Delusion; or, The Witch of New England

f lovely thi

hat soonest

g tried, and c

tender, and

of that ins

ts yearnings

she, who, at t

his comi

he door, nor ye

he only hear

of the l

ya

e army. As she was an only daughter, and inherited from her mother a large fortune, her father disapproved of her choice, and wished her to ally herself with

y parted, as the young do, full of hope, and ag

s death in battle reached her. Her father then urged the other alliance. This the Lady Ursula st

onged to the eldest, by entail, and the younger brothers, having obtained l

hopes, after much reflection, decided to accompany t

e their fortunes with hers. She brought out twenty serving-men, and several young maidens, and created a little paradise around her. The garden was

ul portrait that has charmed you so much. It was painted after she parted from her lov

her," said Edith. "You knew the beaut

a part of her estate. The day was warm and sultry: under some large spreading oaks a cloth was laid for

urned her beautiful eyes towards heaven, and asked a blessing. She then left her men t

Ursula was relating the circumstances of her early life, and said that till this time she had never parted with all hope; she had cherished unconsciously a feeling that her betrothed lover might have been a captive, and that he would at length return. The young girl said,

nd; and, O joy unspeakable! there was a letter from her long-lost friend and lover. He had been taken prisoner when half dead on the field of battle, had been removed from one place of confinement to another, debarred the privilege of writing, and had heard nothing from her. B

as she recovered, all was bustle and excitement through the house. The lady could not sleep that night, and she began immedia

oom was prepared for her beloved guest, filled with every luxur

there should be a jubilee. A fatted calf was selected, to be roasted whole: and every one of her large household was presen

She wandered restlessly from place to place, her eye brilliant, and he

they were far from home, to carry them their dinner. When she took her seat in t

ale cheek was flushed with joy. She folded her hands, and her meek eyes were raised. At that moment, a savage yell was heard; an Indian sprung from the thicket. With one blow of his tomahawk the Lady Ursula was

falling fast. "What became of her lover

d the wreck of all his hopes, and retu

im it, and take it with him, to console him, as fa

ady Ursula's estate belonged to her own family. The lad

of the Lady Ursula. That one so young, so beautiful, so good, should lead a life of sorrow and disappointment, and

door. Dinah had prepared the evening meal, and the

e said, "How pale you are, and how tired! You n

le friend to her: "Ah, Dinah," she said, "I have heard a st

the story of t

that dreadful fate just as her lover ret

lips, and she went straight to heaven without much pain. Had she married and gone to England, sh

long in the army, might not have loved her as well as

ppiness. Strong and deep affections were almost always disappointed; and, if not, death must come

ew how entirely her own h

ive for, if not fo

et manner; "to grow better ourselves, and to do good to

to lose my father, and you, and"-

ain, and bid her, s

te of the Lady Ursula. With Dinah's assistance, she

saking a too

ffections, el

her life to t