The ladies' garland. [volume], June 07, 1828, Page 206, Image 2

About The ladies' garland. [volume] (Harpers-Ferry, Va. [W. Va.]) 1824-1828

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over vvo.ro the fond reverie? of poor Iflanche.it
is certain that her musical tj^U was so tin
equally performed that evening, as to cause
much discomfiture among dm dancers, at length
despairingly manifested in their relaxing exer- ,
non'', and m their tedious, lounging pauses he- ]
tween the sets.
During one of these, a small knot of gentle
men stood conversing with Mrs. h. close, to the
piano forte, on which. mingled with music,books
and manuscripts, lay several pamphlets and
newspapers. One of the gentlemen, carelessly
glancing his eye over the miscellaneous heap,
naught up a paper with sudden excited interest,
exclaiming, • All! In-ie is already a public ac
count of the melancholy occuirencc of which
mV letters from Madras make mention.' Then
rapidly he read ahuid the paragraph which sta
ted that ‘ the Regiment de Meurori being under
orders for Europe, had been safely embarked
on board the transports provided tor its recep
tion ; all but the last boat, consisting of the F,t.
Colonel, bis lady, and their family, and two
young officers of the regiment, when by some
mismanagement the boat was suddenly upset in
that tremendous surf, arid notwithstanding the
very active exertions of the natives or their
amending catamarans, every soul perished, ex
cept the wife and youngest daughter of the
Colonel, and one ol the young officers, Lieut.
D’Albi.’ 1 hen followed the names of those
who had found a w atery grave, and the. gentle
man ran them quickly over, till just as he had
pronounced that of • Horace Vaudreuil,’ a sud
den crush of the piano keys caused a general
start, and all eyes turning simultaneously to
wards the young musician, who had been await
ing the pleasure of tin: dancers in silence, pa
tient and unnoticed, it was perceived that she
liud fullon forward on the instrument, her face
and arms resting on the keys, and almost hidden
by the redundance of fair soft ringlets, which
had hurst in rich disorder from the confining
braid. e
She was raised up, and conveyed to a sofa
in a state ol death like insensibility, from which,
alter Inn" application of various stimulants, she
revived only to relapse into successive fainting.
The family apothecary being summoned, by
his direction she wa« conveyed to her chamber
and to her bed, and his prognostics were un
happily verified towards morning, when she
awoke from a sort of trance in which she had
lain some hours, in a high paroxy smut delirious
fever, * * »
Mr I,. was truly and humanely concerned for
the distressing situation of poor Blanche. So
young-—so fair—so friendless—so utterly de
pendent now, in her unconscious state, on the
mercy and charity of strangers—on the world's
cold charity * * * * By his order a care
ful curse was provided, and a skillul physician
called in, when, at the close of the second day
from her seizure, Mademoiselle D’Aibiwas pro
nounced by the apothecary to he in imminent
danger. Dr. M's opinion coincided but too pi r
tectly with that of his medical subaltern, and in
•pile of their united endeavors to save the in
teresting young creature intrusted to tin ir care,
»t soon became evident that the hand of death
was on her, and that human art was powerless
to unloose that fatal grasp. Previous to her
dissolution, she lay for many days in a state of
perfect stupor, far less painful to contemplate
than the previous delirium, during which she
had talked incessantly with the embodied crea
tures of her lanry, rambling volubly in her na
tive tongue, and nowand then breaking out in
to rnatchcs of wild songs, or wilder laughter
But at list that fearful mirth died away iti faint
er and lainter bursts, and broken syllables,
•and inartieulate sounds succeeded the voluble
speech, like dying murmurs of a distant echo,
and • then.' as the nurse expressed it, ‘ she lay
as quiet as a lamb,' for many, many days, with
eyes hall closed, but not in slumber, or at least
only in that slumbrous torpor, the harbinger of
a more perfect rest. * *
inwards the close of the fourteenth day of
Blanche's illness, the respiration of the uncon
scious sufferer became quick and laborious, and
Dr M. whose finger was on her pulse, directed
that the curtains ol her bed should he drawn
aside, and a liee current of air admitted thro’
the open windows. Mr L had entered with the
physician, and stationing himself at the, bed s
loot, stood there with folded arms, and eves
fixed in sad and hopeless contemplation on the
affecting object beloie him.'. Though the eyes
of Blanche were more than half veiled by their
lull, heavy lids, a streak ol soil blue was still
discernahle through the long dark lashes, from
whence, however, emanated no spark of intelli
gence ; and far different from the blended rose
hues of healthful beauty, was that bright crim
son which burnt in either check, ller head was
raised a little from the pillow, by the support
ing arm of the nurse, who, with her arm still at
liberty, put aside ihe deep frill of her cap, and
the disordered ringlets which had escaped be
neath it, tint the sweet fresh air might vi>it w ith
its comforting coolness those throbbing temples
and that burning brow. It was a beautiful, mild
warm April evening, redolent of life and joy,
and Nature's renovation, and the pale, golden
light of an April sunset penetrated even thro’
a London atmosphere,arid amongst a labyrinth
ol high walls, and blackened roots, and cluster
ing chimneys,into the very chumherof Blanche,
and even to that confined chamber, and over
those gloomy precincts, came the soft breath of
.Spring, breathing delicious fragrance, as it was
wafted through her open window, over a box
of mignonette, coaxed into early blossom by the
assiduous cherishing of one who had watched
over her miniature garden with the impatient
interest of eager childhood.
I'hfi balmy air strip gently, gradually into the
sick chamber, and between the parted curtains
of the bed, as though it were a thing of intelli
gence, and came gladly on its blessed mission
to convey to the dying Blanche the last soothing
sensation she might yet taste on earth; the
odorous walling of her favorite flower'. It came
not m vain, as the carpssing coolness played
over her face ; and when it had wandered a lew
moments among the parted ringlets, her quick
and laborious breathing became less and less
distressing, and at length, inhaling one longand
deep inspiration, subsided into regular and al
nio't imperceptible respiration, like that of a
sleeping irilant.
At that moment, there struck up at the farther
end of a neighboring street a strain of wild mu
sic, troni a band of itinerant musicians, wander
ing Savoyards. \\ ild and touching was the
'trail',, as it came mellowed hv the di'tance,
and mingled with the evening breeze. It was
• Le Hans de \ aches ’ To every son and da ugh
In of Helvetia, a spirit-stirring spell, a magic
:i v. never yet listened to unmoved by any
w a. ole re r from her mountain land—only the
insensible ear of death, or of the. dying—but it
seemed as if perception yet lingered in that of
Blanche. As tl." notes of that national air
swelled out more and more distinctly, a slight
tremor passed over her features, and at last, as
■i awakening from a deep sleep, her soft blue
eyes perfectly uuclused, and glancing upward*
towards the female form, on whose bosom her
head was pillowed, she murmured in her own
native tongue, ‘ Jllaman! lonne Muman "
j A* she uttered those few faltering words, her
j head 6unk lower upon the nurse’s breast, ano
j half turning her face inward on that kind pillow,
like a weary child, the fairy eyelids dropped
heavily over those soft blue orbs : but long after
their lustre was forever shrouded, and long after
the beautiful lips were closed, and the last
breath had escaped them in those few touching
words, the smile still lingered there, with which
those words were spoken, as if impressed by
the parting rapture of recognition with the Me
teimil Spirit, permitted, possibly, to accompany
the dark Angel on his awful mission, to over
come his terrors by her looks of heavenly we!
come, and receiving from his hand the new Ce
lestial, to he its conductress to those abodes o!
bhss towards which, even in their day of mortal
probation, the pious mother had “ trained up
her chdil in the way she should go.”
THE
SATURDAY EVENING, JUNE 7, 1828.
I't'f Year.—This year, as our lair readers,
know, has long been viewed as a period of pe
culiar privilege. But will they exercise their
privilege? Will they in gentle accents, oi
by that “ silence which speaks” through a love
kindling eye, make known to the proper object1'
the dear secrets of their heartsOr arc they
determined to ,
“ I.et concealment, like a woim in the bud,
Feed on I heir damask cheeks ' ’
This subject, (though not commenced by ur
with feelings of seriousness,) might give rise to
some sober reflections. If the. many ill assorted
matrimonial matches which every day produces
were taken into consideration, some arguments
might be adduced to show that this topic,which
has heretofore been deemed mere food for jig!,
conversation, is really one of some importance
A question might fairly arise, how far it vroulr
be useful or expedient for females in reality 1<
use this fabled ptivilege. Many a noble hear
lias been broken, in consequence of its posses
sor being compelled tc wait for wooing, or, fcai
ful of not being wooed at all, to accept anv u:
congenial companion whom chance or parent;/
choice might throw in the way. It is too offer
forgotten that
“ Marriage is a matter of more worth
Than to be dealt in bv uftornev drip.”
Modesty and habit forbid an intimation of the.
tender emotion by a female, and it is her dut"
to wait for a discovery of Imr worth hv one tc
ward whom neither love nor esteem inclines her
affections ; whereas, if permitted, she might, by
gentle words and winning graces, attract the
notice of a swain,*,
“Complete in featare and in mind.
With all good grace to grace a gentleman.“
Let the subject be considered—it is time thai
some of the shackles of antiquity, in love affairs
should he broken, and that trad customs be
abandoned