The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1860-01-19
THE BROKEN. HEARTED.

upon the field of battle-the miserable
convict, standing upon the scaffold, with
p deep curse: e:quivering on his lips-I have
viewed death, in all its forms of darkness
sand vengeance, with fearless eye-but I
never could look on woman, vounp and
lovely woman. fading away from the earth
in beautiful and uncomplaining melancholy,
without feeling the very fountains of life,
turned to tears and dust. Death IS always
terrible-but when form of angel beauty
is passing off to the silent land Of the
sleepers, the heart feels that something
lovely in The universe is ceasing from ex.
'stence, and broods, with a sense of utter
desolation, over the lonely thoughts, that
come up, like spectres from the grave,
TO haunt our midnight musings.
Two years ago, took up my resi-
dence, for few weeks, in country vii
lage in the eastern part of New England.
Soon after my arrival, became acquainted
with lovely girl, apparently about seven
teen years of age. She had lost the idol
Of her pure hearts purest love, and the
shadows of deep and holy memories were
resting like the wings {. f death upon her
brow. l first met her in the presence
Of the mirthful. She was indeed crea-
ture to be worshipped-her brow was gar
landed with the young years sweetest flow
ers-her yellow locks were hanging beau
.tifully and low upon her bosom-aud she
moved through the crowd with such a
floating and "nearlhIy grace, that the be-
~ildered gazer almost Looked to see her
fade away into tile air, like the creation of
some pleasant dream. She seemed cheer
ful, and even gay, yet saw that her
gayety Was but the Dockery of her feel
ings. She smiled, ut there was something
in her smile, which told that its mou, nful
beauty was but the bright reflection of a
tear-and her eyelids, ut times, closed heav.
lily down, as if struggling to repress the
tide Of agony that WAS bursting up from
her hearts secret urn. She looked as if
she could have left the scene of fes,ivity,
and gone out beneath the quiet stars, and
laid her forehead down upon the fresh,
green earth, and poured out her stricken
souf gush after gusl,, ill it mingled
with the eternal fountain of life and
purity.
Days and weeks passed on, and that
sweet girl gave me her confidence, and l
became as her brother. She was wasting
away by disease. The smile upon Ter lip
WAS fainter, the purple veins upon her
cheek grew visible, and the cadences of
her voice became daily more weak and
tremnous. On quiet evening in the
depth Of June, wandered out with her a
little distance in the open air. It was
then that SHE first told me the tale of her
passion, and of the blight that had come
down like mildew upon her life. Love had
teen portion of her existence. Is ten
drills had teen twined around her heart in
IFS earliest years, and when they were rent
away, they left wound. which flowed till
all the springs of her soul were blood. ~
am passing away" said she, " and it should
he 50. The winds have gone over my life,
aud the bright buds of hope and the sweet
blossoms OF passion are scattered down
and lie whitening in the dust, or rotting
away upon the chill waters of memory.
And yet l cannot 60 down among the
tombs without fear. It is hard to take
leave OF the friends who love ME-. is
very hard to bid farewell to these dear
scenes, with which have held commun-
ion from CHILDHOOD, and which, from day
10 day, have caught the color of my life,
and aympathized with my joys md sor-
lows. That little grove, where have SO
often strayed with my buried love, and
where, at times, gwen now, the sweet tones
.of his voice seem to come stealing around
me 3tilI the whole air becomes one in
tense and nournful melody--ibat pensive
sstat, which we used to watch in it's early
rising, and on which my fancy can slill
picture his form looking, down upon me
and beekoning me to his own bright home
s4-syery flower, and tree, and risulet, on
which tlle; memory of our early love has
sits andying seal, has become dear to
.Jms. and ! cannot. without sigh, close my
seyessupoh them forever"
asssI have lately heard, that the beautiful
whom ] have spoken. is dead. The
Der life was calm as the falling Of
quiet stream-gsn,le as che sinking Of the
tbat iingen for stiIns around a
M 6f nithsred roses, and then dies. $ y
lfetn very @sweetness.'T ~, ~
s ssS s ssrnot be .tbat earth ii mars only
MI Pisce.s Itcaanot be- tbat our lie
esst np By tI,e oeesn eft sster--,
|s M oet & men,sHt upaHdts wsves aud
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