Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1833-06-06
HERALD OF THE TIMES.

fection with all the devotedness Of wo-
mans first love. We lived within a short
distance of each other. My family had
once moved in sphere of the highest
responsibility, but misiortunes had hum
bled them, and they were obliged to find
associates in a different community.
Her father had amassed considerable
fortune by the most industrious habits,
and in his old age continued the same
employment with as much perseverance
as he had practiced in his youth. As
long as he saw his family comfortable
and his business productive, he cared
not how the world went, and never in
terfered in domestic matters. Her moth
er was q vulgar and ignorant woman, of
a tyrannical disposition, who considered
wealth the only sign Of respectability;
she ruled every where. She took care
that her children should be educated as
well as money could make them, in the
hope of their forming alliances tn at would
increase her Importance. Laura was
the youngest of them all, it was strange
that a form and nature of such rare work
manship should have been produced from
such materials, but nature loves to dis
appoint the calculations Of philoscph.r..
She had but ole brother, who was few
years older than herself; he was the
c ounterpart of his mother in all things,
and consequently her idol. 1t is almost
ne edless to say that ! was objected to
by them; but this rather strengthened
Laura's affection than the contrary, and
we met clandestinely, and coresponded
through the agency of her servant.
"At very early age l had given evil
dence of talent for painting, and was
educated for that profession. | have al
ready told you that my family had been
unfortunate; another reverse of fortune
occurred, which obliged them to leave
that ncighborhood for ever. AT that
time, having, l knew, nothing to depend
upon but my own exertions, | thought
that the world might suspect me of in
terested motives in retaining the affec-
tons of a young girl whose expectations
were so far superior to my own; there
fore, after long and painful struggle
with my feelings, l came to the deter
mination of discontinuing the connexior
rather than throw myself open to such
debasing suspicious. / wrote, and re-
signed all claim 10 her hand and heart
as from my situation in society was un
able to offer her those advantages which
l felt convinced she had a. right to ex
pect. Then, in language that can new
er fade from my memory, she replied
"When you have lost all affection for me
then, dearest Arthur, tell me that yol
cannot offer what l have a right to ex
pect; and she who now feels in calling
herself only your Laura, will no longe
style herself by SO enviable name."-
! This silenced my scruples, and / resi- ign
ed myself to the delightful enjoyment o
loving and being loved.
"Some envious wretch, like the Evi
One, when he beheld the felicity of ou
first parents, had witnessed our happi
ness only with design to mar it-he
told her family Of our secret meetings.
They were of course very much enrag
ed, took advantage Of Laura's absence
to break open her writing desk, and there
discovered several Of my letters. Laur;
was instantly sent for, overwhelmed will
abuse, which she bore with the meeknes
of an angel, and made to indte a very
angry letter to me, the purport Of which
was to reprove me for my presumption il
daring to aspire to an all nee with he
: family, and to forbid any further CORES
pondence. When received it, it cause
me much anxiety, and began to believ
in the general fickleness of womankint
but the next post brought me letter fu
Of womanly tenderness, and of words
"sweeter than the lids of Juno's eyes,
Or Cyrethea's BREATH"
1t cleared up the mystery.
I "Although she was watched with tn
most rigid espoignage, and suffered eve
ry indignity from the family, because sh
would not promise to renounce me, fc
two years we continued to correspon
with, and at intervals to meet each 9th
er. She improved in beauty, and
my profession. ! studied long and cal
nestly for improvement, for though
that only by attaining eminence l coul
prove myself worthy Of her love. Abo,
this time her letters began to be less frt
quent, and our interviews at longer ir
tervals. Yet in speech and in writin
she seemed as kind as ever. AT last sh
!. told me that our correspondence must b
discontinued, as her mother had quarrel
r led with the faithful servant by who's
, agency il had been carried on and a
she had been dismissed from her service
/, no letters Of mine could come to he
!, without being discovered she conelut
ed her letter by saying-"I allow tn;
time does make changes, but it never
II e a