Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-09-30
DEBORAH:

clleu, ana DROWN ana nOtticd win the dark
spots which old age has imprinted on IT,
can hardly believe the tale my mirror tells
me for Time in his busy silence has
wrought sad changes there. The curls in
which ! used to glory are silver white my
eyes, once dark and piercing, are sunken and
faded, and look out like dying lights from un-
derneaih their Dropping reddened lids This
STOPPING, crazy form Is but the wreck Of what
was once my pride. | sang once They said
sang we'll For years | led choir which
was the boast Of the country round. The
highest ialsetto was not beyond my flexible
voice, nor the deepest base below it. Now
that voice, cracked and discordant, can hard
ly ialter through the scale, and dies away in
husky whisper.
But | did not mean to talk Of myself
These thoughts came over Inc as | looked
down the past, to catch glimpse Of one who
shone there so brightly. who shines now in
the New Jerusalem.
1t was many years ago, for | was young
then when FIRST saw sweet Deborah Darling.
1t was on the first Sabbath in June. Oh!
how it comes up before met The waving
leaves and the soft murmuring of the fresh
breeze as it ripplcd through them; the bursts
of liquid music that trilled without the
church, and the voice Of the meek old minis
ter within. whose simple, heartfelt eoquence
bound us like a spell | occupied my accus-
toned seat in the choir. The singers one by
one dropped in, when to my dismay, | found
that my first treble was absent. What could
We do? was perplexed beyond measure,
for we had prepared ourselves with unusual
care to sing before some distinguished stran-
gers present, and without our leading treble
we were nothing At last, one of the singers
suggested that she had cousin below who
sang readily by note. She might be persua-
ded, etc. etc | hurried down stairs, and
there, in an old square pew, for the first time
beheld Deborah Darling How well re-
member it all Her fair face suffused with
blushes at the thought Of taking so prominent
position, her gentle hesitation and timid re-
iuctance, the sweet pitying expression that
stole over her countenance as told my per-
plexity, and her faltering aequiescence at last.
had conquered Deborah, but Deborah had
conquered me
led her to her place in the north gallery,
the base were ranged in the SOUTH and be-
tween them | took my stand, with the coun-
ter singers in line before me, and, with n
majestic flourish on my pitch-pipe, we burst
into one of those tiue old anthems which now
lie neglected and forgotten. Never did hear
such music Others may talk Of Jenny Lind
and Sontag, but never again will my ears hear
such strains as gushed from the lips Of Debo-
rah. She sang with her whole heart the
delicate color deepened in her cheeks, her
eyes gistened, and her face grew radiant with
emotion. | sang mechanically. My thoughts,
my eyes were fixed on Deborah and when
she scared away, now carolling like a bird,
and now gliding over the most difficult passa-
ges without an apparent thought Of any thing
but the language of devotion she was uttering,
felt as if listening to the songs of another
world
The anthem ceased, but my brain was in
whirl. 1t seemed to me that the minister
would pray about Deborah, that he would
preach about her, that every one must be
thinking of her through the whole service.
That was an improbable Sabbath to me yet
she, sweet girl would gladly have led my
thoughts toward the Heaven whittier her own
were ever turning,
That Sabbath passed away; the week pass
ed away, and had seen her, known her, and
lored her.
1t was on Saturday afternoon as bright
and beautiful as ever shone on this fallen
earth, that | drove through the fragrant pine
woods of b -. The air was delicious,
the scenery enchanting and by my side sat
Deborah. Every item of her appearance
comes up vivdly in my recollection. Her
dress of spotless white, beneath which peeped
out that slender little foot the shawl of
color SO delicate and soft, Il know not its
name,) and the deep bonnet from whose dark
shadow her eyes beamed like stars. Never
since have | seen such eyes as Deborah's, so
full of liquid light, the soul looking out of
their clear depths, as if no thought Of defle-
ment had ever marred its purity, and the long
lashes falling heavily over them, as though to
veil such brightness from the rude gaze of
mortals. A proud and happy man was |
when, as | turned toward her (and | never
spoke without doing it, she would look up
for moment with such a soft and tmid
glance, and then drop her eye-lids, as if terri
fed at her own boldness. The gentle murmur
Of her words thrilled my heart 1t seemed
to me it would be heaven to clasp that little
hand.
The sun went down, and the silver disk Of
the moon CLEANED in the eastern sky. The
trees began to darken more thickly around
us. | slackened my reins my horse walked
gently along, aud no sound broke the stiffness
save the signing of the wind through the
pines and the melancholy chirp of the cricket.
| looked at Deborah, and my tongue found
4 A.