Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1842-03-03


whence in all human probability he might
from the intense cold to which he was
exposed have never awakened, had he
not been rescued by Michael Bauvais.
The young artist was pressed by his
poor bul hos ltable hosts 10 continue with
them day ar two, until he had recoy.
cred sufficient strength to ensure a safe
return 10 his home. lie opened his port
folio, and delighted their inexperienced
eyes with Sketches tina, might well have
claimed appreciation from those accus-
toned TO see the finest drawings. An
nette was called 10 share in the gralifi-
cation their display afforded, and her
beauty and artless grace excited so much
interest in the young artist that he imme-
dately made a portrait Of her, which
filled her lover with joy and gratitude.
The vicinity of the wild spot inhabited
by the two families, possessed such at
iracliye scenery, that the painter pro.
longed his stay several days for the pur-
pose Of ske,ching the different views
Annette would hang with delight over
his drawings, and listen with scarcely
less pleasure to the songs he would sing
her while making them. She would loi-
ter NJ night an hour or two after the
usual hour OF seeking ropose, To hear the
oung artists descl pl,on Of the towns and
their inhabitants IN which he had dwrlt
and had n thousand questions 10 ask re-
laiive to scenes Of which hitherto she had
been IN perfect ignorance.
AT first Michael shared in the inere st
which was awakened in her mind bu,
,oon "A jealous feeling occasioned by wit
Messing her attentions TO the stranger,
took possession Of his mind lie became
moody, captlous and harsh to her, towards
whom he had never pieyiously y evinced a
symptom of III humor. This sudden and To
Annette unacc ountable change in his tenn
per, only aggravated the cause that led
to it, and the POOR simple girl, repulsed
by her lover each time that she sought,
to address him with her won,ed and ailec-
Tomato lberaliy, took refuge in the
mIld and amusing conversation of the
Young painter. When Michael was com
PEELED to be absent from the chalet in
search Of fuel, or to lead home the
goats, it was evident that his moodiness
increased and when he returned it was
excited almost to frenzy, by finding An
netle seated by the stranger, listening
with unconceaIed delight to his songs,
or the stories he related to her
The whole character OF Michael be-
came changed. No longer the gay
youth, whose cheeriulncss had been the
life ol,he chalet, his ill~humor was now
Il source of chag,in to all its inhabitants,
none OF whom, owing to their simplicity,
suspected its cause. Often in the moo
jlncss OF his spirits, when stung into an
ger by some innocent familiarity exhibi-
ted towards the stranger by Annette, he
almost cursed the hour when he saved
him from death, and led him to the cha
never lent her eyes or ears, with pleasure
to uughi save himself alone.
Sketches Of Annette multiplied every
hour. The arts, found her figure so
graceful and picturesque, and it gave
such a charm to his drawings, that he
was never tired Of copying it and sooth
to say, Annette, with all her simplicity,
had enough of woman's vanity in her
heart, to be pleased, if not proud Of tho
artists evident admiration of her.
AT this time, too, the young painter,
who sometimes amused himself in the
composition Of simple songs, addressed
the following one to Annette, and this
piece of rustic gallantry, excited the
jealousy Of her lover into greater vio-
lence.
" Beautiful maiden, pure ~ the snow
OF thine own native mountains, wherever 70,
III thiuk of thee, artlcss aud fair rs thuu art
Though soon, uh too soon, from thee must depart
III think ofihee beafning as now with n smile,
And thy innocent converse that of did brgullc
The long hour of evening. anG Of thy sweet song,
That the Wild mountain echoes so love to prolong
beautiful maiden all bles be thy lot
With The youth who has won thee. though be forgot,
My pray or shall ascend 10 the Heavens Tor thee,
When distant Thy sweet lace no more ] can see"
One evening when Michael returned
to the chalet he found the stranger plait
ing the long tresses Of Annette, who
was innocent!y laughing at the awk-
waldness with which he performed the
operation. Michael had, from hisinlan-
cy, always reserved this task as a labor
Of love for himself, and his feelings could
not have been more wounded when he
discovered her in the arms Of the stran-
ger.
"iow, faIthless girl ~ exclaimed he,
"and is it CORE to this Is all shame
gone, that you let stranger touch those
tresses, that my hands alone have here
loiore pressed? And you ungra,eful
man is it thus you repay me for having
saved your lie But will fly from you
both forever !" So saying he rushed
from the chalet with the frantic haste OF
a maniac.
The stranger alarmed by his violence
and impetuosIty, the cause OF which he
for the first time clearly discerned, and
deeply panied that he should have fur
nished the occasion for the development
of a passion which now ragged with such
fury, fled D pursuit Of Michael, leaving
Annette overw helmed with surprise aud
grief Dreadful were the suferngs OF
the poor g,rl, as hour after hour elapsed, ,
bringing with them no tidngs of her lover
or his pursuer. AT early dawn, after a
night OF such wretchedness as she had
ever previously been u stranger TO, she