He quitted the apartment for a moment, but soon returned with the Countess of Bedford, who had accompanied him to claim her future daughter-in-law. The Lady Anne had made The Lady Anne had made many resolutions, but they yielded before the sweet and eloquent entreaties that urged her to do what, in fact, she was all too willing to consent to. They were married, the Lord Russell and the Lady Anne Carr; and they lived long and happily together. It was always thought that the Lord Russell had loved not only well, but wisely; for the Lady Anne was ever a faithful wife, and a loving, tender mother. It was not until some years after her marriage, that the Lady Russell discovered how the consent of the Earl of Bedford had been obtained. Till then, she knew not that this consent had been withheld, until the Earl of Somerset should give his daughter a large sum as her marriage portion; - the Earl of Bedford calculated upon the difficulty, nay, almost impossibility, of his ever raising this sum. But he had not calculated upon the devotion of the wretched father's love to his fair and innocent child; and he was astounded when his terms were complied with, and the money paid at once into his hands. He could no longer withhold his consent; nor could he refuse some admiration of this proof of a father's love for his child. The Lord Somerset had in fact sold his whole possessions, and reduced himself to an estate not far removed from beggary, to give his daughter the husband of her choice. It was the Lady Anne Carr, of whom Vandyke painted an exquisite and well-known portrait, when Countess of Bedford. She was the mother of William Lord Russell; and died heart-broken in her old age, when she heard of the execution of her noble and first-born son. JOSHUA. BY THE REV. THOMAS DALE. CHAP. X. 8-27. THEY Come! Where, Israel, is thy might, His fiery steed, and thundering car? Then marshal now thy dense array, Proud king of Salem! Hebron, thine! Ye brother chiefs of regal sway, Compact your yet unbroken line; Ye mountain warriors, keen for blood, The giant race of Cain abhorred, Who hath your martial might withstood? Who shall withstand it now?-THE LORD! They meet the heavens grow black with storm ; They meet-an earthquake shakes the field; It clears-and lo! a Stranger form In front of Israel's host revealed. He comes! In vain they bend the lance, They melt before him, as the snow In his own rider's blood: control Of man he spurns - he knows THE LORD! With early morn the rout began: Noon passed; and yet the dense array Spread vast and wide, and man to man Was yet, though myriads lifeless lay. Night comes-how welcome! They may flee In darkness from that conquering sword: Vain hope! for night as day shall be To Israel's leader, Israel's LORD. And hark! o'er all the din of fight, O'er shrieks, and yells, and blasphemies, Is heard a fearful Voice of might, That stilled at once the mingled cries Of those who fought and those who fell. All heard, who lived, the wondrous word: It nerved the arm of Israel; It brought salvation from THE LORD. "Thou Sun," it said, "o'er Gibeon's hill Be thy descending chariot stayed: Thou Moon, o'er Ajalon stand still." The Moon stood still-the Sun obeyed. They heard, they fled, those chiefs of fame; Yet only shunned the Victor's sword To die the felon's death of shame:So perish all thy foes, O LORD! Oh! never, since creation's hour, Shall bid him cease to be. Divine The work, though mortal spake the word; Israel! the victory is thine, But He who wrought it is THE LORD. |