The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1863-05-06
THE TOLLING BELL.

"oIthy Huu iuuonIS0hI i"h"'y) iu I"iN'
country village.
The early breakfast was over; parents
and children had joined in reading chap
ter in the bible; Mr.. Sedgwick, the head
of the family, had then offered up fer
vent prayer, at the conclusion of which
we all arose from our knees, when our
ears were greeted by the clear, deep peals
of the ringing church bell.
$50 latew exclaimed Mrs. Sedgwick,
looking at the clock. "Our time-piece
must be SLOW"
"That is not the first bell for church"
replied her husband, solcmnly. "Thero
has been death in thevilIagc. The bell
is going to toll for Martin Lord"
"Such then is his unhappy end! p mus
ed his wife. at will be wrong to mourn
his death. If death was ever a merciful
providence, it is so in this case"
ais it person who had been long
sick" l asked.
Instead of answering my question di-
rectly, Mr.. Sedgwick said:
"There is very melancholy history
connected with that young man. 1t is
now some time since the excitement oc-
casioned by this tragedy has died away;
but the tolling Of the bell this morning
must bring it back forcibly to every heart.
Perhaps you would be interested to hear
the storyw
expressed my desire to listen to the
narration; upon which my friend gave
me the details of the following story,
which l relate with only a slight devia-
ton from the original:
Martin Lord was the flower and hope
of one of the most respected families in
the village. His amiable disposition and
superior intellect procured for him univer-
sal love and esteem.
Although of slight figure, and pale
features, which indicated q constitution by
no means robust. Martin was remarked
for his uncommon beauty; and indeed his
fine, noble forehead, shaded by locks of
soft brown hair, his large, expressive blue
eyes, straight nose, with thin Grecian nos
trils, and rather voluptuos mouth, entitled
him TO that consideration.
Martin was great favorite with the Ia
dies, old and young; but he never show
ed any marked partiality TO any one un-
til he became intimate with Isabella Ash
ton, the daughter of our late clergyman,
who died of grief about year ago.
No two things could be more different.
Isabella was the most young and thought
less girl in the village. She could have
little sympathy with a person of such
deep feelings and elevated intellect as
Martin; and beautiful as she was, it SEEM
ed strange that he should have given his
love to her. There is no doubt but that
she was attached to him, perhaps she low
cd him as we'll as she was capable Of low
ing any one; but in this instance, as in
all others, her affections were secondary
to her love Of sarcasm and mischief.
Martin and Isabella had been pointed
out as lovers, by village gossips, for sever
al months; he was now nineteen, and she
was the same age, when the tragedy oc-
cured which the tolling of the bell recall
ed to my memory.
1t was on an autumn evening, nearly
five years since, that Isabella took advan-
tage of the absence of her father to have
a social gathering at their house. Martin,
Of course, was present, with the fairest
youths and maidens, and being under no
restraint from the gravity of tho clergy
man, who was not expected home till late,
the company enjoyed themselves freely