Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1849-01-11
Select Gales.
From the LADIES' National Magazine.
J L SSIC CA;
OR, A STRAY LEAF FROM THE
HEART.

BY JANE T. HARDIN.

Three months from this time and that
cottage was the scene of sadder SUFFERING
Mrs. Stephens, who had enjoyed almost I'M
interruted health during her whole life, had
at length been stricken by disease; the
time had come when she was to be " gath
cred to her fathers" and she was with
Christian resignation yielding up her soul
to the Father of Spirits" Her two old
servants stood looking OH the death, while
the tears rolled down their sable cheeks,
Jesslca knelt by the bedside, her hand
clasped within that of the dying woman,
her whole frame quivering with emotion,
with each convulsive sob it seemed a though
the heart Of the maiden would break.
"My childw the old lady articulated,
" do not cry sorely. God will take care of
you. You have been a good child. Meet
Inc up-up--I-come !" she murmured,
and then moro distinctly repeated, 81 am
the resurrection, and-and-ne ill.," and
then she breathed that long, deep sigh, the
sound of which has fallen sadly upon many
an ear; that sigh which extinguished the
last faint spark in the anxious breast of the
listener; that sigh which is the farewell of
the wearied heart to the sorrows of earth.
Most happy is it that when the affections
of life bear down too heavily upen us we
find refuge in insensibility as Jessica sunk
to the earth unconscious Of her sad loss and
most forlorn condition, a stranger who had
ward and received her in his arms IT, Ho
was gentleman who had reached the the
meridian of life In travelling through The
country he was oyertaken by nipbt ST. VIC
ing light he had. stopped to inqui.e S i.t.
way farther, when he was made witness to
this scene of woe, Taking her up in his
arms, he laid her upon the bed in the ad-
Joining room, and after chatting her hands
for some moments he perceived the signs of
returning sensiblity, and left her in the
care of some neighboring women who had
Just arrived. Unwilling to leave one APP
parenty so helpless, he re entered the room
where the corpse lay, and taking family
Bible from a shelf, he passed into little
room usually occupied by Jessica, where a
light had been left burning. He sat down,
and rejecting upon the sad scene he had
Just witnessed, began to turn over the leaves
of the Bible to find portion suited to the
present solemn occasion; but as he turned
he came to the family register, " Frederic
and Mary Loraine!" he repeated aloud,
that can be no other than my posr broth
err and his wife; but how came the Bible
here, and who are these peopew He was
too anxious to sleep, SO going out in front
Of the cottage, he walked to and fro until
day.
By the next evening the neighbors had
gathered in and all was disposed for the
last solemn rites to be paid to the dead.
The grave was dug in quiet spot where
the leaves rustled in the wind, and the sun
beams shone curiously through the over
arching branches upon the green grass.
Still the stranger lingered and after all
was over, and Jessica had seen the cold
mould piled upon the only heart in the wide
world that loved her, and had returned to
her lone home feeling very miserable, he
tapped at the door and was bid in low
voice; come in"
When she saw him she started with sur
prise, for she had noticed no one since the
death Of her beneIactress, and he was a
stranger; advancing TO her, he said, 81
hope, young lady, you will pardon my in.
trusion at time when you have so much
for grief, but too have my anxeties, and
am sure you will not hesitate to lessen them
by informing to whom that large family Bi.
Bile belongs, and how it came here"
"That Bible" she replied, "was my faith.
er's and when he and my poor mother died
it became mine"
The old gentleman caught her in his
arms, and as he kissed her again and again
the warm tears fell upon her face, and she
felt that she was not alone in the world
"God had tempered the wind to the shorn
lamb"
"And you are the child of my poor bro
Their, and he is, as feared, dead poor
poor fellow" After weeping some time il
silence, he said, "and were you his onl,
childP'
Yes, sir, he had no other"
Poor fellow how rash he was Iva.
his brother, some years older than himself
he was the joy and the pride of our family
had married, and having lost my wife
took my little son and went to France
While was absent your father married /
lovely woman-I knew her well-hut ont
who belonged to a humble family. Ny faith
er, who was descended from noble famil
in England, and had all the aristocracJ 0
feeling so common to the old Virginians
could not brook this stroke to his PRIDE
He refused to be reconclled to my brother
or give him any assistance. Your parent