Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1833-05-08
From the London New Monthly.
ASMODEUS AT LARGE.-PASSION-
ITS HISTORY AND IT'S END

My adventures now become of more grave and
earnest character than they have been wont to be-
The reader must be prepared to confne his interest
solely to sublunary sources-the supernatural has
vanished from my life-uness indeed, at times
believe, nothing is so marvellous alien to our
earthly and common nature as the spirit that ami
mates and transforms us when we love.
1t was evening, clear and frosty-l stood in of
the small deserted streets that ntersect May fair,
waiting for Julia. Yes! our attachment has now
progressed to the point; met--alone and in Sc
cret. From the hour Julia first consented to these
interviews, Asmodeus left me; have not seen him
since.
tsMy gratitude stops here" said he. cit was my
task to amuse to interest you, but no more. deal
not with the passons--l can do nothing for you in
this affair. You in the hands of stronger de-
mon than myself. Adieu when the spell is broken
we NAV meet again.r With these words he vanish
ed, and has suspect engaged his services for the
present to the Marquis of Hereford.
| waiting then, i'll this lonely street, for the
coming of Julia heard the clock strike eight, the
appointed hour, but saw not her dark mantle and
graceful form emerging from the cross street which
led her to our Rendezvous And who was ula, aud
what She was u relative of the gaming adventurer
at whose house and with whose daughter | had first
seen her-and she lived at somewhat distant part of
the town with sister who was widow and much
older than herself Occupied in the business OF an
extensive trade, and the cares OF growing family,
this sister left Julia to the guidance OF her
ceptible fancy and youthful ineAperlence-leit her
to refect-to ina glne-to act as she would, and the
consequence she lell into love- She tnorous h
/ ly guileess and almost thoroughly Ignorant. She
could read indeed, but only novels, and those not
the gravest; she could wrIte--but in fluent hand
and her heart taught her the sentiment that sup
plies skill, her diGidence forbade her express it,
She was quiet, melancholy, yet quickly moved to
mlrth-sensitlve and yet pure. | afterwards discov
cred that pride was her prevailing characteristic, but
at first it lay concealed. already loved her for
her deficiencies, for they not of nature but of
education.
And who and what is her lover! Long as have
been relating these adventures, have not yet
municated that secret Writing about my SELF have
not yet disclosed myself. will do SOL am
then an idle, wandering, unmarried man rich,
well-born, still young-who had read much, written
somewhat, and lived for pleasure, action, and the
housekeeping thought for study, but excluding it
from enterprise, and ready to plunge into any plan
any pursuit, that it promised the excitement oil
something Such life engenders more of re-
membrance than of hope; it filings dreams back
upon the past instead of urging them to the future
it gives us excitement in retrospecton, but safety
when we turn towards the years to come; the plea
sure Of youth is costly draught, in which the pearl
that should enrich our manhood is dissolved And
much Tor Jula's lover; the best thing in his favor
is that she loves him. The half hour has passed.
will she come? How my heart beats THE night is
clear and bright, what can have DELAYED her! hear
feet--Ah Julia, it is you indeed!
Julia took my arm, and pressed it silently; drew
aside her VEIL and beneath the lamp looked into her
face she was weeping.
Sand what is the matter, dearestn'
"My sister has discovered your last letter to me !;
dropped it, aud-and
"Heavens how could you be imprudent-but
hope it is no matter-what does your sister say %
"That--that ought to see you no more.'
"she is kind but you will not obey her, my Julia.
81 cannot help it."
b. ant xuho EIya1t,
"No; have promised not. She has been kind
sister to me, sir, and--and she spoke so kindly now
on this matter, and could not help promising; and
cannot break my promise, though may break my
heart"
SIS there no way of compromising the matter ?"
SAID |, after pause. 'sNo way of seeing me! My
Julia, you will not desert me now!'
I ''But what can Go!'' said Julia, simply.
n "Nly angel surely the promise was not willingly
given; it was extorted from you!'
''No sir, gave it with all my heart"
81 thank your
"Pray, pray do not speak so coldly, you must, you
must own it was very wrong in me ever to you /;
and how could this end-God knows, but not to my
good and my family's honor. never thought much
about it before, and went on, and on, till got
tangled, and did not dare look much back much
forward but now you see, when my sister began to
show me all the folly have committed, was fright
ened, and-and-in short it is use talking, can
meet you more.''
But shall at least see you at your relations, the
Miss *!n
"No, sir; have promised also not to go there, and
not to 60 any where without my sister,"
"Confound your sister, muttered with most
conscientious heartiness you give me up then, said
aloud, "without sigh and without struggled"
Julia wept on without answering; my heart soften
ed to her, and my conscience smote myself Was
not the sister right! Had not been selishly reck
less of consequences! Was it not my duty to be gen.
erous? "And even if generous" answered Passion,
"Julia will be happy Have matters already gone so
far that her heart is implicated without recall To
leave her, is to leave hert to be wretched" We walk
ed quietly on, neither speaking. Never before had
felt how dearly loved this innocent and charming
girl and loving her dearly feeling for her began
to preponderate the angry and bitter mortifca
ton had first experienced for myself. My mind
was confused and bewildered--I knew not which
course to pursue We had gone on thus mute for
several minutes, when at the corner of street which
led her homewards, Julia turned, and said in a fall
tering voice,-"Fa rewell, sir, God bless you-let us
part here; must so home now!' The street was
utterly emptythe lamps few, and at long intervals,
left the place where we stood in shade. | saw her
countenance only imperfectly through the low long
bonnet which modesty, it were, shrouded its tear
full loyeliness drew my arm round her, kissed her
lips, and said "Be it as you think best for yourself
go and be happy--think no more of me.
| Julia paused-hesitated, as about to speak--then
shook her head gently, and, still silently (as if the
voice were choked within) lowered her veil, and
walked away. When she had got few PAGES, she
turned back, and seeing that still stood in the