Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-04-29
g Original rig poettp.
For the Yorkville Enquirer.
It THE VICTIMS of PASSION.
By MRS. N. ". sTRATToN

By MRS. NJ. W. sTRATToN. ..a-...-.s
Be-. Twas the dim hour of eyentide, =. 81 -
And up. the steep hills slip'ry side - : ,'
- @~s. ef' Aweary stranger toiled 81, "a
His gloomy brow and sunken cheek 80.
OF want or sorrow seemed to speak a..r
-4 His dress was travel. soiled. 60
And vet was his q nobler mein -.s-.
Than oft in gilded halls are seen q
His eagle glance as proud; ~. -
The masses Of his raven hair 80 r,.'-... -
Which waved above forehead fair, - y
''s <- Half bid its deep'ning cloud.
. But still within his mournful eye 80. -,
A practized reader could descry = .r.s. =
49, .... g. What all might never know
Might.deem that pale and quiv'ring lip -..'
From some dark fount had learned to sip, 49,.
H.. - - A drsught of guiltsT woe.-s~
Oh many note beaming smile;
Nor dream that turks below the while .
''' p Dark crime or anguish deep;
And many a long life finds its close,
And closest friendship never knows,
'@'' What storma did o'erit sweep
. And now, the wind rose high, land chill, :: :.
RI The sleety rain fell faster still, ~ -1' No.
..,s O.. ,,- -. And darkness shrouded earth,
And all the strength that fseblefOrm ~
> Had summoned mp to, meet the storm
IN, Was noweof little worth.
The stranger tottersd, thro' bis brain,
Rushed strange eonfusion-mad'u ming Pain,
-...-. -..-.. His wild cry filled the air. >,
b. And suns, and stars, and rays of light s,.eg,
Flashed wildering!y before his sight 70. .2.-r-5
.-. ., -. As he sank senseless there, :
Not far arose Converts dome ''' -
Where weary pilgrims found home =
.'h7S - e.. For life, or fora day, -
And world-worn spirits sought for rest
Where chill monotony could best t--'''..'
-. Wear frame and heart away.
. .s ..e-- s.,.t - . ssrs = 81 -. ~ d. -
And kindness bore the stranger there c...
And tended him with anxious care, .~sss-..
....,, ~ Tillreason: came With breath;
But then darkness Ger his bed q. s.s .,ss
A. clammy hand upon his head -. .s s.a.1
Reveeledthy presence, Death!
Now mem'ry wandered slowly back
Upon his life's eventful track;
.5i And from the fading past
Came many form with frowning brow
But one avenging spirit now
Will haunt him to the last.
.- A lovely, form, maiden fair >3 ,s.--r-s71 So
With rosy cheek and auburn bnir. ~g-a.g =.
--. -.-. And eye with laughter bright
But conscience hurled that form away -
And thrust another pale and grey. .,.;a s-,.:
,.....,. s..-, Before his guilty sight. ..ss s.,
hat last one fingered, and Deaths 10y hand g.
seemed now withdrawn, that che might calmly
90 stand . :. Hr.sa4.. .-j - ssz : '-|'
Beside his bed, and bid dark mem'ries rolls' s. e.,
ike fiery pillows o'er that parting soul; ~ s>'ss
That sunkeu cheek-that hueless lip and broR---s.
That once fair form, 80 sadly altered now, - !!
zoo we'll he knows; aud with despairing dread,1 y
Ies waits to commune with the injured dead g
Jor long She speaks-and fromh his guilty breast
)ne load is'lifted=-he can bsarthe rest. 80 I'd.
III can it be? does EIls truly iives - x
Ind comes TO curse or to forgiven -
IL - - - - Si-J ~ -
With flashing eyes, the pale, proud #oman spoke,
The curse of years leone not to revoke, - -,
Ind Conscience, sure Ayengsr aids me now :
70 stamp despair upon thy naughty brow; ~,
And mem'ry brings the deed Of other years, 20. ii
Which stepped thy soul in guilt, and mine ir tesra
Dost thou remember twas deep dark stream,
Meath, shade 50 dense that not single gleam
Of sunshine sparkled on the grass grown seat
Beside its bank. There did aserpeut meet
A pure white dove, and fixed his glit'ring eyes .
Upon her own, until his helpless prize, III,
Lay at his feet, bound with gilded chain -,, g
Which CALLED ere long and felltoo late-in vain!
Yes, ell too late; for that poor victim wore -
Thesspoaess garb of purity no more! A,. - /
Tho man may do foul deeds Of blackest shame,
And pass thro' life With On unsullied name;
May heap gross wrong upon woman's head
Drride her living, and disgrace her dead,
Let sroman, feeble ,roman dare to err,
There's no redemptiou-no excuse for her. go.
Twas long avoided, but that lonely spot ..... 4
Thou didst at last revisit, dreaming not
The lost, degraded Ella e'er would dare
Again to meet her proud destroyer there. ...
Yet there she came, thy child upon her breast, --
" ell may st thou conscience tells therest
Repulsed, insulted, yet she strove to grasp ssi.5
The hand which once her own could fondly clasp.
It thrust her back-the sloping shiny bank
Gave fatal help, the child and mother sank !; .-.
The dark waves closed above each injured head,
And from their murd'rer peace forever fed.
meant it not oh God l.! the weight of woe
Which thenceforth crushed my soul, but Thou eanst
know s-sY..,
did not dream, or hope to meet thee there,
And did repulse thee in my wild despair,
Not that loved not, for loved too well,
And had endured, what then could not tell,
naughty mother threats prayers, and tears
4 fathers bitter curse rang in mine ears,
And nv chafed spirit like furious beast
Blinded by rage, from torture late released,
Could nothing bear, and cen thy gentle touch
Seemed in my woe-flled cup the drop too!much.
found but anguish in thy soft caress,
And crushed the heart would have died to bless.
strove to save thee, but my o'er-tasked brain,
With fever filled, made efforts wild and vain.