The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-12-18

o"e A"""s VI lhe mental maiady that prevl
Ously snapped her strength, and made her s,
easy prey to the spoiler.
She is like some tree, the ptide and beau
ty OF the grove: graceful in its form, brigh
in its foliage, but with the worm preying a
its heart. We find it suddenly whitening
when it should be most fresh and luxuriant
We see it dropping its branches to the eartI
and shedding leaf by leaf, until wasted an,
persisted away, it falls even in the stiIlnes,
of the forest; and as we muse over the beau
tiful ruin, we strive in vain to collect the
blast or thunderbolt that could have smitter
it with decay.
l have seen many instances of women
running to waste and neglect, and disap.
Pearing gradually from the earth, almost as
If they had been exalted to Heaven: and
have repeatedly fancied that could trace
their death through the various declensions
of consumption, cold, debility, languor, mel
ancholy, until reached the first symptom
Of disappointed love. But an instance OF the
Kind was lately tod TO me; the circumstan.
ces are we'll knewn in The country where
they happened, and shall give them in the
manner in which they were related
Every one must recollect the tru gical sto
ry Of young Emmet, the Irish patriot; it was
too touching to be soon forgotten. During
the troubles in Ireland, he was tried. con.
demned and executed, on charge Of treas.
on. His fate made deep impression on
public sympathy. He was SO young, go in.
telligent, so brave, so everything we are ant
to like in ayoung man. His conduct, under
trial, too, was SO lofty and intrepid. The no.
bic Indignation with which he repelleI the
charges OF treason against bis country; the
eloquent vindcation of his name: and his
pathetic appeal to posterity in the hopeless
hour OF condemnation-all these entered
deeply into every generous bosom, and eve n
his enemies lamentcd the stern policy that
dictated his execution.
But there was one heart whore annuisb il
would be impossible to describe. In happ. |
er days and fairer fortunes, he had won the
affections of beautiful and interesting girl,
the daughter of the late Irish barrister, She
loved him with the disinterestedness of
woman's first and early love. When every
worldly maxim arraycd itself against him
when blasted in fortune, and disgrace and
danger darkened around his natae, she loved
him the more ordently for his sufferings.-
| then, his fate could awaken the svmpathv
OF his foes, what must have been the aqony
OF her whose soul was occupied by his i'm.
age! Let those tell who have had the portals
of the tomb suddenly closed between them
and the being they most loved on earth; who
have sat at his threshold, as one shut out in
cold and lonely world, from whence all that
was lovely and loving had departed.
But the horrors of such grave! so fright
ul! so dishonored! there was nothing for
memory to dwell on that could soothe the
'ang of separation; none of those tender
hough melancholy circumstances, that en-.
lear the parting ecene; nothing to melt sor.
'ow into those blessed tears, sent like the
lews of Heaven to revive the heart in the
PARTING hour of anguish.
To render her widowed situation more
esolate, she had incurred her rather's dis.
pleasure by the unfortunate attachment, and :
vas an exile from the paternal roof. But
ould the sympathy and kind Offices of friends .
ave reached spirit SO shocked and driven d,
n by horror, she would have experienced no =
want of consolation, for the Irish are peo. ,
lie ofquick and generous sensibiities. The ,
most delicate attentions were paid her by
antilles Of wealth and distinction. She was :
ed into society and tried all occupation and =
musement to dissipate her grief, and wean
er from he tragical story ofher lover. But :
was all in vain. There are some strokes :
{ calamity that seattle and scorch the soul: =.
hat penetrates to the vital seat of happi. "
ess; and blast it never again to put forth r
nd or blossom. She never objected to fre. ;,
uent haunts of pleasure, but she was as lone :,
lere, as in the depths of solitude. She tt
'olkcd about in sad revelries, apparently
nconscious of the world around her. She =
afred within her an inward woe that mock
all the Establishments Of friendship, and =
needed not the voice of the charmer, charm
e ever go wisely" "
The person who told me her story had
cen her at masquerade. There can BE- =
o exhibition of far gone wretchedness more r
hiking and painful than to meet it in such -
scene: To find it wandering like spectre u
'nely and joy less, where all around is guy
to see it dressed out in trappngs of mirth, =.
nd looking go wan and wobegone, as if it :
I'd tried in vain to cheat the poor heart into - =
momentary forgetfulness of sorrow. AZ =
r strofling through the splendid rooms and r
ddy crowd with an air of utter abstraction, =,
e sat herself down on the steps OF the or. y
lesra, and looking about some time with
cqnt air, that showed her nsepsibility to I,
e garish scene, she began with the capri
BUSINESS OF a sick!y heart, to warble plain .,
'e aif. She hud an exquisite voice, but
this OCCasinn II UNA so sim nlo CO to,.L -