Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1842-08-04
popular Gales.
From Inc London Metropolitan.
The Broken Miniature
FOUNDED ON FACT.


saw the untarnlsbrd colOrs Of their coun
try wave over their heads, or took more
undaunted hearts into the field, or pure
forms, or more polished address, into the
drawing room.
% Yet was there n marked difference il
their characters, and each wore his vir'
tues so becomingly, and one of them n
least concealed hJs vices so becomugl |,
also, that the maiden, who saw them both
was puzzled where to give the prefer
ence; and stood, as it were, betweei
two flowers of very opposite co|ors an,
perfumes, md yet each Of equal beauty
Horace, who was the superior officer
was more commanding in his figure than
but not 50 beautiful IN his features IA,
Albert. Horace wasthe more yivaciOus
but Albert spoke with more eloqu"nct
upon all SUBJECTS If Horace made tn,
most agreeable companion Albert mad,
the better friend. Horace did not ella in
the praise of being sentimental, nor Al.
bert the fame OF being jovial. Horace
laughed the more with less wit, aud Al
bert was the most witty with less laugh
ter. Horace was the more DoLly born
yet Albert had the better fortune, the
mind that could acquire, and the circum
spcction that could preserve one.
Whom ol The two did Matilda prefer
Yes, she had n secret, an underlined pref
crence vet did inclinaions walk 81
sisterly hand IN hand with her duties
that her spotless mind could not divide
them from each other She talked the
more of Horace, yet thought the more ol
Albert. As yet neither of the aspiranr,
had declared himself Sir Oliver, Ma
iilda's father, soon put the matter at rest,
He had his private and family reasons
for wishing Horace 10 be the favored
lover /; but, as he by no means wished to
lose TO himself and 10 his daughlcr lhe
valued friendship of a man of probity ant
of honor, he took delicate method o
letting Albert understand that every thing
he possessed, his grounds, his house, and
all that belonged to them were at hi,
service. lie excepted only his daugh-
ter.
When the two soldiers called, aud the,
were in the habit of making their visit.
together, Sir Oliver had always some
improvement to show Albert, some dog
for him to admire, or some horse for hin
to try and even in wet weather there
was never wanting a manuscript for hin
to decypher, So that he was sure TO take
han out of the room, or out Of the house.
and leave Horace alone with his daugh.
ter, uttering some disparaging remark
in n jocuIar tone, To the effect that Hor-
ace was only fit to dance attendance
upnn the ladies'.
Albert understood all this, and sub
miiied. He did not strive To- violate the
rights oi hospitality, to seduce the alIec-
tons of the daughter, and outrage The
feelings Of the father. He was not one
OF those who would enter the temple OF
beauty, and, under the pretence of
worshpping at the shrine, destroy il.
a common place lover might have done
SO, bat Albert had no common place
mind. Bat did he not suffer ? o ,ha,
he suffered arutely, his altered looks
his heroic silence, and at times his forced
gaieiy, too plainly testified.
lie kept his flame in the inmost recess
of his heart, like lamp in sepulchre,
nnd which lighted up the ruins ofhis hap
pness alone.
To his daughter Sir Oliver spoke
more explicitly. Hr affections had not
been engaged and the slight preference
that she began 10 feel stealing into her
heart for Albeit had lis nature changcd
nj once. When she found that he could
not approach her IA n lover, she found Ia
spring up for him in her bosom n regard
as sislerly and as ardent "a if the same
cradle had rocked them both. She felt
and her father knew, that Aberl's was a
character that must be loved, if not as a
husband, as brother.
The only point upon which Matilda
differed with her father, was as TO the
degree Of encouragement that ought to
be given to Horace.
"Let us, my dear father" she would
onireatingly say, "be free, at least one
year. Let Us, for that period, stand com
mIIted by no engagement we are both
young, my sell extremely so A peasant
maiden would lay longer probation
upon her swain. Do but ask Albert II
am not in the right"
The appeal that she made 10 Albert,
which ought To have assured her father
Of the purity Of her sentiments, frightened
him into suspicion of lurking affection
having crept into her bosom.
Affairs were at this crisis, when Ma
poeon returned from Elba, aud burst like
the demon OF war from a thunder cloud
upon the plains OF France and all the
warlike and the valorous arose and wall
ed her in with their veteran breasts. The
returned hero lifted up his red right hand
and the united force of France rushed
wiih him To battle.
The regimen, of our rivals was ordered
. 10 Belgium. Aher many entreaties from
her father, Matilda nt length consented
tO SIT Tor her miniature 10 an eminent
artist but upon the express stipulation,
when II should be given to Horace, that
they sh@ild still hold themselves free. -
The miniature was finished, the resem-
blnuce excellent, and the exullniion and
rapture al Horace complete. lie looked
npun the possession ol II, notwithstanding
Aiaiildn's stipulation, as an earnest ol