Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-08-17
NELLY GRAY,

sweet Neily Gray, now happy vert thou at
bright sixteen How lightly tripped thy tiny
feet upon the green sWard before the cottage
door; how sweetly sounded thy fresh young
voice, as it hoated upon the winds In the merry
summer time. Thy curly locks, Thy rosy cheeks,
thy cherry hps-oh, happy vert thou, bright
young maiden!
How sweet the bud, but how beautiful when
its gentle petals open into the blooming flower!
A dream Of poetry, vision sent from heaven
10 gladden. and make light the hearts of mortals;
to illumine with thy Frightening smiles the path
Of the lonely traveller with the sunshine bf Joy;
to make gay the home of the desolate hearted; !;
to make brighter and loveler the things of the
earth!
Life's thornless flowers bloomed in beauty
around her path, and bright and beautiful
looked the far off future. The roseate hue
was upon her oheeksj delight spArkled in her
eyes; her heart Was light and happy. Curses
rest upon the head of him who would cast
blight upon the Joy Of suoh being! Talk not
to me of Circsssia's dark.eyed daughters, of
the peerless beauty in the courts OF naughty
England, but give me the loWly, meek and
gentle girl, whose soul Is filled with tenderness
to all earth's children, one upon whom the
mantle of virtue sits In unfading brightness
and beauty. The love of such a being is worth
tenfold the treasures of Golconda's mines-it is
pearl Of price that angels watch and guard
with Jealousy.
Early In the spring time of '37, Nelly (sll
loved TO call her by that name) plighted her
faith to Frank Marshall, the son of o wealthy
importer, whose country seat was at Rose Valley,
the birthplace of char ming Nelly Gray. She
was looked upon by Franks sisters as q simple
village girl, one only fit for making butter, and
10 no wise worthy of "keeping company" with
man who lived without soiling his hands, and
handsome property, when the old church ard
bell should toll for his father, Hiram. How
many times would Nelly almost grow sick with
weeping when she heard the cruel stories they
invented about her. She was poor, aye, she
knew that well! And how many mournful
thoughts did the recollection stir in the depths
of the inner chamber. How often did she think
herself unworthy of his love, and Try to drown
all thoughts of him in forgettulness. Ah! that
was painful struggle for the young heart,
Nelly! Thou thought'stit was the will OF Him
who dwelt on high, and how submissively dds,
thou bend unto his Wilt When fever racked
thy lovers frame, when all did shun bis bedside
Nelly, for fear Of the dread disease, thou stoods
bright and beautiful alone there! Nelly, like
q ministering angel, holding the cup of bllsI
unto the feverish and parohed lips! And wher
he did at last recover, and went forth once
more into the world, they looked upon thee IN
kindly, Nelly, instead Of browning thee with
gratitude!
But bright day at last arrived. Franz
Marshall loved thee, despite all their cavils, an(
swore to make you his bride. Oh, that indeed
was happy day; thou hadst reached the pima
Gle Of earthly bliss. How sweetly sang the lie.
tie birds; how often didst thou and him lister
to the warbling of their tiny throats at morr
and eve. Thy heart was filed with gladness-
thy soul drank In the melody of love.
Poor Nelly! how brief, indeed, was her happi
nose! Ii was but one short week after they
had plighted their mutual faith, that Frank re-
ceiyed orders from his father to prepare for {
voyage to France, on business of the utmos
importance, connected with their establishment
A delay of day would probably ruin then
forever. Frank had often wished to visit France
had longed for an opportunity; but now that b,
must leave her he loved, il became indeed I
hardship. Nelly saw he did not wish to leav,
her, and would picture the many bright scene
he should encounter, with q heart Overrunninp
with loving kindness, to make him forget,
possible the pain of parting. The night befor,
he stavted away, he plucked wild rose from
bush, and gave 1t to her laughing, with ''see 4
you can keep 1t until returnm How her hear
bounded with joy as she accepted the simpl
gift, and how often did she watch and water
when he was sailing over the wide ocean,
That night alone within her chamber she fel
upon her knees and called Gods blessing upol
his head-in her dreams he was ever the brieh
being before her. Ah, Nelly, thou "loved no
wisely, but too well!"
Weeks rolled by, and at last letter CAM
stating his arrival in Paris, and how well h,
liked the gay city. She answered it, but never
again received a line from Frank Marshall =
While waiting for his answer, many time di,
she unite the little parcel that contained hi
last fond epistle, and peruse it over and owe
again, look upon every word and letter wit
looks of love, and then replace 1t with q tea
upon her rosy cheek, with treasures of her heart
Was he sick2 No; his sisters received letter
from him regularly. Was he coming hom
shortly and wished to tell her all he had seen
himself2 What was Il that made him act g
strangely2 She never spoke to his sisters abou
him, nor they In their letters to him of her.
When dark foreboding would cross her mind
and tear would spring in her eye, she woul
chase it away with some merry song that b
often loved to hear her sing. One morning o.
she was sitting in her apartment sewing, an
musing with her melancholy thoughts, MIS-
Lucy, Franks Oldest sister, opened the windo,
and threw an English paper on the floor, an
then ran away, laughing heartily, The strang
proceeding rather amused than offended Neliy
and seeing IL marked, she picked It up wit
some curiosity to see what il contained. Gres
God, that shrek! Il was the marriage of Fran
to the daughter Of an English member Of Par
lament, She sank back into her chair, ii
color faded from her lips, and she went In
paroxysm of grief. A moment more and u
terrlhle blast had passed away--the brig
smile that was wont 10 illuminate hes face hl
Aoun forever, but howcalm and beautiful d
she look. att, --t;