Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1842-12-03

brother, since my hand touched thine, or my
gaze rested upon thy face
Mark sighed and answered not.
Then, in little while they made inquiries
about what had befalcn either during the time
past Seated upon the MARBLE by which they
had met, Mark briefly told his story
Il betilink me, brother, many, many years
have indeed passed over since the sorowiul
day when our grandsire, dying, lett us to seek
Our fortunes amid a wicked and sodnclve world.
His last word, as thou doubtless dost re-
member, advised us against the snarcs that
should besct our Subsequent Journeyings. He
portrayed the dangers which lie in the path Of
love; he impressed upon our minds the folly
of placing confidence in human honor and
warned us 10 keep aloof from too close a COM
muaion with our kind. lie then died, but his
instructions live, and have ever been present
in my memory
Dear Nathan, why should I conceal from
you that at that time loved Ny simple soul.
ungifed with the wisdom Of our arod relative,
had Yielded to the delicious folly, and the
brown-cyed Eva was my young hearts choice.
O brother, even now, the feeble and withcred
thing ! am, dim recolections, pleasant pms.
sages, come forth around me. Ike the JOY of old
dreams. boy again, and in tho confiding
heart of boy, walked with Eva By the
cs at my protcStations of love, aud leans her
cheek upon my neck. The regal sun goes
down in the west, and gazes upon the glory of
the clouds that attend his setting, and while
we look at their fantastic changes, a laugh
sounds out, clear as the flute, and merry as the
jngling Of silver bells. 1t is the laugh ofEva'
The eyes Of the old man glistened with un-
wonted brightness. lie paused, sighed, the
brightness faded away, and he on with his mar
ration.
AS | said, the dying lessons Of him whom
we reverenced were treasured in my soul.
could not but feel their truth. feared that if
! again stood beside the maiden of my love,
and looked upon her face, and listened 10 her
words, the wholesome aXioms might he blot
ted from my thought, so determined to act as
became man: from that hour | never have
behcld the brown-eycd Eva.
| Il went amid the world. Acting upon the
wise principles which our aged friend taught
Us, looked upon every thing with suspicious
cyes-Aas found it but too true that iniqui-
| ty and deceit are the ruling spirit ofmen.
Some caIied me cold calculating, unamia-
bic; but it was their own unworlhines. that
made me appear so TO their eyes. | am not
YOU know my broiher-I am not naturally of
| proud and repulsiye manner but | was deter
mined never to give my friendship merely to
he blown of again, it might chance, as tca-
ther by the wind nor intcrwcOvc my course
OF life with those that very likely would draw
all the advantage of the conncNlon, and leave
me no better than before.
4 engaged in traffc. Success attended me.
Enemies said that my good fortune was the Ie-
suit of chance but | knew it was the fruit of
the judlcious system o. caution which govern
ed me in matters of business and social inter-
course.
MY brother thus have lived my life
Your looks ask me if | have been happy
Dear brother, truth impels me 10 say no. Yet
assuredlv, if few gilttering pleasures minis.
tered to me on my Journey, equally few were
the dsappontments, the hopes bightrd, the
trusts betrayed, the faintings of soul, caused
by the detection of those in whom | had laid
up treasures.
'Ah, my brother, the world is full of misery =
The disciple of wretched faith ceased his
story, and there was silence while
Then Nathan spike:
'ln the early years, he said, 4 too loved a
beautiful woman. Whether my heart wa,
more fral than thine, or affection had gained a
mightIer power over me, could not part from
her loved without the satisfaction OF fare.
well kiss. We met--I had resolved to STAY
but a moment-tor had chslked out my fu
ture life after the fashion thou hast describe
thine.
, How it was know not, but the moment
rolled on to hours and still we stood with on
arms around each ether
? My brother, a maiden's tears washed m,
I stern resolves away. The lure ola voice roll
ing quietly from between two soft lips, ent ce,
me fiom remembrance of my grandsire's wis
dom, ] forgot his teachings, and married tn,
woman loved
| a. l. Ir,,, Ia, Al,