Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1849-03-16
Volume 1j.-..Namber g..
mistcllaneous.
A SKETCH FROM LIFE.
BY GRACE GREENWOOD.

Parting the hair so softly on my brow.
Hhas come over gardens, and the flowers
That kissed it, are betrayed; fer as itparts
With It's invisible fingers, my loose hair,
know It has been trifng with the rose
And STOPPING to the violet. There is JOY
For all Gods creatures in it. Thewet leaves
Are stirring at its touch, and birds are singing
As if 10 b eathe were music, and the grass
Sends up its modest odor with the dew
Like the small tribu te Of humility.
The delicious morning which is glowing a.
round me, and which has recalle the exquisite
description of our gifted co ounlryman, brings al
so to my mind the recollection of one as fresh
and beautiful, "in the days that are gone"
well remember how the sense Of that morn's
exceeding loveliness burdened my heart with "A
sweet wejght,-and how, at last, hinging aside
the dull book which had attempted TO study,
caught my light sunbonnct and bounded out Of
the house, which outward bloom and beauty had
rendered prison.lke. | then turned my steps
towards fine old mansion, the home of a very
lovely girl who had been endeared TO me by
years of constant and intimate intercourse. or
late there had been formed new tie to bind our
hearts-she had become the betrohcd of zone
of ours,' iavorte cousin, and the engagement
was joyful event to all concerned
Annie Moore, sweet Annie Moore, how thou
gIdeSt before me, in thy soft ETHEREAL loveliness,
ike gentle spirit from a holer clime With
thy form of IiIy-iko grace, tall and fragile
with all thy young heads shining bands,
And all its waving curls Of gold,"-
with thine eyes Of soltest violet and thy check
OF delicatest rose bloom.
81 must think of thee
Oh gentlest! as knew thee we'll and long,
A young glad creature with a lip of song,
An eye Of radiance and soul of glee--
Singing sweet snatches of some iavorte tune,
Or wandering by my side beneath the sky of June.
William Gordon, The lover of Annie Moore,
was an exalted, yet most Ioveabe character,
an embodiment OF intellect, manliness, faithful
affections and lervent piety. He was young
student Of Divinity,-had been self supported
almost sel-cducaied, and At the lime Of the com.
mencement Of this sketch, was in the expecla-
tion of entering upon the ministry in the course
of year.
And this man, poor, unknown and devoted to
Il holy calling, was the choice Of Annie Moore
the wealthy, the beautiful, the luXurously rear.
ed! "'Twas passing strange"--our worldly
ones wondered at, aud our sewing circle gossip
| ped about the matter, for a month or two, and
then tho ruhled tide of our village life flowed Oh
as usual. But | was on my way to pay Annie
a morning visit William Gordon had called
the night before, to bid US adieu, as he was to
be absent for many months, and | thought his
betrothed needed little cheering up.
found her sitting at her work, as usual,
but slight tremulousness of the voice, and a
gIistoning Of the long brown eye-Iash, told Of
the painful parting which had just taken place.
when will William reIurn" presently in
quired.
"ln May--liule less than one yeal."
Sand then!"
| Sand then we are to be married-so hold
yourself in readiness to be my bridesmaid"
The summer passed a season of earnest, unit
ring and prayerIuI toll, on the part Of the young
student, and of patient, hopeful and sustaining
love on The part Of his betrohed. Then came
the chill Of Autumn, followed by winter of un
common severity. Our dear Annie while on {
night visit 10 dying friend, was exposed TO
sudden and fearful storm--took cold-ah, does
not my reader anticipate the mournlul conse
quence! Her mother and elder sister had dice
of consumption, and soon, very soon, the seal o
death was on her blue veined GROW, and the We
ry voice Of the grave sounding in her hollow
cough which shook her fragile frame. We
knew that she must die. and she, unlike many
consumplive; knew it also; yet she was strange
y averSe to acquanting her absent lover will
the fearful truth. She wrote to him that sh(
had been W--was still suffering from debility
that he must not be troubled about it, nor be pain
fully surprised by her changed appearance, wheI
he should return in the spring. Not one wor
OF the dread last parting before them--of tn
grace which might
"Rival the bridegroom, and take from his side,
To repose in its bosom, his beautiful bride"
At length May came round again, and with
returned William Gordon the young clergyman
He was bowed to the earth by the great and un
Iooked.for affliction which awaited him--ye
meekly drank he the bitter cup, for his God ha
mingled it,
Sweet Annie was psssng rapidly from earl
growing more and more fragile in form, on
angelic in spirit day by day, and poor William
became intensely desirous that their union Nigh
take place. Annie's friends readily assented
but she to our surprise firmly refused 10 gran
the mournful request Of her broken-hearted lov
er.
One evening he was sitting alone by her sid
as she was hal-reclining on couch; the hec
tic flush was more startling bright than usual Of
: her cheek for she had suffered much that day
and us he thought how very near might be tn
dark wing Of Gods dread angel, he took he
wasted hand in his and said
"Oh, my Annie, let me call you wife, befor
you leave me! You would not be so utterly 10:
TO me then, for would know YOU bearing tn;
sacred name in Heaven. Refuse me not love.
: "Oh William, William, urge me no longer,
she replied, sit must not, cannot bel am tn
bride of heaven, you must not be my husband
and hear me, dearest, you must no longer
: near me--your love is precious, but it is earIhl
. and it comes as cloud between me an the gle
ries of that upper world, to which haster
, Your voice, my own, is sweeter to me than tn
hymns of the angels, heard in my dreams {
Heaven! We must part, noD--lor every hou
renders you dearer, and how can leave you ;