The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1854-10-14

up. Is, silent. tut not fearless, knclt VII
liam Gordon. with his lips pressed against
the dear head which lay upon his heart. At
last he raised his eyes hcavcnwar'l, and those
lips moved in whispering praycr-hc I'm.
wound his arms, would have risen but Aaaic
moved not-she was clinging to his breast.
\ smile ofioy irrad,atcd his face, and his
arms one, again cn(old ID her. She looked
up AMI murmurel with something of her old
playful tenderness. ,norc touching than the
widest bursts of grief
Are YOU not stronger, dear William Z"
"Ah, fear not my love
"ThiS is strange. for when | felt the
strength ehbing from my heart, thought it
had flowed into YOURS
"Thank God for the weakness which is
lovclcr than strength! must never leave
you Annic.'
"Ncvcr.''
The morning Of the welding day had come
and | was arranging Annie in her bridal dress
"A beautiful muslin guitlesS Of ribbon or
lace. wished to twirc in her hair II small
string Of pearls, which was once her mothers
hut she gently put it from me.
What, no ornament g inquired.
"Nonc,' she replied; 'but-ycs If you
will so into my garden. You will find lovely
white rose tree which William planted when
first knew him: bring me one of its buds,
and will wear it in my hair"
have seen brides radiant in hcalthrul
bloom, differing in jewels, dazzling in satins,
rich wells and costly wreathS, but never have
| hchcld one 30 cyq,iStcly, so wonderfully
beautiful as that dying gill with her dress of
simple white her one floral ornament. the
dcwy uStre of her soft blu: eve, and the
,lccpcncd hectic of her cheek. When the Ger
cmony was to he performed, she wished to
rise, and as she was too weak to stand alone,
| stood by her side and supported her. She
smiled sa,lly as she whispered =
You remember Grace, promised that
YOU should he my bridesmaid.
AS the beautiful marriage ceremony THAT
! of the English church) proceeded, the face of
the bride became expressive alternately 81
earthly and Of heavenly love, of Sof'ncS> and
sublimity. of the woman and Of the angel. till
it grew absolutely adorable At the last,
she received the fearful congratulations other
friends with graceful manner and with the
most cheerful smiles playing about her lips.
1t was morning. a morning born of bloom
and beauty, so soft, so glowing, ii seemed
Like rainbow c'asp,ns the sweet earth,
And melting in acoycnant of love.
Annie Gordon was lying on her couch 10y
an open window, with her fair head support
I'd on the breast Of her husband And She
a fathers joy, brothers pride. the wife OF
two short weeks was leaving us now. Every
sunbeam which looked into her eyes saw her
violet hue grow palcr. and every soft air
which kissed her faded lips bore back a faint
or breath on its light pnion. Her dating
g., L.. in, , Il trn, Of uri,. of h.,
side. stood holding one of her hands in
mine while at her feet sat her younger broth
or Arthur Moore, weeping with all the uncon-
trolled paSSionatcncSS of boyhood.
Annie had lain for some moments appa-
rcntly inscnSibc but she looked up yet once
more to William, with hcl own sweet smil,
and murlnurcd-
Pray once again, my beloved: it will plume
my spirits wing for its upward flight; but
place your hand upon my heart that you may
know when am gone.
William Gordon lifted up his voice in Il
PRAYER. all saint like submission and n child.
like love. lie s"lcmnly and tcnlcrlv COM
mitt,d the passing soul of the wife. the daugh'
ter. the sister and the friend to her Saviour
and her God. and mcckly implorcd for tho
stricken mourncrs, the lninistration of tho
blessed spirit. suddenly he pausod-hcl
heart had ceased its bcatings. His brow be-
came convulScd, and his voice was low and
trcmulous as he added
..Shc has left us; oh our Father, She i,
with thee now
Gone our Annie dead ~ exclaimed poor
little Arthur Moore; and Sprineing forward
and casting one look on that still face, Ii,
stretched his arms upward and cried Oh,
dear sister, come back"
We arraycd her in her bridal dress even to
the white rose bud twincd in her golden hair.
We laid her to rest by her mothers side, in a
lovely rural graveyard: and a few months af.
ter took her favoritc rose tree from the gar.
den and planted it over her breast.
Our Annie had been gone from us ycar
and the rose was in its first bloom, when
William Gordon came to bid us a last adicll.
lie Was going out as n missionary to India
On the last evening Of his stay. ! went with
him to the grave of our lost. We remained
till the grass was glttcring with dew and tn,
stars were thick in heaven. Many time:
poor William turned to depart, and returned
again. We both remarked single rosebud
very like the one Annie wore on her marriag,
and at that second bridal. when she was we'd
dcd to the dust, and when at last William
summoned strength to go, he pluckcd thi:
and placed it in his bosom, with many tears
doubt not that in his distant home. il
that darkcncd land where he toilcd for Christ ,.
sake, that flower is still a cherished memcntc
of his sadly beautiful past and touching re.
membranccr of a shore to which he hasten.
eth, and an unfading cline, wherever livetl
1.-The rose Of love-" in the bloom ofimmortal.
ity, in the sunshine of Gods smile.
l. too, am far from the grave, but know
almost to a day when that rose tree is in
bloom. Every morning another bud is I'M
folding over her resting place, how it loads
the air with perfume, as it sways to thu
breeze. and as starlight trcmblcs around it
how swcctly sleeps the cold dcw-drops in it:
glowing heart
SrErI.H UNcIIMsTIAN.-Tivcfo for som,
purpose in the word. Fill up the mcasur,
of duty to othcrs Conduct yourself SO that
| 80, IL Ill bo alleged with sorrow whom WI,