Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-11-15


cabin he leaned more heavily than he
had ever before done. on the arm which
prollered him support.
The strangers who had come on board
our vessel were gentleman Of fifty, q
tall, portly, handsome featured man,
and dressed in most elegant style, and n
lady his wife, though she coul not have
seen more than twenty years. The lady
was very lovely in person and in features
and apparently very gay and thought.
less; but in that .ow, musical laugh,
there was something which caused the
lisienrrto look en1uiringly on that face;
and in those full, liquid blue eyes
which turned so truslingIy TO the coun.
tcnancc OF her husband, with moic, how.
ever, Of a chil,llike than wilcly alIec.
ton, there was the expression of a deep.
cr, sodder feeling than one might have
believed, from her light, careless words,
could ever find place in her heart.
I 1t va, beautiful moonligh, evening
on which they had come aboard our
vessel, and, iill, a late hour, the stran.
beside that dying young man-...ior it was
perceived, as soon as Stanley went be.
low, that a great change had passed ov-
cr him-hcard the voice Of that young
wife mingling in gay, !:snnnv songs with
the lively strains Of her guitar; and the
music, at another time so sweet, was so
dscordant with the feelings Of the watch
er by the bed Of the dying, that he rose
once TO tell the company on deck how
near death was to them. But, Stanley,
con jccturng what might be his purpose,
though he turned ,cs,IcssIy on bi, couch,
and buried his head in the pillows us if
to shu! out those sounds of mirlh from
his ear, prevented him with the remark
Brief and cmbit,crcd is the moment
of joy; but the night Of sorrow will be
long, and its darkness unbrokcn!"
And the young lady sang on. Each
song was more gay than the former, and
her spirits seemed to rise higher ard
higher, and her voice gathered, each
moment, new strength and sweetness;
and, before she had ceased, Stanley was
insensible.
We had assembled on deck to take Il
last look at thal countcnancc, beautiful
even in death. 1t was very calm and
Tranquil now; With the smile had passed
away the deep melancholy impressed
upon the !eatures-only the seriousness
Of death was there.
/. "Only twenty five years, and Of cor.
sumpIionw murmured the young bride
to her husband. 81 have heard that sor.
row most often brings on that fearful
disease. How sad to die so young, and
among strangcrs---to be put away from
the bright sunlight and the soft air, into
the deep dark water, without one to shed
tear, or breathe prayer! Is it not
terrble?" and shuiicr passed over her
frame.
The men came forward who were to
lower the bojy into the water, and the
face was already hidden from view,
when, by some Sudden impulse, the
young lady drew her hand from the arm
Of her husband, anil, springing across
the deck, stood beside the corpse, which
she had not ye. looked on. Some ore
uncove.ci the face of the dead, AMI ma.
ny eyes, which had observed her sudden
movement, glanced at the countenance
OF the young lady.
1t was strange what change passed
over that fair, smiling face! Death was
scarce more p!ainly written on the in.
animate features before her, than on her
own councnancc, only that the dilatcd
eye had a witness anl horror in it,
which the icy fingers Of the destroyer
would fail to paint.
"Dead!" the pallil lips uttered but the
single word, though a volume could not
have expressed more agony and despair.
The husband gazcI, as if thunder
struck, on the scene. Perhaps he was
learning what he had never dreamed OF
bcrore--pcrhaps he was gazing on the
work of his own han,l-perhaps-but it
was idle to conjecture.
Every one saw ,ha, a terrible wrong
had been done, and that the fair, young
bride, if not innocent, was not the only
guilty one; for though that marble brow
told that the agony would never pass
away, the horror was gone; and, kneel'
iny bcsic the corpse, she bowel her
hca on her hands, and repeated the
beautiful Episcopal burial service; and
when that was ended, she bfeathed u
short extcmpofc prayer.
| Poor child! in her terrible anguish she
thought not that strange and curious
eyes were upon her; she forgot The tic
that bound her to another; she only re.
membefei who was before her, and that
she was taking a farewell look Of all
which was dear TO her on earth.
Every eye was filed with tears. and
T the face of the husband, stern at first, ex'
pressed the pity and forgiveness father
might have felt for an erring, wretched
child. Perhaps he had not been the
guilty one. 49,
The body was lowered into the deep.
Tie young wife leaned, for few mo.
ments, over the vessels side, and then
her husband came and led her away.
No one who saw it will ever forge: the
expression Of her countenancc, as she
moved from the spot.
The golden sunlight faded from the
west, the durk cloud settled on the ho:iz'
on, gentle breeze filled our sail', and
the vessel pursued its way.