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

1
| ! ne olher hand was pressed upon her breast
AS though to still its throbbings; and tear
Bright as gem, shone on the silkcn lash
| That swept her dimpled check. She was so fair,
- like my mother in her Tranquil sleep,
nat my heart yeamed to take that fragile form
within the shelter Of my clasplng arms,
And, as Of old. sing her 70 happy sleep
With some sweet, plaintiye lay.
AS bent down
To press my lips upon her bamy mouth.
4 passionate sigh broke from her heaving breast.
And, with soft smile daWning o'pr her lace
She breathcd the name Of Arthur r'-The blood
4 Rushed IN flaming torrents 20 ms throbbing brow
As 1 stood there and listened 60 the truth!
/ Alas ) for me my sister loved my husband
4 moment since, aud my whole heart was filed
+ With tenderest love for her; but now, the fire
\ Ot my Italian nature was aroused
And as mine ear bent 70 her tell-tae lips.
], Who had promised 70 my dying mother
To MI her place unto her avonte child.
Vowed, IN the passion Of my fierce revenge
To thrust her, like some foul and loathsome thing
Forth from my sheltering arms
:. ] had not then
That charitable soul which looks upon
.l'he crring one with pity, and not scorn;
Ny sinful bosom harbored not a thought
! Ol Him who came % pardon, not 10 punish:
thought not Of those lips which mcekly said
Depart, and sin no more! r But now
I lthen the cold earth has covered all | loved
And naught is LEFT but memory and regret,
think how differently il mig ght have been,
Had but won from those iruth-telliug lips
free confession Of that hidden love
She deemed not IN her innocence was SINFUL
liad marked out 20 her, with gentle hand, take.
/ The one straight path her waNerng steps should
Gladly would she have trod therein, and blessed
The hand which guided her
Days-wcary days, cannot comment on,
Passed By me, az unheeded4-a sulen gloom
kp a irrE IL al -,
Ny lip forgot to smile in tie strict watch
! kept upon my sister my husband saw
Some cloud had gathered DER the bright horizon
Oi our once happy love, and with sweet words
And fond earess, sought TO drive away
The shadow from my heart il would not 20,
But lay there day BY day. AMI grew apace
Fostered by pride. disirust and jealousy.
!. One erenng,-oh | well remember it,
! wandered out alone upon tie hills;
The sun was sIukingtO his golden couch
In the iar-distant west tie tinklns bells
Ol cattle, driven homewarl to their fold,
Chimed softly on the ear the low, sweet song
OF peasant girls, returning from the fields
Hth teeming baskets Of the golden grape,
And their linked voices chanting to the Virgin
The Ave Marie's Stella u tile last flush
Oi fading day passed with their solemn strain,
Aud one BY one the gitterng stars came forth
10 gem the dusky brow Of peerless Night;
Awhile stood communing withmy thoughts,
And gazing with penitential eye
On many a slotted pagc-I saw that
Had banished peace from our once happy home,
Aud brought hut care and discorl in its stead
The brd-hkc carol Of my sisters song.
Echoed no more within Our silent halls;
The very servants beat with downcast eyes
Before my stormy brow, and old Francesca.
Ny sisters fond old nurse. seemed ever mutely
10 plead for the loved child Of her affection:
Wv husband, too, had grown estranged from me;
tie did not love me less, but sought no more
To win me hy carcsses; from my gloom
lie could not fail 10 see the scom heaped
Upon the gentle girl whose fading cheek
Grew whittier Jay BY day he could not fail TO see
The horrible phantom my own thoughts had con-
And his heart ached with pity for the child ured,
Unconscious of her sin-and ever still
lie sought 10 yield brothers tender care,
4 brothers guardian love-calling her sister,
And with delicate hand kept from her eyes
The loathsome truth ! fan would thrust before
Yes he no longer listened to the lutte. them.
Breathing sweat melody beneath her touch
ne sought moie my side at twilight hour
To hang at once, entTanced upon my voice,
As 70 the organs matohless harmony
poured my evening hymn. Alas his home
Seemed homo no longer; and amid the hills,
In the excitement Of the stirring chase
lie strove 10 find forgetiulness Day scarce began,
IThen with gentle kiss and passing smile
lie hastened from my side, and coming night
Woud wrap her shadowy arms around the world
Before my eager ear could catch the sound
OF his now lettering foot.
. And had wrought all this,
By cherishng that ticnd-likc jealousy,
Inherent in my wild and stormy nature.
| saw all this with new-awakened sense.
And my soul sickened at the sight. Oh how
To pour my anguish into Arthurs ear lyeaned
To lay nv aching head upon his breast,
And, in that place Of refuge, tell him all.
All what all what !-my pride here whispered me
That had stopped 20 nourish a foul thought
or one whose white soul was SO pure Of sin
As God own angels,-that Amalia's face
" as hateful to me,-that my bosom burned
With passionate jealously, If but flower
Passed from his hand TO hers.-if bat a word
OF brotheIly kindness, uttered by those lips
| loved so ienderly, was given 70 her.
OIL could tell him this how he would scorn
The breast that harbored such degrading thoughts
My soul was wildly tossed upon the waves
OF pride and Of repentance On my knees
/ called upon the blessed Madonna help,
To guide me through my dark and tortu0us course.
NV heart seemed filed with love. and hope and
When arose from PRAYER. | hurried home peace,
w he yet this holy influence wrapped my soul,
WIth Arhurs love-lit eyes to lure me on,
Twin beacon-stars TO happiness.
You'd had never risen
From the pure rapture Of that penitent prayerl
The lamp Of life, and saved me from crime
Deeper than all the rest
/ hurried on
Sprang up the marble steps, and through the hall
Sped onward with my mission. As flew by
The chapel, that adjoned my sisters room,
The sound Of voices caught my flying feet
The voices Of my sister and my husband!-
A dull pain fell like a mass ice upon my heart,
So lately throbbng with newborn hope;
4 groan Of anguish sprang to my pale lips
And lay there quivering With noiseless step
crossed the threshold. The moonbeams poured
Their siiyeTy radiance on the polished floor,
And in their rays, beside the altar, knelt
The dropping figure Of my weeping sister
Bending above her, with his arms entwined
ArouEd her crouching form, my Arthur stood
NY Arthur land with kind and gentle lip
Kissed off the tears that rained upon her cheek,
Aud drew her bowed head to bis shelteriug breast
With all brothers. watchlul tenderness,
sweet words Of foudness IN her ear.
could not catch their meaning; but they fell
Like drops Of molten fire upon my heart.
Nv brow grew black as midnight with the tempest
That ragged within me. IIith a loathsome name,
That seems, cen now. 70 blister these cold lips
called upon that trembling, fainting form
NV hnsbands figure loomed up as a shield
Between Amalia aud the scathing gaze