, 1842-08-20

tender feeling must have been rent
with the bit,erest pangs of remorse in
contemplating pain to one whose
countenance beamed with the hea-
venly rays of joy and good will to all.
From that soft but dark and EXPIRES
sIve eye, shone forth the fires OF deep
seated thought which seemed to burn.
though mildly, as if to dim the lustre
OF Il passion whose gentle flashes serv-
ed to irradiate and give additional
beauty to her appearance. She had
not those d~eIicately chiseled features
which the romantic lover delights to
picture 10 himself to finish the crea-
ture of his fancy, but she possessed a
majestic air. Il winning grace, that
awed whilst it ~captivated, and that
nought else but a feeling Of conscious
greatness could confer.
But alas! she was young and IN.
suspecting. and her too conliding ma.
ture led her to regard all with an eye
of indulgence, and TO believe others
free and faultless as herself. To me
though Young. the world with all its
foibIes had long been familiar
Thrown at a tender age upon my
own resources, without one kind
friend to whisper in my ear the salu-
tary admonition of prudence. | was
left free to the guidance of unreStrain-
ed feeling, and had taught myself to
regard the %gentlcr sex as mere crea-
lures TO minister to the pleasures of
man. With these unholv, these un-
just and ilIiberaI views | settled up
on my plans and concncted my
schemes to gain dominion over a
heart which was the sea ofdeeP and
abiding affection. And how well !
succeeded and how my W wicked
designs were visited upon my orn
head with an cdict of vengeance but
ofjustice the sequel will show.
The cold formality of an introduc-
ton had hardly passed before each
leisure moment found me at her side.
Naturally warm and ardent in my
tempcramenttLe ebulIilions Of passion
appeared to her as the promptings of
love and attachment. With all the
tact which | could master | made my
advances. surveyed with caution
each difficulty that | encountered
and tortured my brain 10 invent plans
to overIeap them. One by one, each
obstacle disappeared, and ] stood be-
fore her Il protested sutton for her at.
feciions. early discovered that she
was not entirely Indifferent 10 my at
tontions and though her course to-
wards me was one marked by Pru-
dcnce and a high sense of female pro-
prietv. my vanity induced me to be-
Iieye that | should soon make 4 CON
qnest IN defiance of maidenly coyness
and reserve.
DAYS. weeks, months rolled Bly,
at home | was her most frequent Wis
itor--abroad her most constant at
~tendant-in a word, she regarded me
as her companion, her friend and her
Hover. IT'S true i faint cloud of sus-
picion would sometimes shade her
brow, but my ardent Protestations OF
neverceasing attachment would as Oh
Ten dispel them. Frequent rumors
too of my immoral character would
often reach her ears. The world
pronounced me a pronigate and a
dirt. and notwithstanding my own
lectures against vice, discovered
that her opinion as to my habits were
gradually beginning to coincide with
those of the world. There is no one
who lives, however ~fastidious in his
conduct that is destitute OF enemies
who are not ever ready to exaggerate
and multiply hi, faults. Dark whis-
pers then were upon the tongue Of
every gossip, and numerous predlc-
tons were made that | would soon
appear to the world in my real char
acter. that Of a confirmed debauchee;
but though she could not entirely dis,
-I H., che turned almost 4 deaf