True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-12-05
From Che Olive Blaneh.s :
THE WHITE RoSE.BUD.

~
Beautiful was it in its unsaIIcd fresh-
ness, as il was borne to the young bride;
and beautiful was she in her devoted al.
lection, as she spoke those words which
are ever, like the spell of the sybil,
"Fraught with good, or fraught wIill,
Doomed to heal, or doomed to kill"
Child as then was, l looked up with
mute remorse 10 the fair face so full of
eloquent meaning. Ii seemed so strange
to see shade upon the brow Of our glad
hearted Oraline, that it hauutedmy men,
ory long after it had passed away. Ibid
not then know that deep feeling is ever
serious, whether it be of joy or sadness;
and bridal had always seemed TO my
young imagination place for smiles and
sunshine.
So seemelh it 10 many young dream
er, who hath not yet read from the dark
er records Of life, aught to dim these vis-
ions. The bridal array, the congratula-
tion Of friends, the new home with lis
tasteful decorations, tla2zled my young
mind as they have dazzled many an older
one, and my awakening like theirs was
amid the gloom, 3Asnjd the gloom, vet
not of mine ow6'hSarts desolation; the
shadow had fallen IsaCiIesover that young
bride, for the hes Afdstingly given,,
had been given to Sseanworthy.
There are reces$es in the human heart,
the most cherished may never enter y
there are records there, the most reckless
dare not copy. We may enter home in
the dark hours of suffering, when pain is
racking the form which sickness hath laid
low; or when worldly wealth hath de-
parted, we may whisper Of better wealth
still left. We may stand by the stricken
one, over the corpse of earth's best below
ed, and still, even there, may our love
and our sympathy avail; but when es-
arrangement has drawn its dark curtain
around the heart, and the spirit hath sat
down in its loveliness 10 weep over the
blighted flowers tha!once blossomcd there.
it is then the part oflove to stand afar off,
and watch and pray for the sufferer whom
our gentlest sympathy may not relieve.
Sacred be the veil that hangs over the
hearts deepest recesses! Not for the
strangers eye were the sorrows of that
youthful bride, as the suffering wife, the
strong-hearted mother, the patient Chris
tian. We may not tell how hope strug-
gled vainly against every doubt, until
reality brought conviction to an unwilling
mind; how love bore all, and forgave all,
until though "strong as DEATH" yet not
so strong as duty, it departed from the un.
worthy one, TO seek refuge for its broken
wing where gentleness gave glad well
come.
y y $500
Again was that form arrayed in snowy
u white, and again those tresses braided
for bridal. Again came cherishing
> friends to look on her young beauty, and
again they saw the light shadow resting
> over her high brow. They saw it now
without sorrow, for it was the shadow Of
her bridegroom's smile. So they gath
cred the white roses again, but this time
they chose the full-blown flower for its
emblem was now the more fitting one.
Many were gathered at that bridal, and
they marvelled much. They saw that
> the bridegroom's face was dark and stern,
and they saw that she smiled not, but
was pale and still in his cold embrace
Yet her friends looked calmly on, and
they wept not now, nor trembled for her
happiness, as on that first bridal day; for
they gave her now TO one that leceiveth
never. So they gave her calmly 10 that
stern bridegroom, for they knew that only
with him could their stricken dove find
rest.
8 And not SO sad as that first bridal gath
ering, was this; though the shadow sill
!. fingered over inat lovely face, yet nov
4 was soflencd by look Of holy trust, 70
. the name Of her dark bridegroom was
Death, and they knew that she loved
If him, as the messenger Of God,
l. GP Coleman the dramalisl, was asked
lt if he knew Theodore Hook. Yes, re.
Lii H. -. sIIcol .,,I E,,c 49,. III =. y