The Irish standard., 1898-12-03

/, most fresh and luxuriant. We see it
l dropping its branches to the earth, and
J. shedding leaf by leaf; until wasted and
] persisted away it falls even in the still
S ness of the forest; we muse over the
i beautiful ruin, we strive in vain to recol-
lect the blast or thunderbolt that could
have smitten it with decay.
have seen many instances of women
4 running to waste and self-neglect and
disappearing gradually from the earth,
almost as if they had been exalted to
heaven; and have repeatedly fancied that
:. I could trace their deaths through the
\ various declensions of consumption. cold
debility, languor, melancholy, until /
8 reached the first symptom of disappoint-
ed love. But an instance of the kind
was lately told to me; the circumstances
Z are we'll known in the country where
they happened, and shall but give them
In the manner in which they were re-
slated.
Every one must recollect the tragical
! story of young d, the Irish patriot;
1t was too touching to be forgotten. Dur
Ing the troubles in Ireland he was tried,
acondemned. on charge of treason. His
fate made a deep impression on public
sympathy. He was so young-so intel
Z ligent-so- generous--so brave-so every
thing that we are apt to like in young
man. His conduct under trial, too, was
so lofty and intrepid. The noble indig-
{ alton with which he repealed the charge
of treason against his country-the elo-
quent vindication of his name-and his
pathetic appeal to posterity, in the hope
less hour of condemnation-all these en-
tered deeply into every generous bosom,
and even his enemies lamented the stern
policy that dictated his execution.
But there was one heart whose anguish
I It would be impossible to describe. In
happier days and fairer fortunes he had
won the affections of a beautiful and in
teresting girl, the daughter of late cele-
brated Irish barrister. She loved him
with the disinterested fervor of wo-
mans first and early love. When every
worldly maxim arrayed itself against
him, when blasted IN forllue, and dis
grace and danger darl.ened around his
name, she Lowell him the more ardently
for his very sufferinss. If, then, his fate
could awaken Tie sympathy even of his
foes, what must have been the agony OF
her, whose Nll.e SOU! was occupied by
his image? Let these tell who have
had the portals of the tomb suddenly
closed between them and the being
they most loved on earth-who have sat
at its theshhold, as one shut out in the
cold and lonely world, from whence all
that was lovely and loving had depart
ed.
But then the horror OF such a grave?-
SO frightful so dishonored! There was
nothing for memory to iwell on that
could sOothe the pang Of separation
none of those tender, though melancholy
circumstances that endoar the parrin.,
scene-nothng to melt a sorrow E2to
those blessed tears, sent like the deeds
Of heaven, to revive the heart in the
parting hour Of anguish
To render her widowed situation more
desoate, she had incurred her fathers
displeasure by her unfortunate attach
ment, and was an exile from the pater-
nal roof But could the sympathy and
kind offices of friends have reached a
spirit so shocked and driven in 10y
horror, she would have experienced no
want of consolation. for the Irish are a
people of quick and generous scnsibili-
ties. The most delicate and cherlshing
attentions were paid her by families OF
wealth and distinction. She was led in
to society, and they tried by all kinds
of occupation and amusement to dssi-
pate her grief and wean ncr from the
tragical story Of her love. But it was
all in vain. There arc some strokes of
calamity that seattle and scorce The &lll
that penetrate to the vital seat of hap
piness-and blast 1t, never again to put
forth bud or blossom. She never OBJ
jected to frequent the haunts of pleasure,
but she was as much alone there as in
the depths Of solitude. She walked
about in sad reyerie. apparently I'LL
conscious of the world around her. She
carried with her an inward woe that
Knocked at all the Establishments of
friendship, and "hecded not the song
of the charmer. charm he never so
wisely"
The person who told me her story had
seen her at masquerade. There can
be no exhibition of far gone wretchcd-
ness more striking and painful to meet
than at such a scene. To find it
wandering like a spectre, lonely and JOY
less where all around is gay-to see it
dressed out in the trappinss of .:li.th,
and looking so wan and 'soebcgone, as
If it had tried in vain to cheat the poor
heart into momentary forgete,llncss of
sorrow. After strolling through the
splendid rooms and giddy crowd with
an air of utter abstraction, she sat her
self down on the steps of an orchestra,
and looking about for some time, with
vacant air, that showed her insens-
bility to the garish scene, she began
with the capriciousness of sicx.y
heart. to MARBLE little plaintive air.
=------------ - -- -----------------