Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-01-10
THE THREE BRIDES.
A TALE OF woMAN's LOVE

III Il Il2kk L. r b1Si DES.
A TALE OF woMAN's LOVE.
"Do you sce," said the sexton, "those
three hillocks yondcr, side by side p
There sleep three brides, whose history
am about TO relate. Look thare. sir, on
yonder hill, you may observe liL!le des-
olale house, with little strag ding fence
in front and few stunted apple trees on
the assent behind it. 1t is sadly out Of
repair now, and the garden is ovcrgrown
with weeds and brambles, and the whole
place has desOlate appearance. If the
winds were high now, you might hear the
crazy window shutters Tapping against
the sides. and the wind tearing the gray
shingles off the roof Many years ago
there lived in that house an old man who
cultivated the few acres Of ground that
belonged TO it.
"Ehe father was ~ scli-tauyht man,
deeply vcrsed in the mysteries of science.
and AS he could tell the name Of every
flower that blossomed in The wood or grew
! in the garden, and used to sit up late at
| his books, or in reading the mystic story
of the starry heavens, men thought he
was crazy OF bewitchcd. and avoided him
as the ignorant shun the gifted aud en-
| liohtcued. y few there were, ana among
oilers, the minister, the lawyer, and the
physician Of the place, who showed a vii
| lingness to afford him countcuance, for
they found tie old man somewhat re serv-
ed and morose, and more over their vanity
was wounded on discovering The extent Of
his knowledge.
"To the minister he would quote the
fathers and the scriptures in the original
tongue, and showed himself well armed
with the weapons Of poiemic controversy.
He astonished tEe lawyer with his pro-
found acquaintance with jurisprudence,
and the physician was surprIzed III the ex
tent Of his medical knowledge. So all OF
them deserted him. and the minister from
whom he differed in some tritiinS point of
doctrine. spoke very lightly of him, and
by and by looked ca the self-cuucated
farmer with eyes of aversion.
"He instructed his son in all his lore
the languages, literature, history, philos-
ophy aud science, were unfulded, one by
one, to the enthusiastic son of the solitary
old man.
Years rolled away, and tie old man
lied He died when a storm cunvulsed
the face Of nature, when the wind hOwled
around the shattered dwelling and tn,
lightning played above the roof-and,
though he went to heaven in fath and pu-
ritv, the vulgar thought and said that the
Evil One claimed his own in the clements
cannot point to you the grief Of the son
at this bereavement. The minister came
and muttered few hollow praises in his
ear, and few neighbors, impelled by Gu
riositv to see the interior Of the dwelling.
came to the funeral. With proud and
naughty look the son stood above the dusl
and the dead, in the miust of a band OF
hvpocritical mDurners, with panG at his
heart, but serenity upon his brow. He
thanked the friends for their kindness, ac-
know lodged LheiI courtesy and then strobe
away from the grave to bury his grief in
the rivacy Of the deserted dwelling.
"He found, at last, the solitude Of the
mansion almost insupportable, and he pa.
ced the ebony floor from morning till
night, in all the agony of woe and desc.
latiOn. vainly importuning heaven for re
lief. 1t came to him in The guise of po-
etic inspiration. He wrote with wonder
full ease and power. Page after page
came from his prolific pen. almost with
out an effort, and there was time when
he dreamed (vain fool) Of Immortality
Some of his productions came before the
world. They we're praised and circuIa.
ted, and inquiries set on foot in the hope
of discovering the author. He, wrapped
in the veil of impenetrabte obscurity, lis.
tened to the voice Of applause. the more
delicious because it was gained by stealth
From the obscurity of yonder lone man.
sion. and from this region, to send lays
that nstonished the world, was indeed a
triumph to the visionary bard.
"His thirst for fame had been gratifed
and he now began TO yearn for the com
panionship of a sweet being of the softer
sex, to share with him the laurel he had
won. and to whisper consolation in his eal
in the moments of despondency, and tc
supply the void which the death of ia
ther had occasioned. He would picture
to himself the felicity Of refined inter
course with highly intellectual and beau
tiful woman, and as he had chosen for hi
: motto. whatever has been done may bs
tdone again. he did not despair of sucoess