Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-11-30
}EiSC CEi.II.INT.
J he Two Widows.
BY NATHANIEL HAMTnnRNF

The following st,ry, the simple and do
nestle incidents Of which may b. deemed
scarcely worth relating after sucha length
Of time. awakened II degree ofinter'st hun
drcd years ago in principal sea prt of the
hly OF Massachusetts,. The rainy twilight
of an Autumn day, parlor on tn, second
i'or OF house, plainly furnished, rs he
seemed the midding circumstances of the
Inhabitants. yet decorated with lit lie rurio-
sites from beyond the sea. and few delicate
specimens Of Indian manufacture. these are
the Jhly particulars to he presented in re-
gard to scenes aud season. Two yong and
comely women sat together by the frcside,
nursing their mutual and peculiar sorrows.
lhey were the recent brides Of two brothers.
Il sailor and andsman. and two successive
days had brought tiiings Of thl death of
e1rh, by the chances Of Canadian warfare
and the tempestuOus Atlantic The uniyer-
sal sympathy excited by this bereavement
drew numerous conduling guests to tine habi-
tation OF the widowed sisters Several.
among whom was the minister. had remained
TIL the verge OF evening, when, one hv one
whispering many comfortable passages of
scripture, that were answered by more album
dant tears, they took their leave and de
parted to their own happier homes rhe
mourncrs, though not lnsensibe to the kind
'''-' ~ ''i'l4 IlI'IluS, ndl ytirHyI to be LETT
'''""~' C",'"i "e 'h"Y h"| hann. - "aI.
tlunshlp OF the living, and now more closely
50 hy that Ol the dead, each felt as if what
ever consolation her grief admitted, was to be
found III the bosom Of the other. They Joined
their hearts, and wept together silently But
after an hour Of such indulgence, one Of the
sisters, all of whose emotions were influenced
by her mild, quiet, yet not feeble ciurlcter.
began to recullect the precepts Of the resg-
nation and endurance which piety had taught
her when she did uot think to heed them
ll-r misiortunes besides, as earliest known
should earliest cease to interfere with her
regular course Of duties; accordingly. having
placed the table before the fire, and arranged
il frugal meal, she took the hand Of her com
pnnlOn
Come, dearest sister, you have not eaten
morsel to-day, she said, arise, pray you
and let us ask IA blessing on that which is
provided for us
Her sister was Of lively and irritable
temperament, and the first pangs of her sor-
row had been expressed by shrieks and pas
sionate lamentations. She now shrunk from
Mary S words, like a wounded sufferer from
hand that reviyes the throb
There's no blessing for me, neither will |
ask it, cried Margaret, with a fresh burst Of
tears. Would that it were His will that
might never taste food again.
Yet she trembed at these rebellious ex-
presslons, almost as soon as they were ut
tered, and by degrees, Mary succeeded in
bringing her sisters mind nearer to the situa-
ton of her own. Time went on, and their
usual hour OF rcpOse arrived, The brothers
and their brides entered the married state
with no more than the slender means which
then sanctioned such step, and confeder-
ated themselves in one household with oaual
/ rights TO the parlor, and claiming exclu, ,iye
/ privileges III two sleeping rooms contig ious
10 it. rhither the widowed ones retired
after heaping ashes upon the dying clnbers
/ Of tie fire, and placing lighted lamp On the
hearth The doors OF both chambers we're
left open, so that part Of the interior of
each, and the beds with their Enclosed ,ur-
tains, were leciprocally visible. Sleep did
not steal upon the sisters at one and the same
time. Mary experienced the fleet often
consequent ou grief quietly borne, and soon
sunk into temporary iorSettulness, while
Margaret became more disturbed and lcyerisi
ia proportion Hs the night advanced with it.
deepest and stiIlest hours She lay listening
to the drops of rain that came down in mono
tpuous >uacr,s.uh, unswayrd by breath o
wind. and nervous impulse continually
causing her 10 lit Der head from the pillow
and gaze into Mary's chamber and the inter
mediate apartment The cold light Of tn,
lamp threw the shadows of the furniture u,
against the wall, stamping them imnpvabl,
there, except when they were shaken ~
sudden flicker Of the lame. Two vacant arm
chairs were III their old positions IN the up
lO-ite sides Of the hearth, where the brother
had been wont to sit in young and Mu-hin.
dignity, as heads oil families two humble
seats were near them, the thrones Of thd
/ ! 4 \ ~
exercised in love a power that love had won
lie cheerful Radiance ol the fire hNd ,hoNl
uIon the hurry rirc", and tho dead Gimme
ol the lamp lIsut have rrh,t,J their rc-unio
now. Nhilc Margaret groaned in bitterness
Size heard u knock at the street door.
How would my heart have leapt at tina
sound but yesterday thought she remeui
lcIing tie anxiety with which She had :
long awaited lidings from her husband.
care rot for it now let them begone, for
will not arise
But even while sort of childish fretful
ness made her thus resolve, she was hreatl
ing hurriedly aud strdining her ears to cate
a repetition Of the summons. II Is dlthcul
to be convinced OF the death Of one whOl
Ne have doomed another self. The kuuckin
was now renewed in slow and regula
,trokes, apparently given with the soft en-
uf II double frt, and WAS accompanied b
words family heard through sever,
tbicknesscs of the wall. Margaret looked !
her sister q chamber, and beheld her still ly
ing in the dcrthr of sleep, She slightly al
, rayed herself, trembling between fear an
, raSrIness as she did SO.
Heaven help me :! sighed she hA'
nothing left to fear, and metninks ! am t.
times more coward than ever.
! SEEING the lamp from the hearth. 81
FASTENED tp the window that overlooked Il
street door. II was u lattice, turning up,
,, huSr- aud, having thrown it back, 81
stretched her head little way into the moi
atmosphere \ lantern was reldonng Il