Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1860-05-11
MISCELLANY Y.
Anna Heyward, or Perfected Through
Suffering.
IS ELMA SOUTH.

81 ELMA SOUTH.
A flood of moonlight is pouring, ike a
silver stream, into the chamber where Anna
Hayward lies sleeping in the cold, everlast-
ing sleep of death. Her thin hands are
crossed, as if in meek resignation, over her
still bosom, and a lovely smile, deaths bean
tifying gift, is playing around her pallid
lips. Tears Gil my eyes, and my heart
pulses throb sadly, in the presence of the ho-
ly dead; and yet should not weep that this
sorrow-tried child Of earth has passed away +;
rather let me say, in burst of grateful re-
joicing,
Joy, JOY forever! her task Is dones
The gates are passed and heaven is won
Long years ago knew Anna Hayward.
She was then in the very meridian of hope
and happiness, gay-hearted and enthusias-
tic. When she was surrounded by gay
company you were tempted to think that
there were no deep tones TO her heart but
in her quiet moments, you felt that she pos
sessed vast capacities for suffering, which
when called forth, if she possessed not equal
powers of fortitude and endurance. must
overwleim her in a sea Of despair. But
life still looked gayly to Anna Hayward.
She was young, and youth has many pleas
ures-pleasures that only pail when Sor-
row, that mighty teacher of truth. shows
the utter vanity of earthly Joys. Wealth,
youth, love, and friends-what more want
ed Anna Hayward TO make life rich fes-
tivai, perpetual holiday of gladness and
pleasure? But few mortals 90 down to
the grave with all the flowers fresh in life's
garland. First. there drops ogse bud of
oyelines, then another, ard the few that
are left give not forth the sweetness of other
years.
First fled Anna Heywards wealth. and
with it her friends. Alas, that the friend
ship Of this world is so often but bauble,
that falls and is crushed when the golden
chain that attached it to us becomes broken
81 repine not, said Anna Hayward. when
she saw her summer friends depart. " | have
still love left, and
There Is comfort in the strength Of love
Twill make a thing eldurabe, which else
Would oyerset the brain, or break the heart 7"
1t is this deep trust, this perfect faith that
makes woman's love so beautiful a thing,
and the betrayal of It such bitter cruelty.
Anna Hayward, thou lest before me,
still and cold, with thy deep love curshed
upon thy silent heart ! saw thee when
that love gave light to thine eyes and glad
ness to thy step. | saw thee when the firs'
bitter agony was upon thee when resigna'
ton breathed upon thy soul, and thou al
last did recognize Heaven acting through
man.
As look at thy pale closed lips, car
scarcely believe that those same lips utter
ed the words of passion and despair that
once heard issuing from them. That fata
night, the moonlight shone as brightly oyei
the living as it now does over the dead
Anna Heyward and her lover were si'iin:
beneath her full beams, and | heard he
1 saw in half smothered tone, that told too
well that some fearful agony was working
at her heart. Go, then | would not de
tain YOU. Once-and her voice grew
strangely mournful-" | would noi have biz
you 20 but have learned, in the schoo
of sorrow, how 70 resign. You have sacrI
feed my love 20 your ambition; but ma
the happiness which you have taken away
from nv heart, still cling 10 yours. Go!
| waited but heard no more. Again
listened but all was as silent as is this death
inhabited room.
Some moments elapsed, when Anna Hey
ward entered the hall in which sat Sh'
threw herself, in an agony Of grief On t"s
sofa. and sob after sob burst from her iul
heart. ] have seen many an gonz'n;
display of human sorrow, and heard iron
many bleeding heart the Psthaiie prayer
4" Father. if it be possible, let this cup pas
from me-" but | haze never witnessed 50
fearful an exhibition of despaiTing grief a
this. 1t was The cries Of heart that ha'
bravely esduFed poverty and loss of friend
breaking beneath the last cruel deser'ien o
love. Consolation was vain. Silent an
awed sat, in the presence OF this might.
grief, trying to solve the question: Whl
) should woman eser iovet" Ah, auesIis'
that IS a solution of itself Why elinss ti'
vine to the oak
All that night. Anna IieFwaFd mouFne'
r and bewailed her fate, in passionate. unre
stoned words. She could net, she woui
not sec the hand of God in this bitter dis
/. pensstinn. She wished 10 die. Wh1
{ cared she Cor life, when all It's hopes had dc
parted: She had ho-ue her other trials