Madison Whig advocate., 1839-11-30

toierable calmness. Il little thought
whom speaking to my friend this vers
morning. Of Miss Graham. that | shoulg
find her the object Of his dearest inter
est. 1t is pleasure" he attempted tc
add but his voice now lost It's natura
/ tone, and a slight conyuision curlsd m
pale lip. Reginald, however. delicafels
/ forebore to notice his embarrassment
and seemingly unconscious Of the -itua
ton in which he was placed he sk:IfuI
lIy brought forward those topics thai
would lead to general conversation The
! old gentleman was intelligent and social
and his grand daughter. for such was
Miss Graham. seemed. in the freedom o
her domestio-sphere Ike . bright infu
ence, tiiffusing light and harmony. She
said little, indeed. bat her few remarks
so fraught with purify and feeling sc
original. so spirited, and YET so gentle,
sufficiently evidenced tile richness of her
mind, and the high tone Of her chara
ter Clifford had become perfectly calm,
but the free and brilliant light of his
wonted manner was gone; like troubled
waters, which are robbed 5f their trans
parency long after the agitation Of their
surface has subsided. Notwithstanding
his boasted security, the week he had
spent under the same roof with Miss
Graham had given him new percep-
ton of existence, and he was now like
blind man on whom a food of light
has been poured for one fright moment,
and then Withdrawn forerer.
Miss Graham, at the request Of Regi-
nald, again sat to her piano, and its deep
tones we're now heightened in their effect
by the increased interes Of the hour
The busy hum Of day hal subsided into
2 low soft murmur Of unseen things; the
rich glow Of sunset had fided away, aud
stream Of pale moonlight stole over
the apartment. The features of Miss
Graham were instinct viii melody. and
the light Of song seemed lowering like
halo around her. Reginald leaned
over her chair with the freedom of
brother, and was winding one Of her
dark shining tresses uncorsciously round
his fingers. Clifford res1ired with diff
culty-he looked at then with new
sense of Individual desblation. Yet
they were formed for each other" he
mentally exclaimed, as Re marked the.
high cast Of intellectual expression pc
culiar 10 the countenances of both-nay,
he even fancied a personal resemblance
the thrilling smiIes-ths polished fore
head-thc shadowy light Of the dark
eye was the same.
The evening wore away and our
friends rose to depart. Reginald in
qaired the old gentleman, ''rnay We not
expect the pleasure of seeing your
friend again?'' Il leave = to-
morrow" said Clifford, bowing-''To-
morrow reiterated Reginald, ..to-mor-
row. why dear Frank, what mean yon2"
''It is unavoidable" was the reply, and
they took their leave. And nosV,' ne
exclaimed as they left the house ".let ne
hear the reason Of this strange visit.
-l-am obliged to be more than DAYS
journey hence within two days" .'You
are very myste rious, Frank, as well as
vexatious. have ten thousand things
yet to say to you.-I have not yet told
you how delighted | am to find that you
and my Ellen are old cronies; nor how
much better / think of your heart for
having so nearly lost it through her en-
chantment" ..But if heretofore" said
Frank, with an hysterical laugh. in which
the ingeniousness of his nature struggled
With overwhelming emotions, ''if here
tofore | have barely retained it, would
you advise me to remain in the vicinity
Of danger? would you trust" Would
trust my friend? yes, with unhesitat-
ing confidence; were it necessary. !
would consign all hold dear to his care,
even with the unreserved trust of my
whole soul" swell, then | will dessrre
that trust" said Frank, ,emphatically and
he now changed the conversation. Early
on the following morning he was many
miles on his way. He returned TO scenes
in which he had heretofore mingled with
a spirit Ike the gessamer, floating for
ever in the sun beam-but he was no
longer as formerly the active principle
Of social enjoyment. Al times shut u7
in the solitude Of his chamber, and again
piunging with reckless eagern6ss into
all the haunts Of pleasure; al one mo
nent accusing destiny, and the next up
braIdiuo himself with weakness. and
even faithlessness to his friend. Week
after week rolled away, and still brought
no healing on their wings. Returning
one evening, from an assembIage o.
commonplace beauty, which rendered
the recollection Of Ellen Graham more
vivid, he was pacing his room with rapid
strides. when Reginald Tslbert sudden
ly flung himsel INTO his arms. 'Frank.
he said, when the first greetings were
over, Il have come 10 carry YOU back
with me to =; within a week
kncel at the hyueneal altar, and the pre-
sence of friendship Is indispensable TO
soften the solemnity of the occasion
On the score of our early fellowship
have an unansweTable claim to Your
ready acquiescence; you may therefore
prepare yourself for getting off by rhe
dawn of day Frank put his hand on
his brow and struggled 70 collect him
self He summoned up all the strength
of his soul. and stood at length compos
ed, and girt up TO the trial. \ raPic
Journey soon brought them 10 the resi-
dence or his friend--and the dreade1
day had arrived. Frank was informed
they had some distance to ride, as Mis-.
Graham was at the house OF friend ;
| few miles from =. and whii- pre-
/ oarfor IN attend tha groom. he caslrh