The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1842-08-02

aud seemed to have been foi gotten"
Shortly after, the officer took his leave.
The reflections of Matilda bitter. Her mia
iainre had been UNANIMOUSLY lost whilst the mistress
OF Albert, of that Albert whom she felt might
but for family PRIDE been her lover, even
in efligy, guardian angel of life she loved too
we'll.
| Months psed, and Horace did not appear; Sir
! Oliver wrote to him intelligent letter and bade
him consider all intercourse broken fl for the fii,
ture. lie returned m elancholy answer,ln which
! he pleading guilty Of This cbarge-spcke the
madness of intoxcation, confessed that he was
hopeless and that he deserved 10 be so /; in n word
his letter was so humble, so dIsponding, and dis
piried that even the insulte6 Matilda was soened
and shed tears over his lighted hopes. And here
we must do Horace the justice say that the min
lature was only LETT in the hands of the winner, he
being stranger, as deposite until the next morn
J ing,but which the next morning did not allow MIN
TO redeem, though il rent from him limb, and
left him as one dead upon tho battle field. Had
! he not gained, his miniature would not have been
lostto sharper, the summons TO march would
have found him at his quarters, his harrassed steed
would not have failed hum in the charge aud in all
probability, his limb would have been saved, and
his love have been preserved.
A year had elapsed, and at length Albert
was announced He had heard that all intimacy
had been broken off between Horace and Matilda
but nothing more. The story OF the lost miniature
was confined TO the few whom il concerned and
those few wished all memory OF it TO be buried in
perpetual oblivion. Something like hope had re
turuei to Albert's bosom. He was graciousy re-
ceived by the father and dIffidently by Matilda. -
She remembered 'the broken miniatures" and sup
posed him TO have been long and ardentlY attached
| to an other.
1t was on a summers evening, there was no 9th
er company, the sun was just setting in glorious
! splendor. After dinner, Matilda had retired only
to the window 10 enjoy, she said that prospect that
the drawing room could not afford She spoke tru
ly, for Albert was not there. Her eyes upon
the declining sun, but her soul st i'll the d.
ning-room.
. AT length Sir Oliver and Albert arose from the
table and came and seated themselves near Matilda
Come, Albert, the story of the miniature said
Sir Oliver.
"What fully, truly, and unreserv eddy, SAID AL
bert looking anxously at Matilda.
"Ohfence or no offence" said Albert with look
Of arch meaning
''Whom should the tale possibly offend ?" said
Sir Oliver.
"That am yet to learn. Listen.
AS far regarded Matilda, the word Who'll.
y superHuous She seemed to have lost every fac
ulty but hearing, Albert in low yet hurried tone,
commenced thus
81 loved but was not loved. l had rival that
was seductive. 1 saw that he preferred BY
the father and not indifferent to the daughter. My
love could mott would not attempt to conquer:
but my actions honor babe me control /; and obey
ed. The fr lend was admitted where the lover
would have been banished. My successful rival
obtained a miniature of his mistress. Oh then,
then envicd, and impeIed by unconquerable pas.
sion, l obtained clandesnely from the artist fac
simile of that which so much envied him Ii
! was my hearts silent companion ,ond when at last
my duty called me away from the original, not of
ten did venture to gaze on the resemblance. To
prevent my secret being discovered by accident,
had the precious token enclosed in double locket
OF gold, which opened by secret spring, known
only to myself and the maker.
81 gazed on the lovely features the dawn of
the battle day. 1 returned it to its resting place,
and my heart ihrobbed proudly under its pressure
was conscious that there had talisman, and ,
If ever felt as heroes feel, il was then-it was
then.
"On, on dashed through the roaring stream of
slaughter. Sabres flashed over and around mo
what cared I? had this on my heart and a brave
mans sword in my hand-and come the worst, bet
ter could not have died than that noble field.
The shower of fated balls Kissed around me. What
cared | /? looked around-to my fellow soldiers
trusted for victory and my soul entrusted to God,
and-shai own it, for few tearsto my memory,
trusted to the original of this, my bosom compan
ion.
"She must have had heart of ice, had she reiu-
sed them, SAID Matilda in voice almost maud
BILE from emotion.
Albert bowed low and gratefully, and thus con-
tinued-"Whilst was borne forward into the very
centre of the struggle, ball struck at my heart
but the guardian angel was there,and 1t was protec
ted the miniature, the double case, even my flesh
was penetrated, and my blood soiled the image OF
that beauty for whose protection 1t would nave
loved TO flow The shattered case, the broken,
the blood >stained miniature are now dearer to me
Than ever, and will remain until lie shai' desert
me."