Romantic Epitaphs.

but the cruel sister would scarcely permit her to bid him a word of farewell . Returning home she heard the passing bell toll for the death of her lover . " Just then she reached , with trembling step , Her aged mother ' s door' He ' s gone ! ' she cried , ' and I shall see That angel face no more !'

" ' I feel , I feel this breaking heart Beat high against my side' — From her white arm down sunk her head ; She , shivering , sighed and died . " The lovers were buried the same day and in the same grave . In the year 1848 Dr . F . Dinsdale , F . S . A ., editor of the "Ballads ancl Songs of David Mallet , " etc ., erected a simple but tasteful monument to the memory of the lovers ,

bearing the following inscription : —¦ " Rodger Wrightson , juu ., and Martha Railton , both of Bowes ; buried in one grave . He , died in a fever , and upon tolling his passing bell , she ciyd out My heart is broke , and in a few hours expired , purely thro love , March 15 , 1714-15 . Such is the brief and touching record contained in the parish register of burials . It has been handed down by unvarying tradition that the grave was at the west end of the church , directly beneath the bells . The sad history of these true and faithful lovers forms the subject of Mallet ' s pathetic ballad of ' Edwin and Emma . '"

Forton Churchyard , Staffordshire , contains a plain tombstone to the memory of two maiden ladies , with the following inscrip tion : — " Beneath this Tomb are deposited the Remains of Jane HeAvett ~ i r October 28 , 1800 , aged 71 . and > who died i Honor Darwall ) ( . October 29 , 1800 , aged 64 . United by earland sincere Friendshi

y p They dwelt together upwards of forty-five years , Redeeming the Time In Piety tOAvards God and in AA'orks of mercy to their Fellow Creatures . In their death they were not divided . Rfiaflev

In then- Example follow Christian morals . Hold fast the Christian Faith ; So , like them , shall you receive the Hope Which maketh not ashamed . " We find in the Gentleman ' s Magazine , vol . 71 , p . 126 , some interesting particulars of the lives of these two long-attached ancl loA'ing friends , as follows : — " The above two were maiden ladiesand distinguished themselves ba noble

, y example of sincere and affectionate friendship . They were no relations by birth or family alliance , but became acquainted very early in their youth . A strong ancl inviolable attachment to each other ensued . When they became possessed of their respective fortunes , ancl settled in the world , they made the same dwelling their common home , in the town of NeAvport , Shropshire , where they lived together in the strictest amitand friendshiwith each other

y p , charitable to the poor ancl much respected by the whole circle of their acquaintance , upwards of forty-five years . During some time of the long period they experienced a reverse of fortune in the loss of a considerable sum of money which they had placed in the hands of some gentleman , who became a bankrup t . Their loss was very unequal . The one had to lament the loss of & great part of her all , Avhile the other experienced but a small reduction . Jiowever

, this unequal change in their circumstances produced no alteration in their disposition towards each other ; but , if possible , was a stronger bond of union . When their fortunes Avere thus unhappily reduced they perceived that , in pase of the death of either , the survivor Avould . be too much confined b y the mere income of her ovra property . To prevent which each made her will , by which she bequeathed the interest of her all to the benefit of the survivor , at whose ueath it was to be distributed among each one ' s respectiA'e relations . " Their