The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1842-06-02


such as he never experienced before. II
was pung not only Of mortified vanity
bu, Of hopeless sgonizing love.
"l,isien TO me, Afford" said Mrs. Cor.
doo, !. am mol surprised Of lhis-you sec
| am no,--lor have expected Il daily tor
tbs las, fortnight. You start, but reeoieci
am moi as was when we met in other
days. Travel aud sorrow and years have
made me different being, have taught mo
TO read the hearts Of others as they once
read nv own. IL is unnecessary 10 refer
TO our former intimacy at length, but must
do so partially in order to explain my pre.
sen, determination. You know how you
sought my society, how you were ever
ready with those little attentions that our
sex delight to receive, how you modu'ated
your voice to whisper when you spoke
10 me and to the alone. You remember
all this, and that these attentions continued
for months. Are you surprised, therefore,
that learned 10 love you-deeply, ierven''
", unreservedIy Ii is true you gave mo
no reason, from any words you said, 10 be.
leye that you loved me : but is not the eio.
ouence of the eye, the voice, the look even
more expressive than that of words lesl
Henry Afford you kae,p loved you-you
intended that | should land yet you deser-
ted me. You left me without an explana.
ton. In the recesses Of my own heart
was forced TO conceal my agony, for u
would have been unmaidenly 10 confess
tina, | loved one who had never solicited
my affections. That six months OF agony
| would no, ask even ior an enemy, If ono
| have Bot ouiliyed il. was proud,
and would have died with my secret, if
on words only had depended its revelation.
But my friends saw the truth in my hollow
cheek and sunken eye. Yet they said
nothing. Al length Mr.. Gordon, whom l
had once refused, sought my hand again.
| had no heart TO give him II is true, bull
yielded to the solicitations Of my friends
and married HIM. OF that step never re.
pented. From tho moment when prom.
lsed at the altar to be his, felt IT had be.
come my duty 10 love him alone, and re-
solulely discarded from my heart every
feeling at variance with my vow. look.
ed 10 God, and he enabled me IL 20 ihro'
with tho work. DO no, fatter yourself
with the common belief that FIRST love is
never eredca,ed--the assertion is true on.
~ where the objec, Of thst love remains
pure IN the eyes Of the lover. Years have
passed since learned to look on you oniy
as on the rest Of your sex-yes more. as
one whom | ncrtr could love. lou had
trIfled with, aud betrayed mel could no
more con6de in your truth. lou were not
the being my young fancy had painted
Add now, Henry Afford, tell you with
as much calmness as would tell the yerl.
est stranger, tba, you are nothing TO me.
81 will no, deny tia, might have re.
PEELED sou OF once when you sought again
my society. am no coquelte, but | fell
II due 10 my sex TO treat you according TO
the rule on which you have always acted
toward US. II was a mere Irritation, per.
haps, on your par, ! was not bound to sup
pose you serious until you spoke your love
in words. Besides it would have sounded
well abroad that the widow Gordon had &c.
fused Mr.. Afford before he bad proposed
reople would, one and all have snecred ut
her, as vain, foolish woman. But mark
nj, was not blind 10 the fact That you
loved me. Iou may even regret the past.
But for this | care nothing. Think not
t,iher that love another. No other mo.
tive dictates my refusal than your conduct
10 me eight years ago. And now 20, Hen
~ Afford, and remember when you hear
or think Of me, tina, feel no more emotion
at your name than would Il, that OF
stranger"
paraly zed and confoundcd a prey 10
conflicting emotions OF modification and
baillcd love, Afford sat, during these words,
unable to artlcula,e syllable. And when,
a, their conclusion, Mrs. Gordon codly
rose, to intimate that the interview was
over, he rose too, and mechanically taking
his hat, bowed and left the room. lie f,it
both from the language and manner Of the
widow, that expostulalion was vain,
The lesson was not lost on Afford. Bat
he never married, Why our readers. per.
haEs can tell
Mrs. Gordon, a year nIterward, was uni.
ted 10 gentleman every way worthy Of
her, and whom she had learn, leryen,ly 10
love, ere she surrendered 10 HIN her hand.
Such is the history Of but one out of hun.
dreds Of class. Reader have you never
met q MALE FLIRrl