The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-09-12

crs, and their white hands folded togeth.
er, the friends Of my younger days have.
passed away, and but few rsmain of all
that company.
Annie Gray died thus. One sglori.
Gus summer evening, when the moon
was at its FULL she. and Ned had been,
strolling up the mountain side, and.
coming down together, had nearly
reached their boat as twilight gathered
around them. 10th to return from the
forest, she bado Ned push the little skiff
almost under the fall, and standing on
rock in tile very middle of the water,
she shook her tiny fist at the cataract
and held amock conversation with it.
Returning myself from q days shoot,
ing on the mountains, saw her on her
pedestal before Twas seen, and throw.
ing myself down on the ground, watch-
ed her with admiring eyes. Undine
herself was not moro beautiful: She
talked to the water as to on old familiar
friend, and in truth if there if there be
sprites aud ouphcs they must have loved
her. Her voice was clearer than that
of the stream, and when she laughed as
she at length did, at some odd reply
she imagined the fall to make, the old
arches Of the forest and the ravine gave
back a musical echo, SO shat | started
to my feet and listened to it as to the
voices of fairies indeed.
But cry Of half terror, and half
laughter, started me, and springing
down the bank. 1 saw her for single
instant as she disappeared in the water.
Her footing had proved insecure and
she slipped from the rock into the en-
brace of the stream she loved.
1t was tho work Of an instant, to
spring cut to her and swim but few
strokes to the shore, and she was not a
particle frightened by the occurrence
on the contrary the woods rang with
her uncomfortable laughter as soon as
she was on the shore.
I walked in that samo forest two
years ago and heard again the music of
that ringing laughter through the long
halls of time; made scarcely mofc melo-
dious by its passage through the corri,
dors of years!
Placing her in the boat and taking
the oars from Ned, | soon delivered
them safely AT the cottage and badc them
good night. The next day Annie had q
ra sing fever and was dclirious for ten
days. ! saw her several times, but she
did not recognize nc, albeit1 was ancar
relative and had known her from her
birth. There was one voice that she re-
cognizcd, and one face that she locked
up to with longing love. 1t was the
face Of Phil. E-, who had won her
pure young heart. But | will not IN
trude on the memory Of that love: which
is the property of but few now living.
Phil is dead too. On the tenth day of
her sickness she slept heavily, and woke
in her right mind. But, alas Tor the
dear ones around her, it was but too
evident she was near to heaven. Her
eye was clear and full Of JOY, as if she
had been, as doubt not she had, with
angels
Old Mr.. Thompson, the clergyman
who had baptized us all, and had buried
oul fathers, and had loved us faithfully
from the days of our first lisping, stood
by her bed, and she smiled joytully as
she saw him.
sAh, Mr.. Thompson, used to wonder
whether l should die with all around
me, and this is just exactly as wished
it. II seems strange too that | am dy.
ing. l don't exactly believe it yet.
Phil, am | dying?'
God forbid, Annie
sAh! that tone, Phil! You mean to
say God only can save me, for all hope
of man is gone. Don't gricvc, though,
don't gricvc Why, it isn't hard to
die. love the dear earth well enough
to stay here, and the flowers and birds,
and the brook, and the old seat down
on the bank of the stream; but / don't
feel so very sorrowful to leave them as l
used to think l would. And I love
mother, and Ned, and Mr.. Thompson,
and-.-and. and you, Pbil!' and here her
voice, which had been low but cheerful,
suddenly trcmblcd and she was silent.
At length she continued in renewed
tone ofchecrfulness; Phil so sometimes
and sit on the old seat down there by
the stream and put your arm along the
back oft and look upland if you don't
feel ray kiss it will be because angels
kisses can't be felt; forif God lets me
I'll come there, and take tho seat which
| have 50 often sat in and lay my head
on your shoulder. Mr.. Thompson, I'm
going to heaven at last in advance of
you. Istartcd a long way behind, but
/ shall be thero first after all.