The Westerly echo, & Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1854-1858, 1856-08-07

servants strength, anu Dinoc'n W 'A'
broken heart.
That night, when the hour of twelve
had passed, l stole from my mothers
room and stood by the couch OF Isabel
She was sleeping, not the calm untrou-
bled sleep of a quiet heart, of mind at
peace her cheeks were flushed, her
brow contracted, her thin lips parted,
and her white teeth set hard together
her hands clutched her pillow convul-
sively, and she tossed about, muttering
words of raving that breathed only self
reach and humiliation.
As I stood there with only the light
of the burning stars shining upon me,
/ felt a fiery torrent sweet over my
being; it was as if stream of burning
lava had been infused into my veins.
A fiend was at my side, / listened to its
promptings.
What, I cried, to be thus crushed and
despoied of the beauty and hopes Of
my. life J.? What is Warner Gray to
Isabcl' She, the world worshippcd,
the beautiful, the great. Iohad but
him, why should l resign him to her ?
what was her love to mine the fancy
of a woman of the world to the soul
absorbing worship of my life :
l knew that | was not worthy Of one
thought from Warner Gray, save that
they that love much are not to be judg.
ed by the same cold rules that the
world measures worth by; but I know
also to bid my heart to cease loving was
to bid it cease to beat; I knew that its
affections would seek no other object,
and said I will not give him up
Then womans' pride wakened. What !
would I seek to wed man that must
despise me' / cast behind him the
priceless jewels of pure, undying afec-
tion to be trampeled under foot. And
then came folding over my soul the
memory of all my brothers. goodness.
I thought of his agony, 1 saw again his
loved formed in the rocks my love for
Isabel returned, ro-awakeped felt
that l had only to speak the word and
turn their misery to unspcakable joy.
They must either hate me forever, or
bless me as the author of all their hap
pincss. I knew that. my God sent a
ministcring angel then to strengthen me
for a peace that passeth understanding,
filled me with newborn gladness.
felt, for the first time, the great joy Of
doing good, of comforting blessings
But would Warner Gray accept it at
my hands 7 He must, said: and
STOPPING down, I murmured in my
cousin Isabel's ear, Joy cometh in
the morning: she started from her
sleep and sat upright; she was awake
at once. I said, lie down, Isabel, and
do not speak until I tell you all that is
in my heart, for I am in sorrow, and
you must aid and counsel me-
4 can recall each word spoke, but
I give only the substance here:
I told her what she already knew,
how I had shrunk from the communi-
cation of our marriage, how had been
betrothed from infancy to Warner Gray,
and then I told her how, as brother,
must love him, but could not and
would not be his wife. We are not
suited to each other, I said, and he
would make me miserable. He does
not love me he never told me so, and
it must DO another being to waken feel
iDgs in his heart. The heart that he
will value must be shared by none
other, it must be his and his only. I
cannot love thus, will give him the
future that is rightly his, and he must
free me from this engagement
While l yet spoke, the moon had
risen, and the room had become bright
as day. l raised up and looked into
Isabel's face never shall l forget its
rapturous expression. 1t shone as the
face Of an angel. Blessed are they
whose privilege it is to bring glad It'd
ings to the sorrowful.
On the morrow, Isabel was to say all
this to my mother for me, and it was
reserved to me to give to Warner Gray
the reversal of his doom. .r
But the morrow brought other
thoughts the silver cords had long
been heightened to their utmost; and
before the sun had reached the meridi-
an, my mother passed over the river Of
death. 1t is well With her last
breath she commended her children to
- Warmers keeping, and he has obeyed
her injunctions perfectly.
The room was dark, and deaths
presence was keenly felt. l entered it
poselessly, and stood unperceived by
Warner, as he sat beside the cold,
silent dead, praying for strength to
bear the weary load of life.
Gould it be that l saw tears on his
check, and heard him groaning aloud ?
The all powerful spell of my early love
was on me. came and knelt at his
feet, and taking his hand in mine l
kissed them again and again and
when, at last, could speak, I ex-