I i.c .SI hi. ' v.!. ' 'it the Mtisf in;iil-i. t,
Vl mhiI tli" him ' :1 irui)i adiiiis . .. 'i "IT.
,a,4 -.
0.V Lt:.in.YG HOME.
Cod ItL-sn thee ! was die last cndr ariiitf word
Die lip cmilj utter, or the heart couM hil !
2hit tlurc win. ( Ihmi whom was only heard
i; A blcvi thee !iud it wan ufll-ctam' knell
?vr rtmtiy a lonely day
The very phrwe
Was oh repeated by the parting voice
Of wmtlitiil tYiwuUliip; and the but fire well
01 vunc vi ho lnvM me ii my boyish days,
Vint warm mid tr ufid
Yet there vv as hut uue
W Imsc heart beat quicker than her e) es ran o'er,
"V 1 1 we trembling lips rchi'd to whisper more,
Than tlmt vvartn prayer.
It w is a liallm 'd tone !
Hrirty's the very ipice of lifir,
'I'liHt jfivei it nil itsrlavnr.
fnwi " lJphli and MuifWt of Si atlith lift."
mm
THE LOVKU'S LAST VISIT.
The window ol the lonely cottage
of llilt'-p wai beaming far above the
lYighest birch-wood, seeming to travel
icrs at a distance, in the tang valley
below, who knew it not, to be a star in
the sky. A bright fire was in the
kitchen of that sm.ll tenement; the
fl r was washed, swept, and s aided,
and not a footstep had mailed its per
fect neatnes; a sradl table was cover
ed, near the ingle, with a snow white
cloth, on which was placed a fnig.il
evening meal; and in happy, but pen
sive mood sat there all alone the Wood
cutter's daughter, a comely and gen-j
tlr mature, ii not beautiful! such an
one as diffuses pleasure round her in
the hay f.cld, and serenity over the seat
in which she sits intentively on the I
Sabbath, listening to the word tf GndJ
ee joining with mellow voicr in his
pi ise and worship. On this night she
expected a tisit from her !ver, thatj
they might fix their marrii je Jay ; ;
and her parents, saiisfu d and happy that j
thrir child was about to be wedded to
a r spectable shepherd, had gone to pay j
a visn to their nearest neighbor in ther
glen. I
A feeble and hesitating knock was.
hr rd at the door, nK like the glad and '
j- y lu! touch of a lover's hand ; and tau- j
tK uslv opening it, Mary Kobmsi n be I
held a female figure wrapped up in aj
I ;ik. with her I ce concealed in a
hi alt bonnet. This sttangrr, whoev-'
er she might be, seemed weaned and
Worn out. and her feet bore witness to
a long day's travel air. ss the m.irhy
mountains. Althoughshrcould scant '
1) help considering her an unwelcome!
Visiier at such an hour, yet ary had
to much sweetness of disposition too
imnh humanity, not t request her to'
3t p forward into the hut ; for it seem-'
ed s if the wearied woman had lost'
her way, and had come towards the
sh inmg window to be put right upon
her journey, to the low tountrv. !
The stranger took c!Ther bonnet on 1
reaching the tire ; and Mary Itahinsnn j
beheld the fce rf one w hr-m, in south, j
si., had tenderly loved although for
Some years past, the distance at which
they lived !rom,'ih other had k pt
th m Irom meeting, and only a letter
or two, written in their simple way,,
had given them a few notices r.f each !
ott er s existence. And now IWarv I ad
an opportunity, in the first speechless
gaze of recognition, to mark the al
tered face of her friend and her heart
was touched with an inquisitive .om-
roinri, ' 'or rrif rev's Hake ! sitdoun.
S tah ! and tell me what evil has bcfal- j
lrn you; for you are as white as a
ghost. Fear cot to confide any thing
to my los'.ru, wc have herded sheep
together rn the lonesome braeswe
have stripped the b. rlt togtther in the
nmre lonesome woods -wc have play
ed, laughed, sung, danced t getter
we have talked merrily and gaily, but
innocently enough, surely, of sweet
heads together and Sarah, graver
thoughts, too, have w c shared, lor when
your poor broiler died away like a
Ironed flower, I wept ns if ( had been
hi- sistir; nor can I ever be so happy
ii .his world as to forget him. Tell
me, my friend, why are yen lure? imd
why is your swrct fa e so ghasdy ?"
"1 he heart of this unexpected visiter
d'' d within I er at th.se kind and airVc
tiotute in:u't . s. Tor she had come
on an errand that was likely to dash
.tit? joy lioGl tht irappy WuftlCiWiwe.
ilei liirtit uphraiJid her with the
mcaiitii'' of the' purpose tor which
tdie had paid this visit j but that was
only a passing thought ; fui was she,
innocent and lice from siu, to submit,
nut only to ilcu-rikai, but to digracc,
and not trust herself and her wrongs,
and her hopes of redress, to her whom
she loved as a sister, and whose gen
erous nature she well knew; not even
luve, the changer of so many things,
could change utterly; though, indeed,
it might render it colder than of old to
the anguish of a female friend? J
u () ! Mary, 1 must !prak yet musf
my words make you grieve, far less lor
mc than for yourself. Wretch, that I
am I bring evil tidings into the dwell
ing of my dearest friend ! These rib
bons they are worn lor his sake
they become well, as he thinks, the au
burn of your bonny hair that blue
gown is worn to night because he likes
it but, Mary, will vou curse me to
mv face, when I declare before the
God that made us, that the man is
pledged unto me by all th.it is sacred
between mortal creatures, and that I
have here in my bosom written prom
ises and oaths of love fromliim who, I
was this morning told, is in a few days
io be thy husband. Turn jcr out of
the hut now if you choose, .tlVt me,
if you choose, die of hunger and fa
tigue, in the woods where we have so
often walked together ; for such death
Would be mercy to me, in comparison
with your marri.ige with him who is
mine forever, if there be a (lod who
heeds the oath of the creatures he h..s
made."
Mary Kobinson had led a happy life,
but a life of quiet thoughts, tranquil
hopes, and meek desires. IViidt-rlv
and truly did she love the man to w h ni
she was now betrothed ; but it wa-, bi -cause
she had thought him grntle,
manly, upright, sincere, and one that
feared (!. lbs character w as unim
peached to her his behavior had al
ways been fond, . lh ctionate, and res
pectful i thai he was . fine looking man,
and could shew himself among the best
of the country round the ihurch, and
market, and fair dav, she saw and felt
with pleasure and with pride. l?ut in
the he;trt cf thi poor, humble, conten
ted and pious girl, hu e was rot a vio
lent pafsion, but an niTcction sweet and
profound. She looked forward to her
marriage with a joyful sedatei ess
knowing that she would have to toil
lor her family, if blest with children ;
but hr.ppy in the thought of keeping
her husb nd's house clean of prepar
ing his frugal meals, and welcoming
him when weariedat night, to her faith
ful nd affectionate, and grateful bo
som. At f.rst, perhnp a slight flu--h of an-
gi r towards Sarah tirgedhir rhttk;
then lulltiwed in quick succession, or
all blended together in one sicktniig
pang, fear, ths pp untmctii, the si i scot get a whole year ol bliis. She could
wrong, and the cruel piiin of discs- not yet fling away wit'i her own hand
teeming and clrspisir g one on vom what, i nly a few minutes ago, seemed
her heart had rested wi h all it hcM to her ihr hope of paradise. Mir soul
andpunst UtTection. Hut though then sicktiud wi'hin hr, aid she wished
vv s a I'm struggle between mai y f rl- th t slu-uin had, or never ha J bii n
ins it. her htaii, her ico'uti. ;. ;!, born.
formed during th t very conflict ; ..id j C'u! ri;I ! (iahriel ! well indeed have
she said within herself, "if i; Lc even i I lovtd voti; i vi!l I snv, .titer nl!
so, nrsthcr will I be unjust to ifr-i tb.tt has pass d between u, that ou
privr pir.r Sarah cf the a. an w ho uJm jare not drsr rvi:, :.ltrr all, of a better
to marry her, nor w ill I be so mean . r.d love than mine. Win were it to deny
lw spirited, pi or a s 1 am, and dear us! my love either to you, or to my own
he has been unto me, as to become hi.s soul. Bin Io. .k me in the face be r.oi
wife." ' (wrathful thick 'lot to hide the tiuth
While these thoughts were caimlv eitht r Irtun v ourstlfor me, for that now
p.issirg io the soul i f this mag at i- is imp.-ssihh but tell me solemnly , as
mous girl, all htr former affeitie.n for you sh.ill arswtr to (iod at thi judg
Sarah revived ; ar.d, as she sighed f r mint day, if you know anv reason why
hersell, she wept aUiiid for her trierd I n-ir.t not be uur eddc d will Slie
" Uc quiet, Sarah, and sob rot so as iljkcpt her mild, moist eyes ftxtd upon
your heart were breaking. It need not him ; but he hti g (low n hishtadand
to be thus with you. Oh! sob not so 'uttered n t a wild, lor he was j;uiitv
sair! You surely have not walked
in
thU one dayTii inthe heart of the pa
rtsh of IWontrath.' " I have-" it dnd
done so, and I am as weak as the
watched snaw. God knows, little mat
ter if I should die away ; lor, after ;.ll.
I fear he will never think of me far his
wife, and you, Mary, will lose a his
band with whom you would have been
happy. I feel, alter all, that I must
appear a mean wretch in your eyes."
There was silence Letwctn tV.nn ;
and Mary Hnbinson looking at the
cloik, saw that it w anted only about a
quatter of an hour Irom the time ol
tryst. 'Give me the oaths and pto
mises you mentioned out of your bo
som, Sarah, that I may shew them to
Gabriel when he fotnes. Ard once
more I prcmiae, by all the sunny and
the snowy days wc have sat together,
in the same plaid on the hillside, or in
th lonesome charcoal pl ts nrul rests
o' green in the woods, that il my Ga-
bi'ul did Is:iy my Gabriel ? Hasfui
saketi vim ,.nd deceived mc thus, never
shall his lips touch mine again never
shall he put ring on my finger never
shall this head lie in his bosom no,
never, never, notwithstanding all the
happy, too happy hours and days I hive
been with him, near oral a distance
on the corn rig among the meadovv
hay in the singing school at harvest
home in this room'and in God's own
house. So help me Cud, but I will
keep this vow !"
I'oor Sarah told, in a few hurried
words, the story of her love and deser
tion how Gabriel, whose business as a
shepherd often took him into Montrath
parish, h id wooed her, and fixed every
thing about their marriage, nearly a
year ago. Uut that he had become
causelessly jeahms of a young mm
whom she scarcely knew ; had accused
her of want of virtue, a.:d lor many
months had mver once come to see
her. " Tins morning, lor the first time,
I heard, for a certainty, from one who
knew (iahriel well, and all his con
cerns, th.it the banns had been pro
claimed in the churih between him and
you ; and that, in a day or two, you
were to be married. And thot:gh I lelt
like drowning, I determined t" make a
struggle lor my life lor oh! Mary,
Mary, my heart is not like your heart ;
it wants your wisdom, your meekness,
your piety; and if 1 am to lose Ga-bri-!,
will I destroy my miserable life,
and face the wrath ol (iod sitting in
judgment up in sinners."
At this burst of p.ssio-i Sar.h hid
her face with her hands, as il sensible
that she had committed blasphemy.
Mary seen g her wearied, hungry,
thirsty and feverish, spoke to her in the
most soiahing manner; led her into
the little pailoor callid the Spence,
then removed into it the table, with the
oaten cake, b itter ai d milk ; and tell
ing her t.- take M'ov relrestiment, and
then lie dow n on the bed, but on no .,c
count to leave the room unulialh d fcr,
tavr h.r a sisterly kis and left her.
In a few minutes, tr.e outer door open
ed, and G.ibricl cnund
The lover said, "how is mv sweet
Mary?" With a beaming counte
nance, and gently dra. ing her to his
bosom, he kUsed her cnei k Mary did
not could not wished not .it once
to release herself from his enfolding
arms, (iahriel had alvvay s treated her
as the woman who was to be his wife ;
and though at this, time her h up knew
i s ovv n bitterness, yet she rcpt lied not
endearments that were so lately de
lightful, and suffered h m to take her
almost in his arms to th ir accustomed
seat. lie held her hand in ' is. ,nd
began to spc.k in his usual k t d and
afh ctionate language. Kind and ff c-
tionate it was, for though he Might not
to have done so, lie loved her, as she
thought, beter than his life, lit r heart
to. lu not in one small short hour, for-
In-fore her, be fore his own soul, ar.d be-
iforc God
" Gabriel, ncvir could we have bun
h. ppy, for yt u often told n.e, that all
the secrets t f your heart were known
to me, yet never did ye tell me ti is.
Mow could you desert the poor in o
cn.t creature that loved you ; ar.d how
could you use me so, who loved y o
perhaps as well as she, but whose heari
(iod will trach, not to forget yen, loi
that I may never do, but to think i
vou, vith that frieidship and aihctioii
which innocently 1 c.n bestow upon
vou. when you are Sarih's husband.
Tor, Gabriel, I have this night sworn
not inutigir ot passion no, n bo'
in sorrow and pity forai other's wreic
in sorn w also, chny it will I not, for
my own, to look on you from this
hour, as one whose life is to be let
apart Irom my life, ar.d whose lou
must never n ote meet with mv h vt
Speak not unto me, look not on mc
with beseeching eyes. Duty sod n
gion forbid us ever to be man and wife,
bat you know there is one, besides me,
whom you loved before you loved me,
and, therefore, it may be better too ;
and that she loves you, and is faithful,
as if (iod lud made you one, I say
without fear, I who have known her
since she was a child, ahho' fatally for
the peace of us both, we h ive long
lived apirt. b.irati is in tin: House, ( which sue cannot soiten notning so
and I will bring htr unto you in tears, : elevated that she cannot subdue ? when
but not tears of penitence, fur she is we tell her that her eyes are blighter
as innocent of that sin as I am who than day th at her form is fairer than
now speak." i summer more refreshing than spring
Mary went into the little parlour, ' that her liis are Vermillion that
and led Sarah forward in her hand. her skin combines the whiteness of the
Despairing as she had been, yet when lily with the carnation of the rose?
she had beard from poor Mary's speak- U wc censure a fine woman as frivo
ing so fervently that Gabriel had come, lous, when we unceasingly tell her that
and that her friend was interceding in no other btudy becomes her but that
her behalf the poor girl h d arranged of varying her pleasures that she te
ller hair in a small looking glass tied quires n talent but that of the arrange
it up with a ribband .vhich Gabriel had nivnt of parties no ideas byond tin
given her, and put into the breast of her thought of an afternoon's amusement;
gown a little gilt broach that contained Can we blame her frivolity, when we
locks of their blenod luir. I'alc- but lell her that her hands were not made
beautiful, for Sarah Pringle ws the : to touch the needle, or to soil their
fiirest girl in II the country; she ad- whiteness in domestic employments?
vanced with a flush on that paleness of Can we blame her frivolity, when we
reviving hope, injured pride, and love . tell her the look of seriousness chases
that was ready to' forgive all nod forget from her cheek the dimple, in which
all, so that once ..gain sheco ,ld be re j the loves and the graces wanton that
stored to the place in his heart that she j reflection crowns her brow with carr,
had lost. "Whai have I ever done, j and she w ho thinks, sacrifices the smile
Gabriel, that you should fling me from that makes beauty charm, and icjjaiety
you ? May my soul never liv e by the
atonement of mv Savi ,ur, if I am not
innocent of that sin, yea, of all distant
thought of that sin with which you,
even you, have in your hard-heai ted
lies charged rm. Look me in the face,
Gabriel, and think cf ul! I have ht en
unto you, and if "you s.iv tlut before
God, and in v our own soul, veu believe
mr guilty, then will 1 go away out in
the datk nijdit, and. h)t:,j Ii' lore m un
ing, mv troubles will be at an in'l.''
Truth was not only in her brvnt
a.d simple words, but in the toi.e of;
her voire, the color of her fare imd the j
light of her eves, (iahriel had long 1
shut up his lu-art against her. A t first j
he lud doubted. her virtue, and that
doubt gradually weakened his r.fl'cc-
lion. At last, he tried to believe her
guilty or to forget her altogt ther, when j
his heart turned to Mary Robinson, j
and he thought of making her his wife
His injustice, his wickedness, his bare
ness, whi h he had so long concealed,
in some measure, from himstlt, by a
d:m feeling of wrong done him, and
afterwards by the pleasure of a new
love, now appeared to him ..s the :v w ere j most of a lover's hopes is to be the
and without disguise. Mary tot. k Sa-1 humblest of her slaves that to fnlf.l
r,.h's hand and placed it w ithin that of j the !e rtof her commands is the high
her contrite I ver. for had the tumult j fst ambition of her adorers ? And ar
id conflicting passions allowed him to j men so unjust ?.s to censure, the idols
know his own soul, such, at that mo-
menthe surely was, saying with a voice
as con posed as the eyes with whhh
she h oked upon them, " I rt :torc y ou
to each other, and I already feel the
comfort ol being tilde to (io mv dutv.
I will be bride's maid. And I n -vv im
plore the blessing of God up' n sour
m rriage ; Gabriel, ycur l etn the d will
sleep this night in my bosom. We
will think cl yo- better. pv:haps. than
ou deserve. It is not for me to lell vou
what you have to re pent of. I. t us all
three pray for raih other this night, ai d
evermore when we are on our knits
b lore our Maker. The old people
will mon be at Immr. Good night
Gabriel." He kissed S irah ud, giv
ing Mary a look ol shame, humility
and nverence, be wnt home to med
itation and repentance.
It was now mid-summer, acd before
the harvest had been gathered in
throughout the higher valley s, i r the
sheep brought Irom the mountain fold,
Gabriel rd S..rah were man and wife.
Time past on, and a blooming, family
" herred their board and fireside. Nor
did Mary Kobinson, the flow er of the
forest, (for so the woodcutter's daugh
ter Was often csiied,) pass her life in
. , ,, , . 1 ,
single blessedness. She. too, became
a vv ue anil mower ; ami tne tw o lan.i-
Iks, who Iivtu at last on adjacent t.;rms,
were remarkable for mutual affection,
throughout all the parish ; and more
than one intermarriage took pLce be
tween them, at si time, when the wor
hy parents had almost entirely forgot
en ihe trying incident of their youth.
, FFJU1.E (H.to.iCTEIl
I fl .1 I i
' I he critics on tne lair sex ten u
they are vain, frivolous, ignorant, co
quettish, capricious, and what not.
Unjust that we are ! It is the fable ol
the lion and the man but since the
adies have become authors, they can
t. ke their revenge, were they not
00 generous to indulge the passion.
1 bough they have learnt to paint, their
sketches of man are gentle and kind.
Bui if the ladies were what surly mis
anthropes call them, who is to blame
them? Is it not we who (spoil, who
corrupt, who seduce them ? Is it sur
prising that a pretty woman should bo
vain, when we daily praise to her face
her charms her taste her wit ?j Can
Whlarrie lief vanitv, ""when we tell her
that nothing can resist her attractions
' that there is nothing so barbarous
that rcnil rs wit attractive f How c.ri
i pretty w'oina'n fail 'to be ignorant,
when the first lesson she is taught, h
that beauty supersedes and dispense:-,
with every other quality that all she.
need to know is, that she is prtttv
that to be intelligent is to be pedantic;
and that to be more learned thn one's
neighbor, is to incur the reproach of
absurdity and ajlVctatn.n f .Shall we
bTaToeTTer for btitig a coquette, when
the indi-r.rimiii.it'.: 11 itterv of every
man iir.ches lier that the hom.icrt cf
"tic is as good as that of an tiier? I;
i the wine darts, the s.mie flames, :i,e
same beau:;, the same coxcombs. The
niau cl sense, v h.'ii he attempts to
compliment, ret otnnier.ds the tut rd
beaux, since he condescends to do with
awkwardness w hat the monkey can ds
with grare. With all, she is ago',
th is, and to her, all men are equal!-
Mortal. How can she prefer wh-.i
there is n merit, or be constant v. In u
tlurc is no superiority? Is she cj
piicious? Can she be otherw ise, when
she hears the universe must be proud
! to wait on her commands that the tit-
Ljath;bytheir ovn hands? Let us be
just; let us begin the work of refer
ma"ion : when nun cease to flatter,
women will cease to deceive; wlua
men are wist, women will be wise j
please. Tl e ladies do not rce the
ta' te of men they only adapt 'them
selves to it. They may corrupt, ir.-.l
be corrupted they may improve atul
he improved. '
muM hi i.ru-oi-.-..
" Ftnplov a tftoiblf ti'ti-tain io icn;,
rile ino enemies, and vou will ai'miru
the wise nr.tl reputable manner i i wlinli
I c would refute every sop'.Um that pai
sion could invent. If the tuund of com-I-bini
should be exuberated, he won!.!
instantly Imlil the- balance of eepiitv. .u d
retrench vvhut anc;er nmy hive added t
truth. If the ofTtndcil should sav he li.nl
received gricvm inun,, he would instant
ly unswcr. that between two jarring chris
tians it is immitcii.il to inquire ia tlib
rssr, t I.c decree of irrationality in the
ofr nre ; the immediate business he wouM
say, is the rcasoit.ihlcnchs of forgiveness
If the ofl'enilid should allege, that he
hath often forgiven, he would rcplv, this
is exactly in the case, between the Juric
of the world and his offended creatures.
ami vet he would atltl, the resulting of a
I lhr.iit..in.1 nprfnr f l.rik. Inn nfr.ttt.i. .
...v..... .... j........ ....... ...v.v.LVt. Mill ui .
lh(,lvuu r,,vo,s lhc u0um of a thou-
- s;.nti ,CM,lutions, do not prevent (iod from
I'pt-hing the treasures of his mercy to us
If the complainant should have recoitise to
the ordinary subterfuge, and should pro
test that he had no tmimosity in hcurt.cti
ly that he resolved to have no future inti
macy with one that hail so grievously in
jured him ; he would dissipate the ross
illusion, by bringing the example of a
merciful (iod who does not content him
self with merely forgiving us, but in spite,
of our faults, unitelh himself to us bv the
tenderest relations. Lovely morality, mv
brethren Admirable effort of a mind
contemplating truth without prejudice or
passion
Never magnify the faults of any, not
even of enemies, but on tht contrary al
ways pollute tlu ir rrrors as mtirh as a re
gard te truth nd equity will pormit.