The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-05-15

For the National Era.
THE OLD QUADROON
National Version of The Virgia Martyr
CONCLUDED.
sThen to the city day by day
bore my load of flowers.
In every glaring thoroughfare
sat for hours and hours;
And ohen-for my wreaihs were prized-
Would ladies' everywhere
Admit me TO their chambers cool,
TO deck their robes and hair.
IN chamber. street, and church, aud mart,
dashed asking eye
On every girlish form met.
Il met with no reply.
Tic months rushed on, ill III my heart,
Took root and grew the fear,
That we might meet, and pass, and parl,
Nor know each other near
could not tell how long it was
SINCE last cisspcd her;
Times ler,ss had been swallowed up
a. one blank dood of woe.
had not known my own strange face
When FIRST by day stood,
And looked INTO the stream. My youth
iri' within the wood.
VA. she - changed drove the thought
Away; bui more and more
Il haunted me; and begged in vain
FOR tidngs DER and DER,
Aud loed from dawn till eve, until
once while the CLASSY heat
Ran iaiyering up its celumned sides,
tainted IN the street
4 woke with water oil my brow,
And ilmly gazed around.
Ny head upon some kindly knee
Ws- pi!lOwed from The ground.
4 carl bent DER me. laughing back
Defiance gay To one
v no ladr her let HE tend my SELF
Aud enter from the
She drew nc 10 porchs shade,
And clapped her hands with glee,
Gong bounding Tor my basket back.
It, scattered stores 10
she So q garland Oh her head,
And danced with tiny feet,
Aud sonl-dropping arms, about
With merry glance and sweet.
While with my flowers she heaped my lap,
unused: Such beauty sure
Wa never I'LL now then why
ui something seen before,
Or dreamed of, does il make me think
some mirror and, within
rs h.sI-carycd frame, two faces bright,
rTwIk; danes OF taPers twin
Why should the faces seem in hers
Doth melting into one!
II flashed on me, Her form, her voice.
They were my niSlress's OWL
Her cheek OF polished nectarine,
Blue eyes. and chestnut hair,
Her long straight nOs.,, and arching brows,
Ami SAMMY Joyous air!
Bur whose the eddying dmples, then,
Tia, implied round her smile
The pearls and ro<es of her mouth
unused; but she, the while,
Had dropped all else 10 seize "A
or lilies dropping tears.
Ny poor, poor mother made me such
She sighed, in other years
sprang. Each gazed in doubt on each.
oh, Rose! cried, at last,
And with a nurseliug cry ofjoy,
Once she held me fast.
she hug grd aud kissed me, laughed aud wept,
Sac anew not what she did.
.'h~ dreN my lue Bible forth,
Thai IN her br, asst lay hid.
SIR tore her pretty lrinkels off,
Ny withrrei form to deck,
Drew back 10 gaze again. again
Lay nesting on my neck
With modest whispers, while she told
-. one more dear than life,
Wba so)n should bring purse of gold,
And claim her as his fe,
Aud that within his spacious halls,
The StIllest shadiesl nook
Should be my own. Oh, God. in mine
Her little hands took,
And told her that masters love
Was but another name,
10 such she, AMI such as J.
For infsmy and shame.
Tier color bleaehed on cheek and lip.
A., when through falling SHOWS,
~mIt y,lh sudden dimneSs DER,
The cedar ghastly shows.
She reared herself as on the peak,
Tho cedar w.lI and tall
~. lay IN The valley lies
TIE cedar in its fall.
She him once, but once again.
And sad that they must part.
She bore her fathers naughty mind,
Tier mothers breaking heart.
No holy ring for her had he,
No sacred vow IN store;
And when la wrath he left her side
Perhaps the worst was DER.
Her mistress turned me from her gate.
Atevrn, morn, and noon,
Ia prophe, fear kept my stand
isside the barraeOon.
Ma ioug walled now. She came
wiiA islli and falterins feet
the loom OF a sebellious slave
Al tallan hands 10 meet.
Nhr came but not the iiaoUghIless child
oi thirty days agone-
Tue image OF a suffering saint
Cut while and sharp in stone;
NauehI iie-like in her besnleous face,
Save IN her sunken eye
spark OF virgin pride, that bt
\ martyrs conslsncy.
Her Keepers marked me not, nor she.
1.'ey passed. ] softly rose.
IS ! we're OF the company,
Within followed close.
With lofty POI; ecarce deigned she glance
tpon their cords and whips;
i3ui ef,eved childhood AL came back
Cnte her quvering lips;
FOR from hes shoulders soft they tore
Her maiden gsrb away!
They gave her sacred beauty 10
iier frightened eyes meath evil eyes,
One iRsishi 10 the ground
We're weighed, ttap. darling wild about,
For shelter Iue they ioInd
rushed TO her, oh, Goo, poor child
lnio her mothers arms,
Now vain to save, she crimsoned few,
To hide her helpless charms.
tprayeG them not TO hurt her. sobbed
And shrieked for leave TO bear,
Myself, the Stripes they meant for her,
Or twice OF thrice her share,
And screamed how harmless and how kind
She from a babe had been
gracious creature one could lead
With but a silken rein.
Win oalhs and blows they fell on us,
And dragged me to and fro
ihry dragged me; but dragged her, too,
Aud could not let her 60
ihesS hands as with death grippe locked
Zach bursting henri 10 heart.
'irf pale new masters Bowie-knife,
Iaese fingers apart.
Inca TO the torture place. unbid,
She turned and dashed her down,
ana bore the worst they dared to do,
With scarce cry or moan.
i''ch lash that OH her fell cooled round