Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1852-02-10
"Thou hast lost us our happy home, and call

said Adam, and he was about to stamp on the
serpent with his foot, but Eve interposed, ex-
claiming
"Forbear, my beloved Didst thou not just
pow say, that for the paradise thou hast lost,
thy poor handmade had given to thee another
quite as fair! Remember too, the cheerful birds
and their tender young. We have opened new
sources of happiness for which we are indebted
to the serpent thou wouldst trample upon"
The eyes Of the tempter glistened with tri-
umphant exultation, and became thousand
times brigher than before while his scaly armor
thrilled with innumerable and ever-changing
dyes.
"There are yet other Qualifications in store
for thee, thou happy mother of mankind" said
the beguiler. "Behold look to the left yonder
where the plain stretches towards the setting
sum-"
They looked and saw two youths attempting g
to light the fires Of two rustic altars, erected a
little distance from each other. The one sue
ceeded, the other failed and seemed to address
him in anger. Presently he raised great club
in his hand and dashed out his brains. Eve turn
ed away her head in horror but that curiosity
which had lost her paradise, prompted her to
look aganand she saw man and woman of mid
die age, standing over the dead body; the one
in speechess grief, the other shrieking and tear
ing her hair. At distance she beheld the muir
derer fleeing away, but ever and anon looked
back as if fearful of being pursued. On his FORE
head she observed, as he turned towards her, a
mark which looked as if red hot iron had i'm
bedded itself there.
"Who are these ?" cried Adam.
The serpent answered in his usual sweet
tones:
"The two youths are brothers; the man thou
seest bending in silence over the dead body, and
the woman shrieking and tearing her hair, are
the parents Of both. These two young fools
quarreled about worshiping their Maker 1t is
thus he rewards his votaries; one by an early
death, and the other by life Of guilt and re-
morse"
"Alas!" murmured Eve, "wbat wretched
family canst thou tell me their names! Z"
"Thou shalt know hereafter, when thou hast
seen farther Beholdm
The first pair glanced their eyes apprehensive-
ly towards the plain, and saw poor wretch
fastened to stake, with quantity of light
wood piled around him. The pile was surround
ed by armed men of furious aspect; and a little
beyond, stood person in white surplice, with
great book in his hand, apparently praying
with great fervency. At his feet was woman
and eight or ten little children kissing the robe
and embracing his kness, while they seemed half
dead with suffering. Presently the man in the
white surplice shut his book; firebrand was
applied to the pile of wood, and the poor wretch
was slowly consumed, while his soul triumph
ed even in the agones Of death, as he sung hal
lelujahs to the living God. The man in the
white surpce then gave out hymn, and the
soldiers beat the poor woman and children away
for interrupting the music with their groans
Dreadful! dreadful" exclaimed Eve, what
does all this mean! 2"
at is nothing but favorite mode of worship
ping their Maker" replied the serpent.
"And who and what is this wretched race Of
beings"
"Thou shalt know too soon."
Thus, one at time, he exhibited to their view
succession of scenes, portraying the worst eff
fects Of the vices of mankind The wild excess
es of guilty love; the barbarites Of unfeeling
bigotry; the cold malignty of unbelief the iron
iDtiexbility of avarice; the obliquites of envy;
the madness of jealousy; the bloody trumphs
OF ambllion; and the reckless outpourings Of re-
venge, were exempl6ed in scenes of the most
extreme violence and atrocity, and without the
relief of a single act Of virtue.
The innocent pair-for they were still inno-
cent of all transgressions, save one-shuddered
turned away, and gazed and shut their eyes al
ternately at this appalling succession of unmiti-
gated horrors.
"Father of merciesw at length cried Eve,
" who and what are this wretched race Of rob-
bers, tyrants and murderers?"
Thy children" :" Kissed the serpent, from
whose birth thou art vainy anticipating happi-
ness. They are paying the penalties of thy
ransgressions--they are thy victims! The mur-
dered youth and the murderer are thy sons, and
the wretched parents thou and thy guilty part
ner; the scenes thou hast just witnessed, are
such as will every day and every hour of all fu-
ture time pollute the surface Of the beautiful
earth, and all for thy sake-yes thine, wretch
ed Eve! and yet thou hast been fiatterng thy
self and thy partner in guilt, that it is given to
mortals to be happy under the anger of their
Creator! Go, fools and enjoy yourselves in
the bliss of multiplying misery, guilt and des-
pair"
The serpent crawled away, kissing in scorn
while Eve threw herself fainting on the bosom
of her beloved, exclaiming in agonies of re-
morse,
awe are punished, Adamr
The sensibility of the body increases or di-
minishes with the cultivation of the mind. The
girl of fashion rendered morbidly delicate and
fastdious by every refinement and indulgence,
can hardly sleep if feather of her bed be rum
IL Il oI--l