The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-11-15


she thought how much happier had been her
late, if'Afl4f years ofblisA, ths beii Nvere INV
tolliRg for,her funeral, and she vero followed
to tho grave by the old affection of her eArli' !
est lover, long her husband, Bat Why had
she returned 10 him when iheiV cold hoaris
'hrapk fom sagh olhsrs embrace laaH
Still tho death bell tolled 81 moprnfully,
that ihe sunshine seemed 10 iAde In the Ar,
A whisper communicated from those Who
stood nearest the windows, now spread bro
the church hearse with train Of several
coaches wAs creeping through ihe streets,
conveying srme dead man 10 the ehurshyaTd
while the bride awaited living one at the
altar, Immediately after, the (ootstepy oftee
bridegroom ana his friends were heard atfhe
door, Tho widow looked down ihd AislsAnd
elenohed the Arm ofone Of her bridemAids in
her bony band, with sueh unconscious vio-
lener, thAtih fair girl trcmbled. =.
"You Brighten me, madam - cried she.---
"For Heavens sake what ia the matter 2"
ANa4Liae, ma aeAE.-nniina-a nnsnercd
the widow then Whispering close 70 her ear,
I
rid Of I am expecting my bridegroom 20
come into the ehureh with nay FIRST two hus-
hands for groomsmeni' 20 .ru
"I.ook, look !" screamed the bridsSmaid,---
"WhAt is here The fsherAlr .l .,.,-
A. she spoke, dark procession paced into
The church. First came an old man and wo-
man, like chief mourners nj funeral, Nitired
from head to foot in the deepest black, all but
their pale features aud hoary hair he lean
ing on staff, and supporting her dccrcpit
form with his hervclcss arm. Behind ap-
peNrcd another, and another pair, as aged, A.
black, and As mournful M the Grst AS they
drew near the widow recognized in every
face some trait Of former Friends, long forgot
ten, but now returning rs from their graves,
to warn her 10 prepare shroud, or, with
purpose almost ns unwclcome,io exhibit their
wrinkles and inhrmity, aud calm ber as their
companion by the tokens Of her own decay
Many merry night has she danced with them
in youth, And now, in j"ylcss age, she felt
that some withcred partner should request
her hand, and all unto in a dance Of death,
To the music Of the funeral bell.
While these aged mourncr were passing
Up the aisle Il was observed, that from pew 10
pew, the spectators shuddered with irrepress-
iblc awe. as some object, hitherto concealed
by the intervening figures, came full in sight.
Many turned away their faces; others kept
a Fixed aud rigid stsrcj aud a young girl gig
gtcd nyncntAty, and fSinted With laughter
on her lips. When The spectral procession
approached the altar, each couple separated,
and slowly diycrgcd. i'll in the centre APP
pcarcd form tha, had been worthily usher
ed in with all this gloomy pomp, the death
kncll, and the funeral, 1t was the bridegroom
w 4his si,ronsI
No garb but that Of the grave could have
beitted such death-liko aspect the eyes,
indeed had the wild CLEAN Of sepulchral
lamp; all else was fixed in The stern cNlmncss
= which old men wear in the coffin. The corpse
; stood motonless, but addressed the widow in
deep accents that seemed TO melt into the
: clang fthe bell, which fell heavily on the
air while he spoke
Come, my bride said those pale lips
The hearse is ready. The sexton stands wait
ing for us at the door Of the tomb. Let us be
: married, and then 10 our collins
} How shall the widows horror be represent
; ed II gave her the ghostlness of dead
mans bride.
; Her youthful friends stood apart, shudder-
: ing at the shroudcd bridegroom, and herself;
the whole scene expressed, by the strongest
' ttimagrry. the vain struggle of the gitdcdv van-
! itics Of this world, when opposed to age, In
trinity, sorrow and death The awe-struek
; silence was first broken 10y the clergyman.
! Mr. Ellenwood,' said he, soothingly, yet
D with somewhat of authority, ,"you are not well.
: Your mind has been asitated by the unusual
| circumstances in which you are placed Tht
ceremony must be deferred As an old friend
let me entreal you to return home
: Home !. yes, but not without my bride,
y answered he IN the same hollow accents
= .You deem this mockery, perhaps madness.
: Had bedizened my aged and broken frame
D with scarlet and embroidery-had l forced
9 my poor withcred lips to smile at my dead
( heart--that might have been mockery or mad
4 ness But now let young and old declare,
which of us has come htber without we'd
r ding garment the bridegroom or the bride
He stepped forward at ghostly pace and
{ stood beside the widow, contrasting the awful
2 simplicity Of his shroud with the glare and
5 glitter in which she had arrayed herself for
this unhappy scene. None chat beheld them
could deny the terrible strength of the moral
I which his disordered intellect had contrived
, 10 draw.
"Cruel = repeated he; then losing his death
, like composure in wild bitterness, Heaven
, Judge which of Us has been cruel TO tho 9th
er. In youth deprived me of my happiness,
, my hopes, my aims you took away all the
substance of my life, and made it dream,
without reality enough evon to grieve at
, with only pefyading gloom, through which
, j walked weariIy, and cared not WHITTIER
| Bot afier forty years, when have built my