Semi-weekly Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1851-1852, 1851-08-26

y Haste, naSLe, AuHette, saio l ella, "o "ue'
bend our way home speedily. it is our nearest
shelter,
They turned to do so, and had progressed
but a short. distance, when from the clouds
bolt of lightning flashed suddenly before them
like the spirit of destruction. .Tbe hand Of
Felix, in which that of Annette had been affec-
tionately clasped, lost its hold, and she saw
him fall; she Knel. beside him to ascertain the
cause. and behold him scared and lifeless. The
tightening had struck him; and fellx-the gay,
happy, generous Felix was corse!--Poor An
nette fell unconsciousy By his side: when she
recovered, she was no longer the happy and
intelligent being that once diffused galety and
happiness through the village circle--but
maniac She was found DO the neishbors
sitting upon the damp earth, with the head OF
Felix powed on her breast, singing song OF
lullaby, such as fond mothers warble to WIN
their infants to rcposc.
Every heart was panied when the fate Of Fe-
lix, aud the dreadful anIihilatlon OF Annettes
reason, were made known, and her aged pa.
rents felt that all their earthly happiness had
fled forever. The gay garden which they low
ed, because their Annette had cultivated it, was
neglected ; and the bright flowers that adorned
it, were concealed by the !oathsome weeds
which sprang up among then; the song OF IN
noccnce was no longer heard in their cottage,
and there never was more melancholy change
than that which was perceptible in the once
Happv domicil of old Dominique Laramie. Oh!
who can imagine more grievous picture than
that which the wreck Of reason in the young
and innocent presents? Where is the heart
that would not ache. when beholding the eye
that once sparkled with intelligence, fixed IN
lustrcless and vacant gaze! The dark and
glossy hair OF Il fair being, which once in grace
ful curls flowed beautifully, aud adorned with
flowers bright and innocent as herself, dlshev.
clled, and wild and gloomy plants scattered
among it; and the brow, which once beamed,
with smiles of happiness, now contracted, and
denoting the total loss of mental empire. 1t IS
an appalling sight; and none that ever entered
the cottage OF Laramie, after Annette's mistor-
tune, left it without aching hearts, or with tear
less ewes. She would sit for hours together
with her hands clasped, and her eyes fixed on
tie wide Heavens: then she would sometimes
cry e.
You should never have smiled again you
vcrc angry then. when the liquid fire of your
wrath fell upon him; but shall see him again
.-C!M. yes-I have often seen him ut night look
ipr down through the boundless blue upon me,
and telling ME the Gre spirit VII. soon come
and bear me TO HIM.
And whenever storm arose, she would tiy
into her garden, and seemed to wait Tor the
coming Of the spirit which she tancied in the
hour Of the tcmptcst was TO take her to Felix.
TIE old soldier and his vile looked upon their
200. damcnled girl with the fearless agony OF
broken hearts. They never again beheld the
roses ofhcal;h on her cheek, or the lustre OF
reason in her eve; but they saw her witter like
the flower which slowcst droops and dies, and
in death ere the sun of eighteen summers had
passed over her. ... ,.
After Marie had Gnshed the story of poor
Annette, she left the apartment Scarce know.
ing what did, took my hat and following her
to the cottage of the mourners In Il few min
uels the funeral procession came from the house
with the remains of the poor girl on bier,
borne by village girls clad as Marie was. Ev.
cry countenance indicated sorrow, every eye
was filled with tears. There was enough, Heav.
en- knows in the story Of Annette Laramie to
excite the deepest sorrow; but il humanity nee
ded Il stronger appeal TO sympathy than her
tale offered, it would have been found, and its
force acknowledged, in the appearance OF her
parents. 49,,
Weak with aye, sill more so with grief, they
tottcrcd, | may say, in the funeral tram. he
hoarv headed man, supporting his wife, whose
every silver hair complained time; their coun-
tenanccs bcsppaking broken hearts, their groans
of asonzcd griel-had | not wept should
have felt myself less than human.
| followed Annette Laramie to the grave,
and behcld her consigned to that all-concealing
receptacle of 'coffined clay There was no
service read, the mourners, for all were so,
stood in silence for some timo around the mar
row place, and telt that there was more elo-
ouence and solemnty in that, than in all the
pomp Of grief which glitters around the obse-
auies of the wealthy. .....
Old Laramie and his wife survived their child
but short time. The next time passed that
way, | went to the church yard and saw their
graves, next to those of Annette and Felix-
they were enclosed in a neat railing; and at the
head of Annette's grave there was a white rose
tree in full bloom was told that Marie Beau
champ had planted it there; asked her why
she had done so, and she answered thus-"An-
nette was pure and beautiful, and so is tho
white rose; her existence was short, that OF the
the white rose is equally fleeting.'
Negro erc1usion.-The people of Indiana,