Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-10-21

extent, and naQ OQQS-s Ueen the pTQpu0S1
structure in the distftot, bit was now the
mere .sshade" of departed grandeur-the
..skeleton Of unfeahed humanity The
forecourt was choksd up with weeds. the
|curiously carved windows overrun with moss
and wv; and the chapel was strewed with
broken. colrmns, which. Ii their fall had
crushed many Of the sculptured efhgies on
the tombs a small portion of the refecto-
ry alone remained in tolerable presentation;
and on. ite paved floor lay few hAlfburnt
faggots and bits Of charcoal, together with
an old drinking horn, which showed that
wandering band ofgipsies had bit lately
held retel in it. Strange spot for merry
making, where every shahg spoke Of desola-
ton and decay!
AS With b we'd head and "stealthy pace"
the young man entered the crumbling edi-
fee, he hardly dared draw breath, lest he
might rouse strange echoes Knowing well
the localities. !, he stole his way en- tiptoe, to
what had once formed the chapel, beneath
whose floor the last Lord Abbot, and many
of the monks, lay buried; where, lPsnihg
against the fragment ofa pillar; he awaited,
with mingled sensations Of awe and melan-
choly, the hour that should asur,nlon him
into. the presence Of the departed.
Obs Night? mysteriors,. phantom PEG
pied Night at whose bidding memory sum-.
mons fryp Their gtavss tie feelings and the
Ffrieads Ct other years-Night, spirit Of many
tones, how impressive is even the llghtest
Whisper The very dropping Of the dew
from the ivied arches on the leaf-strewn
ground beneath startled John as though Ifs
were IL Il, and. the .m;hd eigb:ng through
the ruins, rung like dirge in his ears. ~
What an utter desolation 1t was thus he
|commppsd With, himself 'bteathes out
from these old cloisters Not : football,
where once, crowds bowed the kress to. Hea-
ven I stand, TIE only living thing, a.
mong tie rnrcme mBered dead Well, pass
but few years aud shall join >tAel1 ranks
gladly, most gladly, for what is this world
other than vast ruin or Nse than epec,res,
who are doomed. rer-fforce to hsnnt its gloom
"a brief While, aud vanish T. .-.
TIE moon at this moment, forcing her
way from behind cloud, came streaming ia
through the broken windows, aud pouring
down faint radiance on the Ahbot's tomb,
which was. situated et re flasha5 s:id Of the
chapel. The Sight Of tits rsemsnto mori re-
fcalled Johns wandering thoughts. 1.-The
hour draws on he said the hour that
must-whet 2. weight tbete is in the air i
Mo- It's atmy own heart, Strange fears
beset me-. What what am | about to do 7
Eternal God, parHpn me And Mary
will she whom { am to summon from the
world Of shadows, rise before me. with that
gentle smile she ever wore ip LIE LIE Oh
yes, there is memory beyond the grave. else
wherefore that wan, beseeohing figure that
has already twice crossed my path Spirit
Of my unforgotten love let me BIT Ii. tie
means Of procuring for thee the, repose Of
the tomb, and care not how soon | lay my
own head beneath it,"
While absorbed in thoughts like theses
|Trevanion was suddenly startled by faint
sigh, that seemed bresthing close at his el-
bow At first he suspected that some one
was concealed in the Abbey; but moments
reflection satisfied him that it was the mere
moaning cf the wind through the building.
just then the distant church clock struck
twelve!
1T is the hour exclaimed the youth,
and trembling from head to foot with an
e,hstion Which he vainly strove to conceal,
be drew the charmed bratfth from his breast
and, staggering towards the Abbot,s tomb.
deposited it thereon This done, ke'cast a
Efurtive glance about him, fearing-hoping
he knew not what; and then, in a solemn
voice, invoked the shade Of Mary!
II am here, John % said a low, sweet
voice; and at that instant the same form
which he had twice beheld in the 6r-grove,
gliding from behind an adjacent pillar, stood
a few PAGES off him..
MARY dear Mary dear in death, as
in life speak, conjure you, speak r ex-
claimed JOHN, stretching out his arms to-
wards her.
The figure advanced silently towards him
a wan smile Played round it's lips; a tear
trenibled in its eye; soft, white hand gent
ly clssped his
..God of Heaven y exclaimed Tie bewil-
dered Trevanion; while his eyes seemed ac-
tually starting from their sockets with the
intensity Of his gaze; IAN l awake Can
this indeed be possible? Yes, it is-it is
the real living Mary that stands before me-
and, overpoWered by this startling convic
ton, he uttered loud cry 81 ecstasy, and
dropped lifeless at her feet
Another figure now Advanced from among
the runs. oh, father father p said
Mary, the, instant she beheld the new conner
-"why did you persuade me to this =
Why not have made the revelation in some
more familiar form? You knew | was a.
verse to all this mystery from tie first and
STOPPING down beside Trevanion, she endea-
vored to raise him from the ground.
Fear nothing, my child, replied Mr.,
Mio,ri;dauint-. the first shock over, all will
be we'll; see already he revives! Come,
John, rouse yourself, my boy. Speak to
him, Mary"
The word Mary acted like a charm
on Treyanion. He started from the ground,
rubbed his eyes, to assure himself he was
wide awake, and stood fixing wild gaze
now on Mr.. Mordaunt, and now on his
daughter, as if he still doubted the evil
dence Of his senses. In brief space, how
ever ,Rhe managed to recover something like
self possession whereupon MIR. Mordaunt
taking his arm in his, and accompanied by
Mary, led him gently from the ruins.
On their way back to South Zeal, OBJ
serving the half distrustful chances which,
even while she wis hanging on bis arm, !
John every now aud then directed towards
Nov M, Mordc1,nf nitUinp tho vn,xi,y