The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1835-09-02
From the Trenton Emporium.
THE PICTURE.
= Fanny was younger once than sheis now,
"And prettier, OF course"

I Fanny was younger than she Is now,
"And pretter, Of course"
How deep and yet how deusive, are first impres
sons. We gaze upon beautiful face-we listen t.
an ingenious tale--we are enraptured by the har
mony of melodious voice the one fits away, the
others die upon the ear, and become dream, Wis
ION of the past but the effect hearts is pro-
nounced, and shape and direction is given to oul
thoughts and feelings and opinions. Prejudice-
how often is it the result of misrepresentation un-
contradlcted and unexplained, until after cankerne
for years, it has sunk deep, that the removal OF
the cause does not even modify much less remove
the effect. Friendship-how often does it lean on
the first suggestions of the heart, and find its prop
a broken reed at best" And Loue-sweet, inno-
cent, delightful love--how have the rainbow color
ings of its early Sky been dimmed and blghted, and
all its fond hopes been sepuchred in desoate and
broken heartbecause it built upon first impressions.
But what has all this to do with the picture !-I will
tell you.
| had friend-he livcd-but no matter where
Il should have to describe beautiful summer cot
tage and groves, and streams, and " a most living
landscape" were to follow the fashion of the times
and mince out story by descriptons.-Well, my
friend Henry AIlston was busily employed one soft
summer morning, at his parIor window, in counting
the bubbles that danced down the little brook below
him, and tracing their fortunes they sailed along
now sparkling in the sunshine, now wrapt in the
shade, and now bursting like The fairy castles of
young hope, and disappearing. lie had nothing to
do. An old uncle-and a rich old uncle is a good
thing, especially if he has the gout and you read
the newspaper for him, pour out his wine, light his
pipe and adjust the pillow under his nursing toes
rich old uncle had recently left fortune on his
hands-and fortune, too, situated that it afford
ed him no earthly trouble, except that of spending
an ample income. He, therefore, got along with his
m ~ bc unfil hp -hny cod
the arrival of his daily budget of ct cceras from the
great city of the Manhattans.
Ii came tins morning, usual, and, among pa
pcrs and pamphlets, magazines and reviews, exhibi
ting all the spice of life that variety affords, his eve
fell upon neat roll carefully enveloped in yellow
paper, and scaled at both ends. lie opened tit
was pcture-a girl with rose in her clustering
hair rich full lip, and eye of delicate blue, tina,
looked out sweetly at him.
He could not mistake it, though it came whou,
note comment" Julia Carroll, as live" said he
" WELL it is kind in her she remembered her prom
Use even after had forgotten it-she shall have the
warm sunny side of my paror, over there, among
my flowers. And there she is-smihng from her ell
egant lthograph, crcled by u rich fame, in the full
glory of every thing but-life.
| julia was young acquaintance, the daughter o
n valued friend, whom he had visited year before
He thought her an interesting GIRL then-but in the
whrl Of fashion through which he had since passed
he had forgotten his transen, Irritation, and the
promised lithograph; and it came now like the WIS.,
it of friend TO the retreats Of sotude-what qui.
ct, domestic companion that picture was }! Wher
he had nothing else to do, and wearied of the hour
he looked on it--there that face sbone in its unas
suming freshness and beauty; instead of counting
the bubbles in the brook therefore, he would sit anC
count the tresses that shaded her brow. "She il
really pleasant looking girl" he would say to him
self" how she does improve"
| His dog and his gun amused him but, then, h,
came home tired and often out of humor with hi
luck yet, as he opened the door, and threw himsel
the ottoman, his eyes would turn to the picture
and gaze on that elegant forehead, those iaughin!
eyes that neck Of perfect symmetry, that hidden bo
som of unimagined beauty-until, in spite of hi
confirmed anchoritism, his heart would breathe on
=" Well, she is beautiful
! Time winged his silent way-and four years ne
tually passed-during which, with the exception o
an occasional ride to the city, his cottage home
his rustic neighbors, bis dog and gun, and, las,
though not least. the picture, were the companion
of Henry Alston. He was, as he called it, when h
went into the country, getting out OF the world -
when one morning his old footman was surprised
upon looking in a, the parlor door, to see his maste
booted and spurred at SIX o'clock for journey. III
walked from the window to the ottoman-he turnet
his eyes to the picture-approached and took ]
from iis quiet nook on the wa-kissed it, and gazed
and tisscd II sanin" Reautifn rirl viii see her.