Mary: A Fiction

(cri) 4 every reſpect, and left to the operations Wof her own mind, ſhe conſidered every thing that came under her inſpection, and learned to think. She had heard of Wa ſeparate ſtate, and that angels ſome- Wrimes viſited this earth. She would fit Win a thick wood in the park, and talk to them; make little ſongs addreſſed to them, and ſing them to tunes of her own compoſing; and her native wood notes wild were ſweet and touching. Her father always exclaimed againſt female acquirements, and was glad chat his wife's indolence and ill health made her not trouble herſelf about them. She had beſides another reaſon, ſhe did not wiſh to have a fine tall girl brought for- ward into notice as her daughter; ſne ſtil] expected to recover, and figure away in the gay world. Her huſband was. very tyrannical and paſſionate ; indeed ſo very — always connected with devotional ſenti- SN - very eaſily irritated when inebriated, that Mary was continually in dread leſt he ſhould frighten her mother to death ; her ſickneſs called forth all Mary's ten- derneſs, and exerciſed her compaſſion ſo cantinually, that it became more than a match for ſelf-love, and was the go- verning propenſity of her heart through life. She was violent in her temper; but ſhe ſaw her father's faults, and would weep when obliged to compare his tem- per with her own. She did more; artleſs prayers roſe to Heaven for pardon, when ſhe was conſcious of having erred ; and her. contrition was ſo exceedingly painful, that ſhe watched diligently the firſt movements of anger and impatience, to fave herſelf this cruel remorſe. Sublime ideas filled her youg mind— ments; extemporary effuſions. of grati- tude, SS. rn r dude, and rhapſodies of praiſe would burſt W often from her, when ſhe liſtened to the birds, or purſued the deer. She would gaze on the moon, and ramble through the gloomy path, obſerving the various ſhapes the clouds aſſumed, and liſten ro the ſea that was not far diſtant.…