Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-06-23

was obliged to repair to one of the cas-
tern states to witness the division Of an
estate left by relative, and ! saw him
no moro until November had unclaimed
old Boreas from his northern care. e.
Many were the privations which l ex-
perienced in the absence of my friend.
well remember the evening on which
Leander returned. He pressed my
hand with all the warmth of friendship,
with n heart overflowing with delight
aud believe it was as cordially return
ed. "Comc, my dear fellow" said he,
"I will treat you TO theatre ticket; the
play is Romeo and Juliet, the part of
Romeo by Cooper, and there will be a
fashionable house-get ready; have
not forgotten the smiling beauty, am
told that she will be there" To graft
ly my friend, and in the hope of again
(oasting my voluptuous eyes on the
charms Of beauty, repaired with him
to the theatre; but little did he dream
in those haicyon moments of joy, that
he was to play part in. real tragedy
equally affecting. The house was un-
usually crowded that evening, but it was
not long before Leander had procured
friend, who was in the same box, to
introduce us to the beautiful and ac-
complished Elmira. She was the same
lovely creature as on that evening when
we behcld her contemplating the queen
of night-al engaging, all charming
A crowd of admirers waited upon her
charms, and my friend, Leandcr, was
not the least calculated to please; nor
was he viewed in an inferior light by the
bright and sparkling eyes other whom he
adored. His person was even as ele-
giant in comparison, as that ofthe match
less Elmira; and the sauvity of his mind
and manners could only be riyaIled by
her transcendent charms. 1t is no ex-
aggeratioi, reader, for never did the sun
shed his beams upon more grace or
symmetry; and their intel. cts were il
Illuminated by the rays of literature and
science. He repaired with her from
the Theatre, to the dwelling of her pa
rents, and was welcomed with hospital
ity; for his family was well known. The
rainbow of hope that nigh, gilded the ho-
rizon of his happiness; but it was not
like that which glows in the armament,
security for future felicity. Visions
of golden prospects crossed his mind,
as he threw himself in his chair, in his
apartment, and promises Of still happier
hours rang in his delighted ears. He
uad bowed before the shrine of all pow
erful beauty, and had offered up his
VOWS at the altar Of adaration. In
word, he loved-yes, he loved, even to
devotion. In these happy halIucinations
he INDUCED, while days, and weeks,
and months, strewed his path with flow
ers. He acknowledged Beauty as the
Princess who waved her sceptrc with
out royalty over his heart-he even i'm
agined her to be the mighty mistress Of
the mind His poetic Imagination por-
trayed her as fanciful goddess in the
ld1an grove, whose matchless charhls
could rule, without rod, the empire of
the world 1t was to such being that
he bowed, when he knelt in alteration
before the accomplished Elmra. Nor
was that pure and hallowed flame which
burnt upon the altar of his heart permit
ted to burn in vain. As the Priestess Of
Brahma, the margin of some secluded
stream, offers up her morning orison to
the rising sun, so, in retirement, did the
prayers Of the far Elmira ascend for the
welfare of Leander. Though not one
single word had ever escaped the sane
tuary of her lips, yet the smile, and the
blush that gilded the horizon of her hap
py mind, and the lucid tear starting from
her downcast eye, like the dewdrop
from the half closed violet, were often
the silent representative Of language.
Thus time, like the magic drama Of
dream, rolled on, and rolled his rapid
tide into the vast ocean Of eternity
Another and another year passed away,
like the shadows ofthe evening into the
gloom Of night, and found myself far
separated from my friend, in lonely
village. At length all correspondence
ceased between us, and knew not
whether Leander was dead, or whether
the memory of friendship had been lost
in the contemplation Of love. On my
third visit to the city, to attend the Uni
versity, l fastened to the abode of my
long lost friend; but l found him not
he had joined the army some time be-
fore, that his laurels might be woven
by that fair hand which had promised to
Icceive him in another character, when
he should return from conquest. When
news arrived from tho memorable field
Of Orleans, the knell was tolled in my
ear of the death Of the gallant Leander
1t came like dagger to the heart Of
friendship, and I dropped tear to the
memory of him, whom loved as Sec