Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1855-05-19
seIttt Gale.
FROM the
D E 3 0 R A II.

am an old man. My hand tremblos as !
write. 1t is Il strange-looking hand-shrivcl-
led, and brown, and mottled with the dark
spots which old age has imprinted on it. !
can hardly believe the tale my mirror tells
me; for Time, in his busy silence, has wrought
sad changes there. Tho cnrls in which used
10 glory are silver white my eyes, once dark
and piercing, are sunken and faded. and look
like dying lights from underneath their droop-
ing reddened lids. This shopping, crazy form
is but the wreck of What ,sas once my pride.
! sang once They said ] sang well. For
years | led Il choir which was the boast of the
country round. The highest falsetto was not
beyond my flexible voice, nor the deepest
bass below it, Now that voice cracked and
dscordant, can hardly falter through the
scale, and dies away in husky whisper.
But did not mean to talk of myself
These thoughts came over me as | looked
down the past, to catch glimpse Of one who
shoae there so brightly, who shines now in
the New Jerusalem.
! 1t WAS many years ago, for ! was y9,tag
! then, when first saw sweet Deborah Oar
/ ling. 1t was on the first Sabbath in June
! Oh how il comes up before me The waving
leaves and the soft murmuring of the fresh
breeze as it rippled through them; the bursts
Of liquid music that trilled without the church.
and the voice Of the meek old minister with
in, whose simple, heartfelt eloquence bound
US like spell. | occupied my accustomed
seat in tie choir. The singers one by one
dropped in, when. to my dismay, found that
my first treble was absent What could we
do i was perpleyed beyond measure, for We
had prepared ourselves with unusual care 10
sing before some distinguished strangers
present, and without our leading treble we
were nothing. At last, one Of the singers
suggested that she had cousin below who
sang readily by note. She might be persua-
ded, etc. etc. / hurried down stairs, and
there, in an old square pew, for the first time
beheld Deborah Darling. How well l re-
member it all ! Her fair face suffuscd with
bushes at the thought Of taking so prominent
a position, her gentle hesitation and timid
reluctance, the sweet pitying expression that
stole over ber countenance as / told my per-
plexity, and her faltering acquiescence at last
| had conquered Deborah, but Deborah had
conquered me!
led her to her place in the north gallery
the base were ranged in the south, and be.
tween them l took my stand, with the coun
ter singers in line before me, and, with {
majestic flourish on my pitch-pipe, we burs
into one of those fine old anthems which nov
lie neglected and forgotten. Never did
hear such music. Others may talk of Jenn.
Lind and Sontag, but never again will M!
ears hear such strains as gushed from thelip
of Deborah. She sang with her whole heart
the delicate color deepened in her cheeks, he
eyes glistened and her face grew radent will
emotion. sang mechanically. My thoughts
my eyes were fixed on Deborah /; and wheI
she scared away, now carrolling Ikea bird
and now gliding over the most difficult passa
ges without an apparent thought Of any thing
but the language of devotion she was utter
ing, felt as if listening to the songs Of ano
ther world.
The anthem ceased but my brain was in
whirl. 1t seemed TO me that the minister
would pray abop. Deborah, that he woulC
preach about her, that every one must bC
thinking of her through the whole SERVICE
That was an Improbable Sabbath to me ye
she, sweet girl, would gladly have led my
thoughts toward the Heaven whittier her owl
4 were ever turning.
Ihat Sabbath passed away the week pas
sed away, and had seen her, known her, and
LOred her.
1t was on Saturday afternoon as bright
and beautiful as ever shone on this faile,
earth, that rove through the fragrant pin,
: woods of -. The air was delicious, tn
scenery encha ting, and by my side sat Debo
rai. Every hsm OF her appearance come
| up 'ftuiJ ih icSohSStiOu. Iltf ufeSS Z
'' spotless white, b, Meath which peeped out tina
slender little foot the shawl of a color S
delicate and soft, = know not his nancy an
the deep bonnet from whose dark shado
her eyes beamed like stars. Never sine
have seen such eyes as Deborahs, so full
tliquid light, the soul looking out Of their cles
depths, as if no thought of de6lemelt ha
a ever marred its purity, and the long ,ash'
\. falling heayi!v over them, as though to We
10 such brightness from the rude gaze Of mo
tails. A proud and happy man was whe
as turned toward her, land ] never spoi
without doing it, she would look up for
X moment with such soft aud timid glsnc
in and then drop her eye-ids, as if terrified
IS. her own boldness, The gentle murmur
or her words thrilled my heart II seemed
me it would be heaven to clasp that lit
hand.