Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1852-01-10
[PRICE ONE CENT.
Gbe D lip SPY.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 1852.
From the National Era.
FANNY;
A Tale from real Life.
By GRACE GREENWOOD.
CONCLUDED.

n
Fanny Austin could not follow her lover
to the grave. After her last lingering look
upon his face, as he lay in his coffin, she
for the first time tainted. She was borne
to her room, where she rem ined insensl-
Die for some hours. That night, she said
10 her mother. who watched at her ide--
where have they laid Henry "
Sin the southwest corner of the gr1ve-
yard, under the large elm tree,' was the re-
| ply. All the succeeding day, Fanny's grief
was bitter and despairiug, but at night she
was calmer, and earnestly desired to be left
quite alone. Early the next morning, her
mother went 10 her chamber and was sur
prised to find looking her like her former
self, and speaking almost cheerfully; but
towards night she relapsed into fits of pas
sionate weeping, most desolate andIhope-
less grieving Again, with sleep seemedto
come peace, even an exaltation OF sllrit,
which endured only for the morning hours
and SOFT continued throughout the week.
The poor child gave her mother a beautiful
explanation of this mystery. Every night
she said my Henry comes TO me in Wis
ion. He folds me in his arms, and lays
his hand on my hot forehead, and looks so
pitifully into my eyes; he wipes away my
tears and comforts me, oh, so divnely.
He looks as he always did on earth oaly
yet more beautiful. | was so proud of his
beauty, mother, that did not think ii pos
sible he could grow more beautiful, even-in
heaven; but he seems so III my dreams. He
gives me strength and Joy to sustain me till
we meet again; but | am so weak. that be-
fore the long day is through it leaves me.
Yet he never fails 10 come TO me, or draw
me to hiIn--I scarce know which, seem
in state like that of the Apostle, when he
knew not whether he was in The body or
out /; / only know | am with him, aud con-
tent.
| strange rumor spend through the neigh
borllood, and finally reached the family of
Fanny, that some belated travellers, had
seen, in the midst of the night, shape of
shining white, gliding about the grave of
Henry Lester. But no one among his
friends was SO superstitious as TO heed the
story.
On Saturday night, just one week from
1.-THE time of the Misunderstanding tragedy,
Fanny's father, who was physician, was
riding homeward some time after twelve,
and as he was passing the grave yard, in
sight of his house, he was startled TO OBJ
serve some object at the grave of young
Lester. DIR. Austin was truly brave man,
and after moment of indecsion, he dis
mounted and entered the lonely burial
Iplace. The appearance at the grave grew
more and more distinct, as he drew softly
near. 1t was human form prone upon the
earth! One moment more, he had reached
| The spot, and found his own daughter Fam
ny, in her bridal dress, lying beside the
grave of her lover, with her face upon the
mound, and one arm flung overit.
Shocked and alarmed beyond measure,
he called her name, laying his hand on her
arm, but she did not rise or move. Then
looking more closely into her face, he saw
that she was sleeping the strange, wonder
/ full sleep of the somnambulist. He raised
her gantly in his arms, and was about to
hear her homeward, when she awoke TO
complete consciousness. ..asss6
"My God! where am II" she exclaimed,
looking wildly around.
AS tenderly as possible, her father told
her what had happened, as he half carried
her home She wept, and seemed much
agitated, but begged that she might go TO
her chamber without disturbing her mother
4 From that night, Mrs. Austin always re-
NAMED with her daughter, watching and
waking her whenever she rose in her sleep
/ nut on her bridal dress, and prepared to
/ steal out TO her grave yard tryst 1t was
needful, but it was cruel; for, from that
ltime, Fanny sunk in body and spirit. She
seemed utterly to lack the miraculous sus-
tainment she had known at first; the vision
and the comfort it brought were gone TO-
gether,. s.
said. els it not written, that man shall for
sake father and mother, and cleave unto his
wife9 Can a wife do less to her husband!
Mother, God has welded me TO Henry; nv
soul soul so cleaves to his, that they cannot
be separated; and when he calls | must 90
10 him, even from you" RE sete
AT Letter period she said, "Mother, dear,
| want you 10 see that no ghoslly shroud is
put on me, but a soft, white muslin dress;
| and fold my bridal veil about me, and put
white roses in my hair, that all may know
that am his bride, and not Deaths. And
| oh, mother, keep very sacred the blue lawn
| wore on that last night, and never let
them wash Henry's blood out of it, Most of
all, want you to promise me 10 plant with
your own hand, that blush-rose tree that
Henry gave me, between him and me, so
that the roses may fall upon us both.n
a. Before the leaves of the elm tree over
Henry Testers grave were goldened by the
autumn frosts, bis Fanny was lying at his
side. When June came round again, the
grass was long and green, and the rose-tree
grew more hcautifulthan ever there; and
4 when the evening winds shook the branches
They scattered a sweet largess ofleaves upon
1.-THE mounds. and swung out a fragrance on
:, 1.-THE air sweeter than aught else, save the
imemory Of the lovers sleeping below.