Ann Eliza Bleecker

“ The conscious blood revolting from each cheek,
Rush to the guilty heart and refuge seek:
Now vice prepares the formidable blow,
Yet shrinks, encountering a defenceless foe:
She summons all her forces to her aid,
And big with death, now hovers o'er his head.
Rapid as lightnings thro' the æther glance,
So swift they to th' astonish'd youth advance;
Trembling with rage they flew; they seiz'd his hair,
And bade him instantly for death prepare.
Aghast he gaz'd; he stiffen'd with surprise,
His blood congeals, he scarce believes his eyes ”

“ At length MARIA opened her eyes and burst into a violent fit of tears -Mr. KITTLE, with answering emotions, silently accompanying her; then clasping his arms endearingly round her, "It is enough, my love," said he, "we have had our night of affliction, and surely this blessed meeting is a presage of a long day of future happiness; let me kiss off those tears, and shew by your smiles that I am indeed welcome." MARIA then bending fondly forward to his bosom, replied, sighing, "Alas! how can your beggared wife give you a proper reception? ”

“ Ah no! the most impervious wood
Affords me no retreat.
But let me recollect: 'tis said,
When Orpheus tun'd his lyre
The Fauns and Satyrs left the shade,
Warm'd by celestial fire.
His vocal lays and lyra made
Inanimated marble weep;
Swift-footed Time then paus'd, 'tis said,
And sea-born monsters left the deep:
Impatient trees, to hear his strain
Rent from the ground their roots?---
Such is my fate, as his was then,
Surrounded here---by brutes.
This work was published before January 1, 1928, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago. ”

“ The blooming meads with deep'ning green were gay,
The birds were cheerful, nor the rustic less,
Joy on his cheek, and in his bosom peace;
Down rush'd the tawny natives from the hill,
And every place with fire and murder fill;
Arm'd with the hatchet and a flaming brand,
They soon reverse the aspect of the land:
Observe, Susanna, not a bird is there,
The tall burnt trees rise mournful in the air,
Nor man nor beast the smoking ruins explores,
And Hudson flows more solemn by those shores. ”

“ Thus wildly lamenting and wandering among the smoaking ruins, he picked up some of the calcined bones of his once beautiful ANNA. At this sight despair shook his soul afresh, new agonies convulsed his features, and dropping the sad evidence of his miseries, he extended his arms to Heaven, and roared out, "Revenge! great God! revenge if thou art just and kind as represented! Oh! that I had the power of an archangel to thunder eternal horrors on the guilty wretches who have blasted the bud of my happiness, who have darkened the brightest eyes that ever opened on the light!" ”

“ And we not mourn the sudden ruin of our's?
See York on fire---while borne by winds each flame
Projects its glowing sheet o'er half the main:
Th' affrighted savage, yelling with amaze,
From Allegany sees the rolling blaze. ”

“ Beyond where thought can reach, or eye can glance,
My curious spirit, charm'd should traverse o'er,
New worlds to find, new systems to explore:
When these appear'd, again I'd urge my flight
Till all creation open'd to my sight. ”

“ At length burst forth th'ungovernable flame:
'It is my son's! (he cry'd) my son is slain!
'Curst be the hour that rent him from my side!
'What baneful planet did my actions guide?
'Come, death, convey me to the peaceful urn;
'Joseph is dead! why should I live to mourn?'
In vain they try to calm his swelling grief ”

“ All tears of sorrow ever wip'd away;
'Sing how by tortures heav'n her faith has try'd;
'The saint endur'd it, tho' the woman dy'd!'
Ah, nature will prevail! 'tis all in vain:
Say, sacred muse, what loss do we sustain? ”

“ Death! thou real friend of innocence,
Tho' dreadful unto shivering sense,
I feel my nature tottering o'er
Thy gloomy waves, which loudly roar:
Immense the scene, yet dark the view,
Nor Reason darts her vision thro'.
Virtue! supreme of earthly good,
Oh let thy rays illume the road ”

“ We all three ran to the door, and beheld a party of Indians not twenty paces from us. Struck with astonishment, we had no power to move; and the savages again firing that instant, my CHARLES dropped down dead beside me. Good God! what were my emotions! But language would fail, should I attempt to describe them. My surviving son then turning to me, with a countenance expressive of the deepest horror, urged me to fly. "Let us be gone this instant," said he; "a moment determines our fate. O my mother! you are already lost." ”

“ Where waves circumfluent wash the fertile soil,
Where Hudson, meeting the Atlantic, roars,
The parting lands dismiss him from their shores;
Indulge th' enthusiast muse her fav'rite strain
Of panegyrio, due to Eboracia's plain.
There is no land where heav'n her blessings pours
In such abundance, as upon these shores;
With influence benign the planets rise,
Pure is the æther, and serene the skies ”

“ Whose charms the world surprise,
Whose praises, chanted in the wood,
Are wafted to the skies,
To view the heaven of her eyes,
Where'er the light barque moves,
The green hair'd sisters, smiling, rise
From out their sea-girt groves. ”

“ From its verdant unfoldings, the timid narcissus
Now shoots out a diffident bud;
Begone ye rude tempests, for sure as it freezes
Ye kill this bright child of the wood:
And Peace gives new charms to the bright beaming season ”

“ Seeks the parterre with early blue bells drest,
Drinks deep the honeysuckle dew, or drives
The lab'ring bee to her domestic hives:
Then shines the lupin bright with morning gems,
And sleepy poppies nod upon their stems;
The humble violet and the dulcet rose,
The stately lily then, and tulip blows.
Farewell my Plutarch! farewell pen and Muse!
Nature exults---shall I her call refuse? ”

“ While the sweet charmer liv'd to bless my sight.
What art thou now, my love!---a few dry bones,
Unconscious of my unavailing moans:
Oh! my Abella! oh! my bursting heart
Shall never from thy dear idea part! ”