The Port Gibson reveille. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 185?-1857, 1853-04-13


| VI hcu she was all IN all to Clauda's heart
She yearned 10 be beloved e'en as Of old,
And that her heart was breaking, day by day,
I VI ith all ITS Loneliness aud pent-up grief
That ever, since the marriage Of her sister
A cloud had dimmed the lustre Of her life.
4 Whose cause she knew not-hut twas killing her
/ Much more was said--but what needed not
Some fiend held firm possession Of my soul
! could not s7eak-my brain seemed all on fire
/ At length, soft hand, resting on my own.
I Awoke me from my stupor | looked down
Amalia's form was kneeling at my feet,
With the soft glory Of her golden hair
Floating upon the ground, and her blue eyes
/ Raised towards mine, in loving supplicaton
That sight had she been guilty, should have turned
/ My stony heart to pity. rs i was.
The pent-up storm burst forth, with scathing fury
i Upon that head, already bowed with grief
/ Look al my cheek. and mark the glow Of shame
That burns its pallid surface its in memory
/ Of the vile scorn heaped upon her name
+ ! called her wantOn--an abandoned wanton -
Ind tore, with cruel and unsparng hand,
The veil that curtaned her souls innocence.
Ind placed the dark, revolving truth before her.
That she had loved where such love was pcrdition--
Lier sister shnsJaHdl that her soul was black
" ith the enormity Of the offence that
Had watched the growth Of love within her breast
That her hot cheek would kindle at lis voice,
ind her hand quiver at his slightest touch:
That had stood beside her in her sleep.
.5nd heard her breathe his name; that felt naught
But scorn and hate for one who sought 10 creep
serpent-likc TO my place within his heart!
She had lcen lying,
Like crushed lily. quivering az my feet;
but now the not blood Of her proud race flew
In torrents to her cheek, and neck, and brow
ind from her blue orbs flashed look Of Scorn,
Ny dark eyes never gave Ny forehead bowed
Before the majesty Of that proud glance;
IND when | raised my eyes again. her place
Upon the mOanlit floor was shadowIess
Ny husband gazcd III stern rcproof upon me;
.4nd when timidly approached his side.
.4nd laid my trembling hand upon his arm.
lie shook II OF, even as he would a reptile
Whose touch was lOathsome to him = and then
Beside me- with averted. naughty ewes. Ipassed
.4nd left me 70 myself Then I fell prone
Upon the marble floor, and wildly rayed.
And cursed the hour my mother gave me birth
In the wild passion Of my selfish grief,
thought not Of his pure and outraged love,
Nor vet Of her, whose young and fragile heart
Ny cruel words had bioken
".qll night long
heard his heavy pacing over head
ind with that pacing my sad heart kept time
So heavy were its throbbings When az last
The misty morning broke. sunk to sleep,
Ny forehead pIowed on the marble step,
My hot check nesting 10 its icy touch.
How long slept | knew not When awoke,
My prostra'e figure the pacing over head
Had long since ceased, and in its stead my ear
Caught the low murInur OF inqui,lng tones,
apparently IN grieii and hurryIng feet
Passing al intervals before the door
What could il mean Ny heart foretold some i'll.
started up 70 go and seek the cause,
When 10 the door an eager lootstep hurried.
That step-l knew il well. With glad cry
flung nyselfupcn my .7rihur's breast. aud wept
For thankiuuess to see him safe. His lips
Were icy as they pressed my own, awed.
Ind tie strong frame was trmbling-hushed aud
raisel my cyes to his, and saw.t here--whats
a horrible dread-a nameless appreheusion.-
] kncw not what, but my fixed, anguished gaze
Wnng from his pallid lips the dreaded question,
Ny stammsring tongue had yainly triel To utter,
Amaia-my young sister-wheTe was she!
Her couch had been unattended Francesca,
The fond old nurse whose bitter wall Of grief
Rung on my ear, had sought her in vain
Through hall and corridor, through wood and grove.
That searching by that dim and silent lake,
Giuseppe. found fragment Of her robe
Upon shrub; and somewhat further on,
The ribbon that had bound her floating curls.
Oh! God ] heard no more. Nth a mad shrek
tore myself from his restraining arms,
Dashed through the hail. and down the dizzy steps,
And with the leetness Of wounded deer,
Fled through the dim glades Of the laurel grove
Ind reached that treacherous lake. Men there
Dragging its fearful depths. OH mercyl Heaven
Ny brain seems even now to turn to fire.
Remembering that awful agony. stood,
As ia dream, seeing those figures move
Dmy beiorc my strained and cloudcd gaze
at last, a shout-a shrek Of piteOus woe
From old Fraucesea's lips, and then-a head
a golden head, emerged from the blue waves,
To blast me with the sight Ny husbands arms,
Received the liieless form. saw hun lay
That bright head tenderly upon the grass,
III lille Inc xvarro raino1 that marble faep-
So lovely even IN death. ! saw him wiring
The water from her beautiful long hair,
Wipe the cold moisture from her violet lips,
Ana close the lids Of her large eyes, and then
All memory left me, and knew no more
For many weary days
VI hen awoke from that long death-like trance,
My hair, that had been sable as the night
Has laced with THREADS Of silver. and the light
Shone through my wan thin hands had been mad
Since my poor sisters liieless corse was found,
And now the grass waved long above her grave.
had been mad and shrieked in wild delirium
VI hene er his foot approached my chamber door.
And he had left me at my fierce desire,
But little dreaming that the harsh command
llas but the offspring Of a maddened brain,
And he was gone from me perhaps fore'er!
Twas meet twas just should be punished so;
Yet could help but weep such bitter tears
lTeep for the sinfulness that caused all this,-
Wecp for the sad death Of my only sister,
DrlYen 10 seek that shelter an the waves
My cruel heart denied her upDn earth,-
Yeep for his love- now lost to me forever,
That was to me, my life my heaven my all.
Days, weeks and months.passcd by me all unheeded;
The leaves grew scared beneath the autums breath,
The sad wind mourned around the silent walls,
Yet lived on in solitude and gloom,
With not ono hope TO feed liie's Pickering lamp,
Save the wild prayer to see him once again,
And feel his kiss Of pardon on my brow.
AT length the grass grew green upon the hills,
The young leaves budded at the touch Of spring
" That happiness her presence gave 70 all,
Yet was there none for me. The silent halls
Seemed like prison and my sisters room,
Looked, oh so desolate her broken lutte
Hanging neglected on the empty wall,
And here and there token Of her presence,
A glove upon the hoor,-a withered flower,
Now faded as the hand Of her who once
Cherished its glowing beauties
The rosary Of pearls her fingers last
Had numbered over, lay beside her pillow,
And at that pillow would stand and gaze,
Till my hot tears would blind me. Could stay
IFhen such sweet memories Of her angel-liie
Lay there, in mute, but eloquent reproach9
Al last, one morn, courier from the city
Brought me a letter. Oh that handi-that hand
How well knew it, with sob Of JOY
snatched itfrom his grasp, and rushed away
To seek my own rooms solitude When there