Alida Part 1

Alida.

by Amelia Stratton Comfield.

CHAPTER I.

"Rien n'est si contagieux qui l'exemple; et nous ne faisons jamais de grand biens: ni de grand maux, qui n'en produisent de semblables."

The ancestry of Alida was of ancient date in English heraldry, some of whom emigrated to America a short time before the revolution, and settled in the southern provinces, while her father fixed his abode in the state of New-York.

In the calm retirement of the country, at a considerable distance from the bustle of the town, was situated his beautiful residence, which had every advantage in point of prospect that luxuriant nature could give when it is most lavish of its bounties.

The mind of its owner took particular delight in rural pleasures and amus.e.m.e.nts; in dissipating a part of his time in the innocent scenes of rustic life, and in attending to the cultivation of his estate, which was large and extensive.

Here he would contemplate, in all their variety, the natural beauties of creation, when arrayed in its richest attire; in the inimitable splendour of the surrounding scenery; or amuse himself in attendance to diversified employments, some of which, as pastimes, served the two-fold purposes of recreation and amus.e.m.e.nt.

Thus his years glided on in the most harmonious tranquillity; where his cares were dissipated alternately in the bosom of his family, and the "tumults of life, real or imaginary, fleeted away in a mutual confidence and unreserved friendship."

Here he would accustom himself to rise at early dawn, and dwell with particular pleasure on the morning scenery. The dappled, rosy-fingered, blushing morn, arrested his attention; those mild tints that particularly express the break of day, just awakening from repose; when the curtain of the night seems insensibly withdrawn, and the varied landscape exhibits itself by degrees, while the colours of the atmosphere yet seem doubtful, and the scene imperfect to the view; when the darkness is not entirely fled, nor the light of the new day is fully seen; when coolness sits upon the hills, and the dews hang trembling upon every leaf; when the groves begin to resound with the murmurs of warbling melody, and the valleys echo with reverberated sounds.

How pleasing at such a time to adore in his works the wonders of the Creator. That period when the sun begins to diffuse his early rays, to tip the mountains with light, and the breezes in the air mildly prognosticate the soft blushes of the morning:

"For far beyond the pageantry of power.

He lov'd the realms of Nature to explore; With lingering gaze Edenian spring survey'd-- Morn's fairy splendours--Night's gay curtain'd shade-- The heaven-embosom'd inn--the rainbow's dye, Where lucid forms appear to Fancy's eye; The vernal flower, mild Autumn's purpling glow.

The Summer's thunder, and the winter's snow."

Or, when the evening approached, he would observe the twilight hour, which for a time hangs balanced between darkness and the pale rays of the western sky, communicating a solemn pleasure to every thing around.

When evening began to throw her dusky mantle over the face of nature, and the warm glow of the summer sun had departed; when the stars were glistening in the heavens, and the moon had already risen, shedding its pale l.u.s.tre over the opposite islands "that appeared to float dimly among the waves, the twinkling fire-fly arose from the surrounding verdure, and illumined the meadow below with a thousand transient gems."

The rustling breezes played among the trees of the wood, while the air was filled with the fragrance of various flowers, and the sound of melodious music was wafted from the neighbouring village, rendered apparently more soft and sweet by the distance.

The buildings on the estate consisted of a large mansion-house, farm-house, and an ancient stone cottage that stood on the margin of the water, shaded by willow trees, and surrounded by romantic scenery.

The charming appearance which nature threw around the place on which the mansion-house was situated, was scarcely less interesting in winter than in the more gay and verdant months of the summer season. The falling of the snow and hail, and the sparkling icicles hanging upon the woods and shrubbery, sometimes almost conveyed the idea of enchantment to the imagination of the spectator.

The view on all sides was magnificent. The bay, gently winding, glided into the river beyond, where ships, steamboats, and craft of every description, floated upon the waters, and gave interest to the appearance of several beautiful villages that were seen at a little distance in the landscape.

This villa was separated about a mile from the flourishing village of ----, where the many white buildings, some of which might be called magnificent, had a remarkably pleasing and picturesque appearance, forming a lively contrast with the evergreen trees with which they were interspersed.

The house of Alida's father was the seat of hospitality;--scenes of festivity would sometimes have place within its walls;--"music and mirth would occasionally echo through its apartments." He was kind, generous, and benevolent; while his independence, a.s.sisted by a charitable disposition, enabled him to contribute largely to the happiness of others. His manners were highly pleasing, his conversation was interesting, humorous, and instructive; and, although at this time he was rather advanced in years, yet the glow of health still shone upon his cheek and sparkled in his eye; and his fine expressive countenance still gave l.u.s.tre to a peculiar dignity and energy in his personal appearance.

It was now many years since he had made this delightful spot his residence. He had married early in life a lady of engaging manners, and captivating beauty, who was amiable, sensible, and pious, and whose mind was a pattern of every female excellence, combined with a taste and judgment that had been properly directed by a suitable education; who had been taught to esteem no farther all the acquirements and qualities of which the human mind is capable than as they might be conducive to enable us to excel in the duties of the Christian religion, and cause us more fully to experience "the blessings of the truth."

These parents had reared up all their family except Alida, their youngest child, who at this time was placed at a boarding-school, at the village of ----, where she was taught, in addition to the different studies belonging to a Christian education, the French and Italian languages.

Their elder daughters had married, and were settled at some distance from them, and their two sons were engaged in mercantile business in New-York. It was their princ.i.p.al endeavour, as their thoughts often revolved in anxious solicitude for the welfare and future happiness of their children, to unite their efforts to persuade them, and inculcate in their minds all that was praiseworthy, by the immediate influence of their own example, considering that the precepts which they taught them, however wise and good, would avail but little una.s.sisted by the aid of example.

"Le mauvais usage que nous faisons de la vie, la deregle, et la rend malheureuse."

It was their first care to exercise the minds of their children, in all the important moral and religious duties; to be careful in due time to regulate their natural propensities; to render their dispositions mild and tractable; to inspire them with the love, respect, and implicit obedience due to parents, blended with a genuine affection for relations and friends.

"To endeavour to form their first ideas on principles of rect.i.tude, being conscious of the infinite importance of first impressions, and beginning early to adhere to a proper system of education, that was princ.i.p.ally the result of their own reflections and particular observations."

Their children were a.s.sembled annually to celebrate the birthday of their father, together with other social friends and acquaintances, consisting chiefly of those whose beneficent feelings were in accordance with their own, in testifying their grat.i.tude to their Creator for daily benefits, blended with a thankful cheerfulness, which is the offspring of moral excellence.

O, Thou enthroned where perfect day, In brightest beams of glory, play Around thy radiant throne; Where angels strike celestial lyres, And seraphs glow with sacred fires, Address'd to thee alone.

Still may thy providential care, With blessings crown the circling year, Each human ill restrain: O, may thy truth inspire my tongue, And flow through all my varying song, And shine in every strain.

Give me the calm, the soft serene, Of summer, when it glads the scene, And scatters peace around; Bless'd image of the happy soul.

That does the heav'n-born mind control, While conscious joys abound.

That this may be my bounteous share, Ascends my ever constant prayer To Thee, all-perfect Mind!

O, aid me in the gen'rous strife, Through each inconstant scene of life, To all thy ways resign'd.

CHAPTER II.

The scenes that once so brilliant shone are past, and can return no more to cheer the pensive heart; and memory recalls them with a tear; some lowering cloud succeeds, and all the gay delusive landscape fades.

While Alida remained at the village school, surrounded by the festive scenes of childhood, and pursuing her studies with a.s.siduous emulation, with the hope of meriting, in future time, the praises of her fond parents, an unforeseen misfortune awaited her that no human foresight could have power to arrest.

The health of her mother had been long declining, and her illness at this time increased so far as to render medical a.s.sistance useless, and baffled the skill of the ablest physicians. A trial so new, so afflicting, and so grievous to her youthful mind, to lose one of her honoured parents, and to be unexpectedly summoned to her parental home to receive the last benediction of a beloved mother, and at this early period of her life to be deprived of her kind care and protection, was unfortunate in the extreme.

Every anxious solicitude and responsibility now rested alone upon a widowed father, who mourned deeply their common bereavement, while he felt conscious that all his fatherly care and caresses could never supply to Alida all the necessary requisitions that she had unhappily lost in so dear and interested a friend. When he observed her spirits languish, and the tear frequently starting in her eye, and her former sprightly countenance shaded with the deep tinges of melancholy, he saw that the cheerfulness and gaiety of her natural disposition had received a powerful check, which promised to be lasting.

From this unhappy period she remained at home a long time with her father. In kindred grief there was derived a congenial sympathy, and her society contributed in some degree to allay his sorrow, as the deep concern he felt in her welfare caused him sometimes to restrain the flow of it in her presence. Self-exertion roused him in a measure from his lethargy, and by thus a.s.suming serenity, to become in reality something more composed. Nevertheless, he would often witness the excess of anguish which had taken place in the bosom of his child, and behold her interesting face bathed in tears, and her youthful brow clouded with a sadness that nothing seemingly could dissipate.

His situation now became more sequestered than ever; he roamed in solitude, or pleased himself in ranging through silent glens in loneliness. His thoughts were absorbed in the gloomy experience of the misery of a painful separation from a dear and beloved object; he wept for her whose mild and winning graces had power to soften and illuminate the darkest shades of life, or alleviate the distressful scenes of adversity.

His mind was wholly absorbed in those gloomy reflections that scarcely admitted a ray of consolation, when the weekly newspaper arrived from the neighbouring village; he took it up, hoping to find something to amuse his thoughts; he opened it to read the news of the day; he ran his eye hastily over it, and was about to lay it aside, "when the death list arrested his attention by a display of broad black lines," and he, who had not yet become reconciled to his present misfortune, was now about to experience another equally severe.

What could equal his bitterness, his surprise and grief, when he read the disastrous news that his youngest son (who had lately gone on a foreign expedition) had died of a fever in a distant land a few weeks previous!

The paper fell from his palsied hand,--a sudden faintness came over him,--he fell back almost senseless in his chair,--exhausted by excess of grief, he remained a long time in a stupifying anguish.

The tidings were so unlooked-for of the premature death of his unfortunate son, who about this time was expected to arrive in New-York.

For him an only brother was inconsolable; and Alida, who had long been accustomed to his kindness and caresses, was overcome with a dejection that time alone could alleviate.

Her father observed her affliction in commisseration with his own,--he was dejected and lonely, and the world appeared like a wilderness; nothing could lessen his present evil, or soothe his afflicted mind.

The former peaceful serenity of his life was materially clouded; and in his turn calamitous wo had overtaken him--the inalienable portion of humanity,--and the varied and shifting scenery in the great drama of time had brought with it disaster. His spirit was sunk in despondency, and his sensations became utterly absorbed in melancholy; and all the pious and philosophical reflections that he exerted himself to bring to his remembrance, could scarcely afford even a transitory consolation in this afflicting dispensation.

From foreign lands the tidings borne, With pain to wake a parent's anguish, O, brother dear, beloved of all, For thee a brother's heart must languish.