The herald., 1837-05-01

among the gay and fashionable and many Of his
trends were prepared 10 throw OIL their natural char
ters for the time, and sustain fail in some other 1t
was species of amusement, that, in his opinion,
was calculated 10 produce perncious consequences;
and ne had determined, in his own mnd, neither to
60 hlmseif nor TO suffer Caroline TO JON the party.
Masquerades are dangerous places, my dear Caro-
line, SAID he, IN reply to her question, and shall
be sorry to see you there; but you not serious
know--you cannot really think ofgoing."
Indeed | very serious" replied the lively
GIRL with of those smiles which had oflen beeued
him OF his better ludgment-''I not only think OF
gong, but intend to go and # you are afraid 70 trust
me with Miss Sinclair and Colonel Graham, why
you must absolutely 20 with me yourself. Come now,
don't look angry, and sentimental, and % much
wiser than every body else. Where is the impropre-
| ty? can see nothing wrong in IT,
He was not in the humor for trliliug, and Caroline
| spoke without her usual tact.
=" 1t would be useless for me 70 point out the m
| proPrlely," said he in surprised and rather an Of
Tended tone, III you are resolved, a. all events, on
going. Indeed, It would b. only causing you to
dlsoblige me under aggravated circumstances.
should have scarcely believed that a0R, Caroline,
would have ventured 10 decide on any thing Of
| consequence, without first consulting me, and pay
ing some little Difference 10 my feelings and opinions
but have perhaps over-ra,cd my CLAIMS on your
| gratitude and observance of my wishes.
The last words were spoken sarcastlcally, and had
their full effect. Carones lefty spirit flashed from
her eyes, but she SILENT and for the first time,
the eght of her obligations 10 oLand3n pressed heavy
her heart They Were both TO blame, and both felt
and thsught wrongly yet neither would c9ndescehd
| to make the first concession to the other. Caroline
did not speak again and Landon rose 10 take eaFe.
| He approached her and took her hand-s
"Gou will think better of your resolution Caro-
| line, said he, with softer manner-"l am sure
after ALL that you viii not lose friend tor the sake
| of the world and its votarles. The time has now
come, when you must either give up the world for me-
| or me for the world. Let your owa .eart choose
between the two
Had he stopped there, he would have gained the
hut he dad-
Z" III you persist in your determination Of going to
;he masquerade part, from that time fsr ever.
"Then farewell said Caroline with sudden emo
ton of pride and anger-and thus, in one hasy mo-
ment, she broke the band of years, and by single
folly esiranged noble heart She st0od Tor some
time on the spot where he had left her and then burst
into tears "Oh!' said she 70 herself show foolish
how ungrateful have b.cn but cannot recall my
words-I have voluntarily thrown away my happi.
ness-and for what? To appear for one evening IN
fictitious character AT masquerade BE II so then"
continued she mourniuly, yet proudly shall as
new, If not false character, Tor the rest otmy
life"
The masquerade Overland Caroline returned
weary, and wreched 10 her fathers house. ihe
pleasure she had anticipated was all IDEAL; but the
misery and Tem0rse waich succeeded were a sad ana
| lasting reality Landon came moi 10 welcome her
return, and solitude too rksOme - be borne
She went into society, aad put on mask Of gacty
to hide the canker worm of disappointment, which
was secretly preylng Oh her heart, anG undermining
| her health and spirits.
Rumor with her hundred tongues, soon spread the
report that Miss Wilton had discarded her noble and
lover and many others crowded round her to
supply his place, but she was cold and distant IL ALL
till she heard that Landon was gong 10 be married
Too hastily believing story that was fabricated only
To deceive her she waited not its completion, but IN
moment Of pride and resentment almost oi dellrium,
she gave her hand whose artul persuasons had
chiefly induced her To commit her first great folly of
throwing oil the guiding of her carly friend and
benefactor. But she knew not herself when she made
/ tl.a laxYo andh Thor Ia.
knew not the strength of her attachment 10 Landon
till she had severed, with her hand, the last
mals ng link between herself and him, and found, too
late, that her heart could not thus be forclby torn
away from the only 10 whom il had ever been
| freely and fully given.
IL was less than year from the time of the mas
querade, that the public papers announced the mar
rage of Col Graham with the beautiful and accom-.
pllshed Caroline Wilton, and from that h5ur the DIS
appointed and disguised Landon toreswcrc all inter-
course with the temnle sex.
Graham had once been among the number of his
| friends; bat he was the man of all Others whom he
would have warned her to avoid. Handsome and in.
snuating III his manners, and apparently all that was
good and amiabe he was in reality, selfish design
ing and tyrannlcal and aogetherncapablc Of LOVING
Vanity his ruling passlon--and vanity, once
gratifcd, becomes cold and hearCss feeling towards
lts object
Caroline had lost her mother; and Aer father,
though indulgeni, even to fault was man OF bus
ness, and too much occupied with the affairs OF the
world TO think much of those OF the heart lie had
been led 10 believe that Mr. Landon and his daughter
had broken their engagement 10 each other by
mutual CONSENT and though exceedingly mortified
expected a termination of projected alliance,
he SAID little the subject; and when Caroline
assured him that IL was her choice to marry Col.
Graham, he kindly told her consult her own hap
piness, and act according to her wishes. He did
not live to witness the trials and yicss udcs of her
future life; and she reloccd in the midst OF her sor
rows that he was spared tie pang Of knowing that
she had sealed her own misery, by ! hosiy union
The flowers Of three summers had bloomed and
faded since the fatal barrier had been placed between
Landon and hls love; and time had out the
first bitterness of feeling, and destroyed much of his
resentment towards Caroline. lie began to Judge
calmly and nationally Of the past and acknowledge
10 hls heart that he had been greatly 10 blame
Ii the blind lmpetuosty OF his own disposition,
which had dictated his last words 10 her, and pro-
vokod the proud reply which had separated them for
He felt that he should not have utterly forsakon
her for single folly. So young, beautiful 20 full
ofioyous spirits, and free from the worlds guile,
how could he thus abandon her
She had left her native place, snd gone with her hus-
| band he knew not withcr. Tic made no inquiries con
cerning her fate, and hs friends never mentioned her
IN his presence Indeed he kcptup but little in
tercOurse with those who knew him lie either spent
his time in travelling secluded himself within hts
| own walls; and the brilliant, fascinating and
elegant Landon, seemed changed to tic morose aud
/ gloomy reclusc.
| lie had been wandering through the cosntry du-
ring the summer months impellcd by restless spirit
thar haunted him necessarily; and in one OF his Is.
curssns he missed his way, and founa hxscf late u