The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1837-12-30
and shall be coa,cn,ed to look as well when


81 should never know you were old, be-
cause can see you just as | please. Some
times, when you are thoughtful, your brows
meet, and you hook so stern that tremble |;
but then think Of you when you last smiled,
and look up again, and though you are frown-
ing still, you seem to smile. am sure you
are different to other eyes than to mine and
time must kill me before, in my sight, it could
alter you"
"Sweet Alice, you talk eloquently, for you
talk love-"
"My heart talks TO you. All! wish il
could say all it felt. wish could make
poetry like you, or that words were music
would never speak to you in anything else.
was so delighted to learn music, because
when played seemed 10 be talking to you.
| am sure who ever invented music did it be-
cause he loved dearly and wanted to say so.
| said he,' but think it was woman. Was
it not 7"
"The Greeks told you about, and whose
life was music, thought it was god"
"Ah, but you say, the Greeks made love
god. Were they wicked for it! 7"
Our own God above is love" said Ernest
seriously "as our own poets have said and
sung But il is love Of another nature
Divine, not human. Come, we will 60 with
in, the air grows cold for YOU,
They entered, his arms round her waist
The room smiled upon them its quiet welcome;
and Alice, whose heart had not half vented
its fullness, sat down to the instrument still to
talk love" in her own way.
But il was Saturday evening Now every
Saturday Maltravers received from the neigh
thaY .o1
his only medium of communication with the
great world. But it was not for that commu-
nication that he always seized it with avidity,
and fed on it with interest. The county in
which his father resided bordered the shire in
which Ernest sojourned, and the paper in
Guided the news Of that familiar district in its
comprehensive columns. 1t therefore salts
fed Ernests conscience, and soothed his
flial anxiety to read, from time to time, that
"Mr. Maltravers was entertaining distin-
guished party Of friends at his noble mansion
at Lisle Court" or that "Mr. Maltravers's
foxhounds had met on such day at some
thing copse !" or that 'sMr. Maltravers, with
his usual munifcence, had subscribed twenty
guineas to the new county jail" And as now
Maltravers saw the expected paper laid be-
side the kissing urn, he seized il eagerly, tore
the envelop, and hastened to the well known
corner appropriated to the paternal district.
The very first words that struck his eyes were
these:
Alarming illness of Mr.. Maltrarers.
"We regret to state that this exemplary
and DISTINGUISHED gentleman was suddenly
seized on Wednesday night with severe
spasmodic affection. DR.. was i'm
mediately sent for, who pronounced it to be a
govt in the stomach--the first medical assist
ance from London has been summoned.
Postscript have just learned, in an
swer to our inquiries at Lisle Court, that the
respected owner is considerably worse ; but
slight hopes are entertained of his recovery.
Captain Maltravers, his eldest son and heir, is
at Lisle Court. An express has been des-
patched in search Of Mr.. Ernest Maltravers
(Mr. Ms only surviving child, who, involved
by his high English spirit in some dispute with
the authorities Of despotic government, had
suddenly disappeared from Gottingen, where
his extraordinary talents had highly dis
tinguished him. He is supposed to be staying
at Paris"
The paper dropped from his hands. Ernest
threw himself back on the chair, and covered
his face with his hands.
Alice was beside him in a moment He
looked up, and caught her wistful and terrified
gaze. "Oh, ALICE" he cried, bitterly and
almost pushing her away, "what remorse
have you not occasioned me" Then, spring
ing on his feet, he hurried from the room.
Presently the whole house was in COM
motion. The gardener, who was always in
the house about supper time, flew to the town
for post-horses. The old woman was in des-
pair about the laundress, for her first and only
thought was for "master's shirts" Ernest
locked himself in his room. Alice! poor
Alice
In little more than twenty minutes the
chase was at the door; and Ernest, pale
as death, came into the room where he had
left Alice.
She was seated on the floor, and the fatal
paper was on her lap. She had been endea-
voring, in vain, to learn what had so sensibly
affected Maltravers, for, as | said before, she
was unacquainted with his real name, and
therefore the ominous paragraph did not even
arrest her eye.
He took the paper from her, for he wanted
againand again to read it. some little word
Of hope or encod Rgement must have escaped
III And then Alice flungAberself on his
east Do not weep" said he, Heaven
|knsws have sorrow enough of my own!-
My father"is dying! So kind, SO generous,
so fndulgent Oh Ged, forgive lsc! Thsre,
there, compose yourself You Aill hear hom
me in a day or two.
He kissed her; b@ the kiss was cola md
forced He hurried away She heard shel
wheels CRATE on the pcbblea She rushed 10
the window but that beloved face was not
visible. Maltravcrs had drawn the blinds,
and thrown himself back to indulge his grief
/ A. p,onent more and even the vehicle That