Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1841-11-23

From the Southern Literary Messenger
"SHE MARRIED NOT HER CHOICE"
A TALE OF REAL LIFE,

TALE OF REAL LIFE.
The history of the heart affords too MANY instan-
stances of the short 81 ghtedness of man. Fortune
holds out to sweet IN one hand and bitter in the
other; and with fatuty in wise corrected by
the lessons OF experience, seize the latter. Re
tusing profit by the experience of others, we pur
chase wisdom at cost, and obtain it too of
ten till the fruit of our folly eaten the core
Were our several courses marked out and unalter-
ably fixed by the hand of destiny, we might reap
some consolation, that mistortunes were not of
our own making. But when kind Providence
has placed both the good and the bad before u.s.
and given to the most unworthy at least Ga choice
Of eriiS,' and prefer the worst, THEN it is that
even this spark of comfort is denied u.s. and we are
left to the bitterness of our own reflections.
Alice Taylor was in some respects a peculiar
girl She was neither the queen of beauty. nor
the essence of perfection-and yet there was that
about her which rendered her far from unnterest-
ing There was an inexpressible sweetness in her
countenance, that told directly to the heart Her
eye was the finest ever saw, of dark hazel color:
soft small, and delicate, it seemed to revel in the
very Joys of its own existence. Her smile was in
imitable 1t almost whispered the pure, unsuspect-
ING confidence of love. 1t spoke the genuine feel
ings of vlrtuOus heart.
Alice was emphaticaly one of that class of girls
who improve upon an acquaintance. Those only
who were admitted to the secrecy of the private
circle could fully appreciate her merits. 1t was my
fortune to become one OF these. The friendship
which at first entertained toward her. as Young
lady of agreeable manners, soon expanded into an
attachment; and this in turn frightened into love-
and | began to ponder the propriety of making
some special advances. There were but two seri-
GUS objections She of a delicate constitution
and as feared, too young. Physiology had taught
me tobeheve that either the one or the other ght
70 be a bar to marriage. And this opinion | have
never up 10 the present hour, seen cause to ADAM
don. though since that time, year after wear has
winged its rapid flight into the dreamy regions of
the past
While thus at a stand, uncertain whether or not
to advance, | learned that young Mr.. Terrell was
addressing her Observation proved the report TO
be true NV course was decided. | handed her
letter. l was entered as a rival.
Until few months previous | had never seen
her face. My fathers home was far distant.
was 4" stranger In strange land TerriIl, on
the contrary, lived in the same neighborhood, and
had known her almost from infancy Though he
was not handsome, and Notwithstanding his educa-
ton was limited his reputation was nevertheless
fair and he family connection of hers. He
was also, TO small extent my superior in point of
fortune. To oppose these odds. | offered perso-
nal appearance which vanity whispered would be
highly flattered by comparison with his-an I'M
blemished character-and my college diploma
Determined not to be elated with success, in or
der the more easily to bear up against a failure
awaited an answer TO my communication with al
most a stoics Indifference 1t came not. sought
personal interview, and referred to future
period for a dehnluve reply. At the time appoint
ed she declined carrying the matter further for want
of sufficient age. Strange, thought |, she had not
made the discovery sooner. But why need Won
der, when she had heard from nv own lips, my
unyelding opposition to early marriages! Judge
OF my surprise at learning that very evening that