The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-06-16
ALBERT AND ELLEN,
A TRAG MENT.

The storm had ceased; not II cloud stainc,
!. the ether; the sun, cclipSCd for many hour,
10y dense masses Of sulphurous vapor WE,
se'uh% III crimson majesty behind the loft,
mountains f., in North Wales: wbcT
+ The venerable Albert, leaning on the arm ot
MS granddaughter, quilted his little cottan,
TO ENJOY the beauties of the evening from his
'aHorltc seat. 1t was situated some few po
ces from his humble dwelling, on the brow
OF arock, covered with moss and wild flow.
erS' and terminated rugged, and somewhat
ascending path, near the base Of iill isola.
ted from IFS neighbors: and whose sides Gov
ered with perpetual vcrdure, strongly con-
trasted it with them. On the right Of il bp-
gan 10 swell in wild and bare magnificencc,
thc romantic chain of mountains which dis
tlnguishes that district, and which. tbonrh !,
few short hours before, they trcmbled to tLn
long and awful peals that seemed to shake
me foundations of the globe, now. in soften
cd grandeur rcpOse in the parting ravs that
yet stroamcd rcfuIgcnt in the west. Immc-
uia'eiy IN front was rich, though not cxtcn-
SiNc valley, terminated in the distance bv the
ocean, whose silvcry bosom fuintly tinped
WIN purple, extended itself like a summer
clouu along the horizon. On the left mur-
INJURED Il little grassy rivulet, whose waters
issued from the rock, and which, swelling os
they flowed, were heard some hundred po-
ccs distant to roar rs they hurried throuub
the cavcrs ofCwdvr
Hlther the young and innocent Ellen had
been accustomed to lead the only parent, the
ohiy relative She now possessed; and here
h4d the morning and evening often witness
! ca her with the sacred volume on her knee,
! pouring into his soul the hallowcd consola-
''onS IT afford IS TO departing virtue while the
| Smli"' triumphant and serene, shone npon his
nchlgnanl features, declared the fcrvent graf
,tndr and heavenly hope that animated his
heart.
The raindrops still glistencd on the wood
bing Which cncirclcd his door, when the ven
cradle old man, tottcrng beneath the weight
VI years ana OF mstortuncs, quilted for the
E'S' tnc. The long but progressive indis-
position which frequently attends the decline
of life, had recently occasioneda a confinement
OF some days to his bed, and thrice, ere he
reached the destined spot, the weakness of
hls age had nearly ovcrpowered him. At
length, faint and weary, he gained the rock
ana taking oil his hat, while the locks ofapc
icIi III dazzling whitcncss over his shoulders,
and seemed to inhalc new life from the re-
lresh!ng breath of evening. Ellen, lovely
us the morn, seated herself beside him. her
DARK ana glossy ringlcts were thrown back
tYSHP hHfF n"shed TEMPLES that she might the
penetrating, was stcadfastly fixed, though
half Ly stealth, upon his countcnancc watch
ing lis every turn and variation, save when
it east Il lOnk-swcct but full of sorrow, to-
wards the distant ocean. One hand rested
upon his knee, and confined the coat that en-
folded his aged limbs; the other, almost I'M
consciously, around her little Fido, who had
placed himself upon her gowr, and seemed
to look in sort of thoughtful cndcrncSS up
III her face. For some moments they were
silent; at length, Albert exclaimed, How
strong is the similtudc between the events
of my life and the varying atmosphere of to-
day! The sun arose in splcndor, not Il cloud
Obscurcd its brilliancy yet, ere noon, the
black tcmpcsts rolled around-thc thundcrs
roarcd, and earth seemed threatened with de-
siruction ali now again is clear oh may
the resemblance still continue, may my AGED
head sink to its last sleep, reposing on the
mercy of its God, even rs yon cloudy sun. is
now rcposing on the Western wave
AS he uttered these words n heavenly rap
turc bcalned upon his countcnancc; and that
moment, so pure, so sublime WAS its express
sion, that it might have been supposed that
body and soul, beautifcd together, had area-
dy passed to the land Of spirits After Il ST.
!cncc OF some minutes, he turned to Ellen,
and gazing ut her with parental solicitude.
said, in an impressive tone,
Often, my daughter, have urged the ne
cessity of arming thy soul against the hour
of suffering with the confidence and the hone
ora christian; that in that hour thou might
est act his part, and submit without muir
mcrng thought to the dispcnsatons of infin-
lte mercy. May no: have urged in vain
The shaft OF death, sooner or later, flies with
never failing aim; and surely then the man
! OF years and OF sorrOws, whose feeble frame
already bends towards its native earth. should
| prepare himself every hour for the blow
But remember, my child, that there is One
who hath called Himself the Friend of the
! tntherlcss,O One who can, who will protcctthce.
Oh! but for thus to leave thee, the dcardear
image of my long-lost Agnes, in all the. e.inex-
| pericncc, and all the ovcIincss of youth. to
leave thee thus TO stem the boisterous stream
OF life; oh. it were indeed an agony of the
soul"
The violent emotions of grief which had
for some time struggled in the bosom of Ell
len could no longer be suppressed sighs of
anguish burst from her lips, and clasping the
| knees Of Albert she hid her face upon his
| arm.
My child" cried the old man, in a voice
scHtceIy auulOie, hid gazing at her with
look Of the most compassionatng tenderness
my darling child, be not thus distressed |
may yet be spared; and although" he con-
tlnucd, looking towards the ocean, and en-
deavoring to revive her dropping spirits, " Di-
vine Providence may have thought fit to de-
| privc us for n time of him who was the cho-
sen son of my heart, and whom fondly re-
! garded as the virtuOus and aifectionate COM
panion of thy future life still, trust il is
but for n time, and that Edgar, thy faithful
Edgar, may yet return to be unto thee Ms
| father"
"Oh no." family articulatcd the haplcss
Ellen; ten long months have elapsed since
we received his last letter: in which he
promised TO be with us in three weeks
We have heard nothing since; he is gone,
| gone forever. Ard wouldst thou-Oh nv
! fnthnr Mnnldst thou tnn dnsnrt Thy Ellara