Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1841-08-19

HHu tegdlHeu the mastery.
"No--I cannot--I dare not. He will
turn away from me. He will despise me.
OH that | had never said those idle
words, and hingiug herself again on the
bed, she wept long and bitterly.
Mary appeared that evening at the sup
per table, but in the cold and averted
looks of Ashton, she saw only new causes
for pride. The evening passed off heayi.
ly. As the time came for retiring, Henry
approached her to bid her farewell. She
thought her heart would burst her bodice,
but commanding her emotion by violent
effort, she returned his adieu as calmly as
it was given.
And they parted. both in seeming care.
lessness but one at least in agony.
Henry Ashton had known his lovely
cousin scarcely two years, but, during
that time she had been to him divinity.
Never, in his widest dreams, had he i'm.
agined countenance more surprisingly
beautiful than hers, and to her, according.
ly, he had given his heart with devotion
which had become part of his nature.
But, much as he adored his cousin, he
was not wholly blind to her faults. He
saw that she loved admiration and he
feared she was too much of nrt. Yet
his love had gone on increasing, and, he
iancied, not without return. Led on by
his hopes, he had, during temporary
visit at her fathers house, seized IN OPP
portunity to declare his passion, bu. how
the half breuthed avowal was checked,
we will not recapitula,e. Need we won.
der at his sudden resolution to fly from
her presence, and, by placing the ocean
between them to eradicate passion for
one whom he now felt to be unworthy Of
him? Few men could be more energetic
than Ashton. In less than week, he
had sailed for Europe.
Oh how Mary wept his departure
A thousand times she was on the point Of
writing to recall him, but her pride as
often prevented the act. She had hoped
that he might yet return. Surely-she
said-he who had once loved her SO deep
ly, and who must have known that his af.
lection was returned would not leave her
forever. Hour after hour she would sit
watching the gate for his return, and hour
after hour she experienced allthe bitterness
Of disappointment. When at length she
read in the newspaper that he had really
sailed, she gave one long, loud shrek, and
fell senseless to the floor. A fever that
ensued brought her to the very brink Of
the grave.
Ashton went forth upon the world an
altered, almost a misanthropic man. His
hopes were withered, his first dream Of
love had vanished he felt as if there
was nothing for him to live for in this
world. His mind became almost diseased.
He loathed society, then he veered to the
other extreme and craved after excite
ment. He sought relief in travel. He
crossed the s:eppes Of Tartary-he ira
versed the deserts of Arabia-he lived
amongst the weird and ruined monuments
of Egypt-and for years he wandered, a
stranger to civilization, seeking only one
thing-to forget. He never enquired az
tie. America. His family were all dead,
and he wished never to think of Mary.
Like the tabled victim in the olden legend,
he spent years in the vain search after
that Lethe whose waters are reserved for
death alone. He found it not.
And Mary, too was changed. She rose
from that bed of sickness an altered being.
Never had she known the full depth of
her affection until she found herself de.
serted. The shock almost destroyed her;
and though she recovered after long and
weary sickness, 1t was to discard all her
old habits, and to assume n quieter--yet,
oh how far more beautiful demeanor
than in her days Of unmitigated Joy. She
felt that Henry was lost to her forever,
yet, she derived melancholy pleasure
in living as if the eye of her absent lover
was upon her. She directed her whole
conduct SO as TO meet his approbation.-
Alas he was far away ; she had not
heard of him for years, perhaps, too, he
might be no more then why this con.
stam reference of all she did to his stand.
ard Of excellence? 1t was her deep abid-
ing love which did it all.
Fou, years had passed when Ashton
found himself again in America. He was
sitting, after dinner, with one of his most
intimate friends, at the table oil the -
hotel. For some time the bottle passed
IN silence. AT length his companion
spoke
"You have not seen Mary Derwent.
water yet-have you, Harry 2"
Ashton answered calmy, with forced
effort, in the negative.
"You must not positively deny it,
Do you know how beautiful she has
grown far more beautiful than when
you went away, although then you thought
her surprisingly lovely" He paused.
al have not heard from the family for
years." SAID Ashton, at length, feeling
that his companion expected some reply.
"Then you know nothing Of her p
Push us some Of those almonds-why my
dear fellow she is irresistible. But she
is different from what she used to be; her
beauty softer, though not so snowy, and
whereas she once would firt lttle--mind
only little, for she is great iavorte Of
mlne-she now goes by the name of the
cold beauty. A married man, like my.
self, can speak thus warmly, you know,
without fear of having his heart called in
as the bride of his head. And do you
know that my wife suspects you ofhaving
worked the reformation ?'--Ashton start
ed, and was almost thrown off his guard
a. :. ..s,r,oI;atalxy .C,ox-