Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1841-02-25
III e RAID OF THE TIMES.

North. Esther Myers, now, as then,
MAS by her side, but 81 few OF the traits
exh'bpe ed by childhood remained, that
no one, who had not seen her since that
i lime, would have been likely TO recog-
n'zs her. Then, her features, though
not handsome, wore bright and vivid
bloom, that had now passed away, leav'
ing skin of rather course texture, al
most sallow. Her sparkling black eyes
alone remained as they had been, en-
\ cept that the boldnrss Of their original
glance was somewhat subdued.
II Il suppose, said Selma, that you have
heard that Arthur Rves has returned
from Europe, aud is expected here this
evening
\ NO impossible, He cannot have re-
turned. lie would have called, or at
least | should have heard Of his re-
iurn,' said Esther, while she suddenly
aud invoIu"iarily grasped her compnn-
/ IONS hand,
II perhaps, too, you have not heard
that he is engaged to lady Of great
beauty, whose father is very rich
\ NO, but know that he is not engag-
ed, unless 10 some fercign lady, Tor
Frances told me he was not The day he
LEFT y. York
'Ile certainly is-not TO foreign, but
Boston lady. You may possibly re-
collect that he remained in Boston a
week or ten days before he sni!ed. =
During that time he became deeply
enamored Of the lady in queslion-pro-
posed and wns accepted
| 'Her name"
/ 'l have been unable to learn her name.
So absorbed had they been in the
suhlec, of their conversation, they had
not heard the last visitors announced who
were just then entering the apartment.
Look! lookn said Selma, jogging her
friends elbow
/ Esther turned her eyes towards the
door, and deep flush sufiused her face
and neck, which suddenly gave place TO
n deadly paeness.
Esther! Esther. said Selino, in an
Impressive whispcr,rcmenber where you
are
Il do, ! will, she replied, rs Arthur
Rives and his sister, together with n
young lady, apparently about the age OF
Frances, entcre0 the apartment Tho no
form in the room was so finely rounded
as that young Iady's, yet was II superior
to all in graceful hghtness, and her
small, dlmpled hands with fingers linged
with rose, and her almost diminutiyc I
feet were most eXquisitely formed. -
The prevailing and harmonizng char
acters,lc Of her whole person was "x-
trcmc dellcacy, yet pervaded and ami
mated with that pure glow Of health
which gives to The lily its unsulled
Wilderness, as well as to the rose its
glowing bushes. As Esther Myers
gazcd on her laultess ensemble, she fell h
that as far as personal attractions went, Il
there was for herself nothing to hope; I
aud those deep ard impassloncd senli-
ments which, even in childhood, had
been springing up in her bosom uncheck-
ed with regard to Arthur Rives, she fel,
so to crush that they would Il
bloom no more. The moment approach II
ed for the exercise of all her sell control
Arthur aud his sister and the lady were
moving directly towards the spot where
she and Selma were seated. She would /
have made her escape to some other
part of the room, but she saw that Fran
ccs had observed her This, by calling
mp her pride assisted to calm her agita-
ton.
Arthur, said Frances, finding tha, her
brother did not Iecollect her, have You
forgotten your old playmate, Esther
Myers p II
The name seemed to call up some
unpleasant association and he cast IL
lunive aud basiy glance at the lady, ]
whose hand rested on his arm. He how
ever, appeared Ia Immediately recollect
himself, and greeted her with poli,eness,
not with warmth.
And here is an old and well beloved
playmate of minc,' said Frances. You
nay possibly remember Mary " oodlcyi'
Utterly confused and disconnected at
his unexpected announcement, Miss
Myers slanmercd forth few unintelli-
yibIe words, and mechanically gave her 4
,and to Miss Woodley who had extern {
led her own 10 receive it. II
MARY, ailhouSn sne nhu not forgotten ,
ha, Esther Myers, when they were chill
1rcn, had once treated her with ridicuIe
and contempt, had not suffered herself TO
retain any resentment, and Immediately
seating hrrsefby her side, she cnquired I
respecting her father, whose kindness
and generosity, when her parents and
herself were suffering deep atllciion,
4 1 4
Neither had Esther forgotten it, and ,,
when many years afterwards, she sa, {
n The midst of her own family circle, "a
nong the lessons which she sought to (
IMPRESS on the minds f,hem all, was,
,ver to regard with tenderness and CON
alteration the feelings OF those who by =.
my means might be placed within the
'phere OF their influence. I.