Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1836-01-07

esS AS~As $50 SOVu, uldU WutCbCO OVCE
her education with paternal care; il was
limited, and suitable to the sphere in which
she was to move, for he only sought to
| make her an ornament to her station in life,
not to raise her above it. The tenderness
and indulgence Of her parents, and the ex-
emption from all ordinary occupations, had
tostered natural grace and delicacy OF
character, that accorded with the fragile
loneliness Of her from. She appeared like
some tender plant of the garden. blooming
accidentally amid the harder natives of
the fields.
The superiority Of her charms was felt
and acknowledged by her companions, but
without envy for il was surpassed by the
unassuming gentleness aud Kindness Of her
manners. 1t might be truly said Of her,
Ran on the greea-swards: nothing she does seens,
But smacks Of something greater ihan herself;
Too noble for his place."
The village was one of those sequesteE-
ed spots, which still retain some vestiges Of
old English customs. 1t had its rural festi-
| walls and holiday pastimes, and. still kept up
some faint observance of the once popular
rites of May. These, indeed had been
promoted by its present pastor, who was
lover of old customs, and one Of those
simple Christians that think their mission
fnlflled by promoting joy on earth and
good will among mankind. Under his
auspices the may-pole stood from year to
year in the centre ofthe village green on
May day it was decorated with garlands
and streamers: and queen or lady of the
May was appointed, as in former times, to
preside ut the sports, and distribute the
PRICES and rewards. The picturesque sit
uation ofthe village, and the fancifllness Of
its rustic fetes, would often attract the mo-
tice of casual visiters. Among these, on
one May day, was young officer, whose
regiment had been recently quartered in
the neighborhood. He was charmed with
the native taste that pervaded this village
pageant; but, above all, with the dawning
loveliaess Of the queen Of May. 1t was
the village favorits, who was crowned with
flowers, and blushing and smiling in all the
beautiful confession of girlish difidence
and delight. The artlessness Of rural hab-
its enabled him readily to make her ac-
quaintance he gradually won his way
into her intimacy, and paid his court to
her 10 that unthinking way in which young
officers are too apt to tribe with rustic
simplicity.
There was nothing in bis advances to
startle or alarm. He never even talked Of
love; but there are modes Of making it
more eloquent than language, and which
convey it subtilely and irrcsistibly into the
heart. The beam of the eye, the tone Of
the voice, the thousand tendernesses which
emanate from every word, and look, and
action-these form the true eloquence Of
love, and can almost be felt and understood,
but never described. Can we wonder that
they should readily win heart young,
guileless, and susceptible? As to her, she
loved almost ANONYMOUSLY; she scarcely
inquired what was het growing passion that
was absorbing every thought and feeling,
or what were to be its consequences. She,
indeed looked not to the future. When
present, his looks and words occupied her
whole attention when absent, she thought
but of what had passed at their recent in
terview. She would wander with him
through the green lanes aad rural scenes of
the vicinity. He taught her to see new
beauties in nature he talked in the Ian
guage of polite and cultivated life, and
breathed into her the witcheries of romance
and poetry.
Perhaps there could not have been
passion, between the sexes, more pure than
this innocent girls. The gallant figure Of
her youthful admirer, and the splendor of
his military attire, might at first have
charmed her eye but it was not these
that had captivated her heart. Her at
tachment had something 10 it Of idolatry.
She looked up to him as being Of superb
or order. She felt in his society the en-
thusiasm of mind naturally delicate and
poetical, aud now first awakened to keen
PERCEPTION Of the beautiful and grand
Ofthe sordid distinction Of rank and for
tune, she thought nothing it was the diff
ference of intellect, Of demeanor, Of man
ncrs, from those of the rustic society to
which she had been accustomed, that ele-
waited him in hes. opinion. She would list
en- TO him with charmed ear and downcast
look OF mute delight, and her cheek would
mantle with enthusiasm or. ifeyen she
ventured a sly glance Of simid admiration.
it was as quickly Withdrawn. and she would
sigh and blush At the idea other compare
tive unworthiness.
Her lover was equally imprisoned but
his passion was mingled with feelings of
coarser nature. He had begun the connex-
ION in levity for he hard often heard his
brother officers boast of their village con-
quests; and thought some triumph Of the
kind necessary to his reputation as man
Of spirit. Bot he was too full ofyouthful
fervor. His heart had not yet been rem
dersd sufficiently cold and selfish by wan
dering and dissipated life +: it caught ERE |