tempest tossed bosom, so did the surging waves of memory
bring back one incident after another in her past life, and picture
the tender looks and the tender tones of the unfaithful Edward, during
the many long years she had regarded him as her future husband. To him
she had yielded up her heart's best affections. For his sake she had
rejected many an advantageous offer of marriage.

She met the family in the morning with quite a composed countenance,
but with a sad heart.

In the afternoon she went to her uncle's to visit her grandmother,
thinking, perhaps, change of place might produce some change in her
feelings. It was a delightful afternoon. The sun shed that soft
subdued light so peculiar to the season, over the face of nature,
which seemed rather approximating to maturity than verging to decay.
The trees were robed in their deepest green, while the early ripe
fruit hung temptingly upon their branches, or lay scattered upon the
ground beneath. Scarce a breeze agitated the trembling leaf or cooled
the fever upon her cheek. "O," thought she, as she passed along, "the
howling of the wintry storms would better correspond with my feelings
than this holy calm." She, in her agony, had not yet learned to bathe
her restless spirit in the fountain of Jiving waters, or to listen
to that voice that said, "Peace, be still," and the winds and waves
obeyed; therefore she had no "shelter from the windy storm and
tempest."

She was startled by hearing some one near her repeating in a low,
musical voice,

"Little Hannah Pease, little Hannah Pease; old Ben Thornton, old
Ben Thornton," and looking up, perceived near her a female, loosely
wrapped in a large white woolen blanket, which was her only clothing.
Her head and feet were entirely bare. Her black hair was cut short,
and her weather beaten countenance retained traces of great beauty.
She stood courtesying and smiling to a rock. As Annie reached her
side, she muttered, "Old Ben Thornton, old Ben Thornton, you deceived
poor Betsey Lotrop--you deceived poor Betsey Lotrop."

Annie gazed upon her with pity, saying mentally,

"A poor victim of unfaithful love; I hope the fire that is feeding
upon the springs of my life may never destroy my reason," and at that
moment she seemed to feel the need of seeking aid from a higher power,
and for the first time the prayer for guidance and direction went
up to God, in earnest supplication, and our Father, who pitieth his
children and s