Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1851-06-06
rHE BROKEN 4
pY q. D. pRENrIcE.

Ihhve seen the infant sinking down, like a
stricken flower, TO the grave-the strong man
fercely breathing ont MS soul IN the field Of
battle-tho miserable convict standing upon
the seaffold with a deep curse quivering on
his lips. / have viewed death in all Its forms
ofdarkness and vengeance with a fearless
eve-but T never could gaze upon woman
fading away from the world, with an uncom-
planning melancholy, without feeling the very
fountains oflife turned into tears and regret.
Death il ALWAYS terrible-but when a form
Of n angel beauty is passing off to the silent
land of sleepers, the heart feels that some
thing lovely is csasing from existence, and
broods with a sense Of utter desolatlon over
theIonely thoughts that come up like spec
tres from the grave to haunt our midnight
musings.
Two years ago, l took up my residence in
country village in the eastern part Of New
England. Soon after my arrival, | became
acquainted with a lovely girl, apparently a
bout seventeen years Of age. She had lost
the idol Of her pure hearts purest love, and
the shadow Of deep and holy memories res
ted like the wing Of death upon her brow.
first met her in the presence Of the mirthful
she was indeed a creature to be worship
ped-her brow was garlanded BY the young
wears sweet howers-her yellow locks were
hanging beautifully and low upon her bosom,
and she moved through the crowd with such
a floating. uneathly grace, that the Devil
dered razer looked almost to see her fade a.
way inthe air like the creation OF some
pleasant dream. She seemed cheerful and
even CAV, but | saw that her gayety was but
the mockery other feelings, She smiled, but
there wa. something in that smile which
told that its mournfuI beauty was but the
bright reflection ola tear-and her eyeEds
at times closed heavily down as if struggling
10 repress o tide Of agony that was bursting
up from her hearts secret urn. She looked
as # she could have left the scene Of festivity
and gone out beneath the quiet stars, and
laid her forehead down upon the fresh green
earth and poured out her stricken SOUL gush
after rush, till It mingled with the eternal
fountain Of life and purity.
Days and weeks passed on, and becam2
Ia her as a brother. The smile upon her LIP
was faint and the purple veins upon her neck
grew visible, and the cadence ofher voice be-
came daily more weak and tremulous. On
quiet evening in June, ! wandered out witt
her in the open air. 1t was then that sht
first told me the tale Of her passion, and o
the blight that came down ike mildew upoI
hertis love had been a portion Of her ex
istence. Its tendrils had been twined arount
herheart IN its earliest years and when the,
were rent away, it left a wound whichfowe,
TIL the springs Of her soul were blood. "
am passing away said she, 1and it should b
50. The winds have passed over my life, an
the bright bud ofhope and the sweet bio
SONS Of passion, are scattered down and i
whitening in the dust. And yet l cannot &
down among tombs without tears. 1t Is har
totake leave of friends whom Hove; it IS vel
hardto bidfareweIl to those dear scenes whiC
from day to day have caught the color Of n
life. and sympathized with its joys and SC
rows. The light grove, where | have so
ten strayed with my buried love, and whel
at times, even now, the sweetest tones oil
voice seem to come stealing around me,
the whole air becomes intense and mourn
naelody. the pensive star in which can s.
pietare his form looking down upon me, beC
enino me on to his own bright home eve
flower and riyulet, on which our early Il
has set his undying seal, have become d
10 me, and Icannot without a sigh close
ewes upon them forever"
Il have lately heard that the beautiful {
Of whom I have spoken is dead. The cl
IL her life was calm as the falling ola ~
stream-gentIe as the sinking of the bre
that fingers for a time around a bed of ro
aud then dies sit were from very swI
ness
Itcannot be that earth is mans only +
mn place. 1t cannot be that our life j
banbIe cast upon the ocean Of eternity to {
anroment upon the waves, and then sink
70 darkness and nothingness. Else why.
that the aspirations, which leap like an
from the temple Of our hearts, are for
wandering abroad unsatisfied2 Why i
thatthe starr, which hold their festivity arc
fhe midnight throne, are set so far above
reach Of our limited faculties-forever IN
inc us by their unapproachable glory '
K that the rainbow and cloud come
IA with a beauty that is not of earth,
then pass off and leave us to muse on
faded loyelnessi And finally, why IS it
bright forms Of human beauty are presel
to our view and then taken from US, lea
the thousand streams Of affection to flow
in cold and alpine torrents upon our he'
We are born for a higher destiny than
Of earth. There is a realm where the
how never fades-where thu stars will sr
out before US ike the islands that slunb
the ocean-and where the beautiful b.
that here pass before US like visions, st