creed, guided her thoughts IN 10 particular clan
! nel-aSSStIn9 natlre to prepare her for correct
Judgment, clear thought and judiciulls decisions
III the events fhcr after life when she would
stand ii lone. 1t was placing the useful before
the ornamental, thing reversed in our day
the ornamental is placed first, and then it is rare
| if the useful ever comes.
! She learned to love. as her father had suppos-
cd her W0rntain home-as a nature like hers
dl0nc can love. There was Il romance mixed
with the soitncss and sweetness of her nature
tina accorded we'll with that spot. Full Of sport
aud wulsome glee she loved to roam amid those
wild scenes, or climb a towering rock and watch
! the water "cushlng, flashing and slashinr ~
| GUST as it does at Lodore) or creeping along a
! iarrcw ledge scarce large enough to hold her
| ttny feet, close TO the boiling water-enter the
cave OF The falls by passage scarce large cnoug,
| to admit her slender frame, yet creeping on with
beating heart to- know not what never hay"
| ing courage to 90 beyond certain anrle.
She knew little oftlle world outside for il
was scarce ever mentioned by her parents, and
! the memory Of il had almost faded from her
! memory; but as time passed on adding s'reDgth
! to her mind, her recollection OF it bcclme more
vivid and see could not think it the den of mi
quty her parents thought il to be- but rather very
bright ard very beauiiul and she learned to
sI.II to see it once again. Never concealing
/ wish from her parents, she mentioned 1t several
tunes, but finding it always gave them pa in she
resolved she would not think about it, but the
! thought and the sgl,s would rot be represscd
. a Dg In ,,l1
But it did not affect her spirits--slc was ever
cay and cheerful, singing us sWcetIv in her rocky
! prison as the free and social birds that warhled
back her songs from their leai-thatched homes
above and around her.
Her father had taught her TO draw, and every
rock, clear field, decaycd tree, every cascade
made by that bounding stream by is wild dcs-
cent, every hill side, dell and dingle for miles
around were transferred by her magic pencil to
| papcr.-An old but excellent harp, IA relic of the
family grandeur, employed her nights her moth
cr having taught her to play. and rare and
wlching harmony her fairy fingers drew from
! the melodious strings of the old instrument.
She new no songs but the few her mother had
! taught her, and these were all Of ear hly wo--
for those that hreathcd of love, thing except
! the tIial o! which Anna was profoundly Igno-
rant, she would not teach her.
| She was thus employed one night, some ten
| years after their settlement at the falls, her lily
hand gliding slowly over the strings other harp,
| Tor it was a mohrntnl air, little in unison with
the weather without. A rude, cold autumnal
wind swept in heavy gusts from the creek
around the house; the roar of the fall, as il dash
ed reck lcssly on in the deep dark night, was
! louder and more sul!en. All these things SEEM
ed TO create sa saddening influence on the family.
The fathers head had sunk upon his breast
and the varying expression of his fac G beioken-
ed the working Of some painful feelings con-
nected with the past.
His wife, quiet, atfectionate woman, whose
husband was her guide, her God almost in the
world, around whom her souls afie CT ions twin
cd, and on whom sho leaned as confdingly as
child would Oh Il strong arm, and whose will in
all things was hcrs-ceased to ply with busy
fingers the knitting pms, and her hands and the
stocking on which she had been working sank
into her lap and Ter thoughts as in duty bound,
went back, roaming among the past with her
| husbands
The fair Anna S playing became mechanical
her thoughts were away on iancy's soaring
wings, away back too through the m lists of the
partly forgotten past, TO the bright scene Of
merry England and her ohildhood's career.
John the servant, mistaking all these symp-
toms TO be the certain prelude to sleep and its
mocking dreams, composed himsclfas he thought
|
embrace of Morpheus.
Sill the hand Of the absent minded Anna
wandered over the harp strings. She had in fan
cy aud in memory just reached Baltimore, and
was endeavorng TO live over again her lite there,
when sudden, single heavy knock was heard at
the door. Had the eternal roar Of the "a lis sud-
denly ceased-had sceptre risen from the ash
cs of the smouderng fire, that little family
could not have been more startled A knock at
their door, when for ten l>ng years. no human
face had ever met their gaze! Twas wondrous
strange.
The fathers head was suddenly raised upright
A frghtful scowl hate and rage rapidly sue
oeeding an expression of stupid wonder His
wile's face was pale and anxlous-her ear, as if
doubling lis former correctness, was turned at
tentively 10 the door, waiting for farther confirm
at!Un, while her hand and stocking was uplased
in terror.
! hr,1yo t1,o c1,oipc &c o1,oss 81,