Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-09-29


me forty dollars to bring me over the SCI
to him--God bless him for that; ken h
worked hard to earn it, for he o'ed me thel
Il was ma idle during his absence. ba,
saved enough to bury my dear auld grand
father, and to pay my ain expenses out
and thought like the guide servant in th'
parable, | wud return Willie his ain wit
interest an hoped to see him smile a
nv diligence, an ca me his bonnie gud
lassie. Jamie, [ Gamma keep this slller, j
lies like a. weight O. lead on my heart
TAX it back to him, and tell him fra me
that forgi'e him a. his cruel deceit, ane
pray to God TO grant him prosperity, and
restore to him that peace O mind O. which
he has robbed me forever
81 did as she babe me. Willie looked
stupefied when I delivered her message
The only remark he made, when gave him
back The money. was maun be grateful,
man that she did not curse me- The wife
came in and he hid away the packet and
skunk of. The man looked degraded IN his
own eyes, and SO wretched that pitied him
from my very heart.
"When came home, Jeanne met me at
my uncle's gate. Tell me, she said, in a
low, anxious voice, tell me cousin jamie,
what passed atween ye. Had he nae word
for me! ?
'Naething, Jeanie, the man is lost to
himself, to a. who ance wished him weel.
He is not worth decent body's thought
"She sighed deeply, for | saw that her
heart craved after some word fra him. but
she said nae mair, but, pale and sorrowfuP +,
the very ghaist O. her former sell, went back
into the house.
"F rom that hour she never breathed his
name to any of us; but we all ken'd that it
was her love for him that was preyIng upon
her life. The grief that has nae voice, like
the canker.worm, always lies ne'est to the
heart. Puir Jeanie she held out during
the simmer, but when the fall came, she jist
withered ava like flower, nipped by the
early frost, and this day we laid her in the
earth.
CATER the funeral was over, and the
mourners were all gone, stood beside her
grave, thinking over the days of my boy
hood, when she and l were happy weans,
an used to pu' the gowans together on the
heathery hills O. dear Scotland. An Itried
in vain to understan' the mysterious provi-
dence O. God, who had stricken her, who
seemed so guide and pure, an spared the
like O me, who was mair deserving O his
wrath, when heard deep groan, an |
saw Willie Robertson standing near me be-
side the grave.
"'Ye may as weel spare your grief noo,'
said |, for felt hard towards him, AN re-
joice that the weary is at rest
"'It was murdered her, said he, IAN
the thought will haunt me to my last day.
Did she remember me ON her death-bed Z
"'Her thoughts were only ken'd by Him
who reads the secrets of a. hearts, Will
lie. Her end was peace, an her Sa-
viour's blessed name was the last sound
upon her lips. But ifever woman died fra
broken heart, there she les
"'Oh, Jeanie = he cried, mine ain dar-
ling Jeanie my blessed lammie was ma
worthy O. yer love-my heart, too, is break
ing. To bring ye back aimee mair, wad
lay me down an dee.'
can he flung himsel' upon the grave
and embraced the fresh clods, and greeted
like child.
"When he grew more calm, we had
long conversation about the past, and truly
can believe that the man was not in his
right senses when he married yon wife: at
ony rate, he is not lang for this world; he
has fretted the flash aft his banes, an be-
fore many months are over, his held will
lie as low as puir Jeanie Burns