The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1850-10-12

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they were really glad when prospect of de-
li'erance FROM their prpsout torment was of-
icrrd fhriu
The count promised that, a. soon a. the
necessary preparations were made, the old
people should be- ssht for, and 30 saying, he
md bis company stepped into the carriage
aud drove oil,
Maria nov becan,e like one Of the counts
avn family, aud when they removed 10 the
metropolis she accompanied them thither--
One morning, during her residence there, an
old clergy man waited on her aud said he hat
a commission for hprr A person who vas
very ll desired n,ost earnestly a. see her be-
fore hrr death which she f-li last approach
ing. lie would give no iuforuluon ~ to who
she was, but said Maria WOultn discover that
for henself Maria was much surprised Ht
this circumstance, and asked advice of the
countess The latter knew tie clergyman
Ia be- pious man aud desired her IT, 90 with
him. At his request old Antony accompanied
them, They accordingly sct ont, and after
long walk came 10 a house in narrow lane.
in the most distant part of the suburbs, IIcto
they had "a ascend Eve flight Of stairs, part
of which were ~ dark tina, Maria was almost
terrified, ~ fhc top of the house the min
istcr opened an old door made 0f few rough
deals nailed tngrthcr7 and they entered mis-
cradle garrett The small window was patch
cd over with paper. a Nrct,hcd bedsiead, aud
IL p1ssible, n sull more wr,trhcd bed, and an
old chair, with water jug without spout or
handle standing on itcomposcd the whole of
the furniture. The person who lay on the
bed was a spectacle OF wrctchcdncss aud mis-
cry; when she spoke, with a trcmulous voice,
aud stretched out her withcrcd hand MARIA
thought shc saw n skeleton. Maria trcmblrd
ia tVory limb, but ~ length, with y great ci-
fort; she approached the bcd, aud, to her hor-
ror and surprise saw Nancy stretched on the
wrvtrhcd straw before hcr-Nanry who had
once hccn the gaycst maiden in the castle
of Eichhurg, and hloomcd like n rose. The
unhappy woman bad learned from the minis
ter dat Maria wa- in town with the family,
and had cutrcatcd him TO bring her, that she
might inform her of the story 6f thcIring and
beg her forgiveness. She would not send
her name, for she was afraid Maria would not
come The kind-heartcd girl exhausted her
sclf IN assuring Nancy thar she had long ago
forgiven her, and that she felt tnpthing now
but the deepest compassion, at the same time
tr'iir ii'rt'rt''i; a. 30 sI. st'lFe at her COM
plant.
An my dear child .aid the minister to
Maria, in melancholy tone; this sickness is
the consequence Of a shameful lifr-ln this
horrible manner can IL waste and destroy tho
friwst form. You arc stil yoarng my daugb-
ter; many will tell you YOU ar' bcautiful they
will oneh speak III n thoughtlcss manner. aud
Jest ut vice; and they may speak eXcusngly
Of IL. examples; temptations may wayHy Sou
like poi. i.ouous scrpcuE then think on this
.ight that is now hciorc you--you now see
When. Nancy was ia the service of the
count, she lad formed acquainianccship with
many dis-oluto characters in the metropolis
Whcnthcrciorc. she was bani,hcd from Eich-
burg, she had come hithcr, lcd n short life of
sinful pleasure, and, hy her indulgence, ,hro't
-4,.-a-lt =. ---4s.i si.ltaAll A-E-TlaiAas
she had been compelled 10y degrees Ia sell for
no; half their value, aud when this resource
failed her. she was iorsakcu by all her form
or associates, and A@ctt ttt'ranru-h.i 70 the deep
est poverty and wrctchcducss. All this she
told tn Maria with tears. Alas. am "A great
sinner, said she, j deserve my fate When
| ceased "a think on God, To listen To any
thing good to disregard the voice of CON
saiuule! WAgp began 10 live only lor dress.
1ittcr, aud pleasure; then did my misery be-
gin, and il has brought me to this. Oh, that
no greater misery awaited me in the world to-
couci You, whom | 80 l;,scly injured ha,p
iorgiycn=uh. that tod also may forgive me-
Maria returned home SO much troubled that
she could not attend Tor dinner Tie ghast-
" form she had seen haunted her and the
hnlt~c voice still seemed TO sound in her ear
This hdcous form was once Nancy she re-
pcatcd to herself many times during the day,
and thought Of the beautiful little apple-trce
whose hossums had been blightcd by the frost
The words ot her father on his dpath-bcd also
t'tfr,r 10 it,-t r,-ulfrtttun, rttl Shc pravrd in
her heart to God, that she might always live
innocent, aud hc preserved from all vrinH.--
She cntrcatcd the countess for Nancy, who,at
her request, sent physician, and food and
clothing, with all that was necessary; but, az
ter much suffering and pain, Nancy died, in
tiTr ...44'rli -y-r7r-- 1t her ',r-t'.----
Early next spring, the count. and his wife
and daughter, aCCOmpaniJd ~ Maria, T5If Ihe
metropolis for Eichburp IL was evening az
the happy party drew near j. their tcstina-
ton. aud Maria, once more saw the beams of
the declining sun shining on the castle. the
spire of the village chutrh and on the below
cd home OF her childhood. She gakcd long
and oarncstly,and could not restrain her tears
-Ahr said she, with deep emotion; the last
time left Eickburp, | little thought should
ever return to it with peace and JOY. How
wonderful are the ways of The Lorl bow MGR
| tciTut IS he truly his Judgments are past fud-
| ing out =
| When the carriage arrived at the castle
, gaic. all the friends officers, and doncsti,s
OF The count, stnad ready to receive and well
come them. Maria was salutcd and Welcomed
| in the most friendly and aiTectionatc manner
! They manifested their joy in every possible
manner at seeing her once more. The old
! Judge, in particular expressed his JOY; he
1'took her by the hand with tatheriy affection
'and Kindness, and entrcated her forgiveness
for the sufIrrnss hc had been the innocr1t.
cause of her undergoing. Before all present
he thanked the count and countess for the
generous compensation they had endcavored
\ to make her, and assured them that, ms that
great blame attached 10 him, he should strive
with all his might to make up the loss Maria
! had sustained az his hand
Next morning Maria rose very carly. The
] Joy of finding herself once more in the coun-
! try and the beams nfthc nnra.ae -...,- -lrirr~-
ling through her window, had awoke hcr-
| She hastcncd to visit the home of her infitn-
cy. and her beloved garden. BY the way she
rnct ru1uy friUnJity fraUTTy fares; IrI1uv OF rfa
young people she hal been accustomed to
present with flowers passed by her, and she
could not but wonder how much they had