Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-09-07

she resolved upon visiting England. She was 4
q stranger in q strange land, and she EN-
ployed no means to intrude herself upon the
notice of any one. Applying to the author
tiles for the intelligence she so anxiously
craved she was repulsed by the GOODNESS of
with Indifference ana spoke of the absence
and the probable fate of her husband with
an air Of carelessness and even contempt
IRw all this transfxed the sorrowing heart
afresh, drew from it the bitter drops of an
guish-bedimmed the single star of Joy that
hope had set in the SOULS galaxy and blotted
the struggling beams of promise black as
night with the funeral Of departed bliss =
She turned away from the heartless world
and murmured a low song Of quiet to the
restless, anxions heart thai futtered in
her bosom-a soft lullaby Ikea mother to its
moaning babe.
She sought the beach at Portsmouth and
sung chanting songs. of grief to the restless
waters. From day to day she. was seen wan
dering along The pebblcd shore straining her
eyes far away across the swelling waves, ea-
ger to catch the first glimpse of the vessel
that held in trust her hearts only treasure.
Lost in her r~everie she would murmur to the
waters and 70 the wind:
Thou deep, blue waters and white capped
waves; thou booming blast of wind and
signing brcezes soft, bear, bear my treasure
home. And yet if he cannot come, bear me
the lay of love he would gladly sing thou
; fierce winds of the west fill the strained can
! vass with thy breath and watt across the
{ waves the lines of comfort he has penned ere
Q this. And oh Father in Heaven, Thou that
rulest the armies ofmen-that commands the
d armies Ofthe storm = that di ps the great Ocean
in Thy hand, be MS Protector, and favor him
with gentle yet swiftest gales to bear him
home to my heart turn aside the deadly ball
q Eand the fatal battle spear that may be aimed
z for him and spare the warm blood that plays
Z around fiis, heartto cheer the path of this un-
happy. ORe." .,,
S carly dawn till dewy eve ;" from morn till
st night she was seen watching the boiling
& waves, eager to catch the first distant huttcr
&c of the Lion flag under which her husband
D. fought. Wave after wave COME circling on,
L. washing with its surf the smooth pebbles on
T. which she stood, yet no tidinSs came of him
for, whom she watched and prayed.
D. Days and days passed apd were spent on
. the Teach by the unhappy Florence, and the
H. sailors and peasants watched her. in pity, the
e; gentry too turned aside to see her. prompted
of more by curiosity than commiseration-turn
ul cd aside to gaze a moment upon the being
p- whose actions had gained for her the appel
DIS laticn of-"THE. STRANGE WOMAN"
Lp- Expectation grew weary ahdhighly wrought
ay Imagination usurped the place that Hope nae
held her husband was presented to her fan
er CIV, not al he wAs wtcA she Saw him last
f. buoyant With hcaItG and ~vivacity, but in thu
err. mirror of fancy she seemed to see him man
ey gled with the thrusts of the reeking spear
de hewn in gaping gashes by the heavy battle
3D. axe; pierced to some vital part by the lead
N -! en- ball; and weltering and writhing in til
re ; blood she worshipped. And in the hast,
led dreams of her restless sleep the same sad Wis
Inc lions were pictured before her aye darker
no. blacker clouds of sorrow then lowered an,
MS lowered in her life's sky, eclipsing every RI
Of hope: his corpse was before her dream
nd vision, stiff in the chilled blood of his hear
ms that was painted DER him the corpse of he
the husband was held before her by the hissin;
lid ienGs of strife, and the Demon Of War tosse
lgh him in her arms from a bloody spear an
ler- With Il deafening yell left her alone with tn
6ed wreck of what she loved-her husband
corpse. Bloody as it was she pressed him t
the her fainting bosom pressed the cold lips
the iGe-t to fer burning brow and with ascream
horror aw6ke! Thus ran her nightly dream
ach ings.
and Ohk how deep was the agony of suspens
rev. she suffered :; better for her had she know
nth. the truth, even if it had todd her he vi
ned sleeping deaths. dreRmiFvss night in the SC
Sun dier's grave beneath a Strangers turf or
pom the ocean depths, She believed him de;
So and she sang her sad, sad requiem
Thou waves that dash the; Aeecy foam
part bove the sightless eyes of my beloved, was
lad- differing pearls and this-and this, the riC
late t3bEation of my tears around his coral tomb
but the depths of the rolling sea-; or gently ca
ever him from his coldresting place and cast hi
ling here at my feet thatI may lay him in a clea
- -, - Ill kloL 49,
so hly tomb beneath our natlVe SOIL, LilaU aTouI
his dust l may plant the flowers of our valli
!, of and the cvergreens of our hills, and wat
soon them at morn and eve with the gift of n
the tears. And if his blood bedows tie grass
hose a strangers land, 0 winds Of the East wa
row watt my dying hearts deep Sigh to Colul
iss.; bias shore, and add my signing breath to t
the moaning breeze that Sings the requiem
d in death among the tops of the rustling pin
IS Of the huttoh wood and cedar boughs that Wa
Tic Fthdir .prumes. above the ,hapless soldie
/, A. grave e! .AndO! will not Heavens rich
&C. a. dew SPARKLE on the cherished dust, and no.
The ish the wild daisy that springs and bloc
ae Of on his tomb 2"
ce Of Griefweary and sad was the strange v
hemi man, as she wandered alone on the POI
id Of rmouth beach.