Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-12-08

CaTclessly, yet stopping over MS Trunks 10
hide his emotion at is very rare--the on.
" one ever saw and you will find that il
makes beautiful impression. ! had il
carved in New York, by German artist
and it has never before been offered for
sale"
81 like this, father, not for its beauty but
for lis sentiment. Are you willing should
choose itP'
ITO be sure am" said the General,
paving the very modest demand of the ped
lar, aud placing the ring on her white little
hand. Keep it always, Flora, aud when
| am in my grave, .forgf me not.
The young pcdlar paused but TO glance
once more al the rial vision, more beautiful,
even than The ideal he had so long wor-
shipped, and lifting his bnrthen from the
ground, sped with mingled emotions tow
ard hi. native village.
That is a fine looking fellow" said the
General, following him with an admirng
glance at is pity he has not some high
er vocation"
ole seems honest, aud is more courteous
than his class usually are" remarked Flora,
also looking at him little thoughtfully; and
then hastened to her ROOM eager TO test her
new seal upon a letter she had Just written
to an old school-friend.
She held il up to examine the impression
but instead of the words she expected to
meet, she read, in small neat letters, her
own name-E9ora Crichton Who could
solve this mystery4 In vain she pondered
over it, and in vain recalled the form and
face Of the pedlar She could gain no
clue TO the puzzle. Alas, poor Leigh =
thou hadst left no trace on the memory OF
the sweet child who made indelibe impress
sions upon thine
One morning in August two Young men
left the steps of the Cataract House at
Niagara, and pursued their way toward the
falls. "Do YOU know any thing of the par
ty that arrived last night p inquired the ell
dest of the two, a very distinguished person,
with fine head. and hair that cured upon
his forehead like Byron's.
"All that | know Of them is that there is
beautiful heiress with them. BY the way,
chance for you Merton y
NO." replied our hero, "if | were a
marrying man, | should look elsewhere than
among heiresses for wife. They are Ell
Their naughty, or vain, or coquettish !"
But am told that this fair lady is Meth
cr; and that so far from being coquette,
she is almost prude in her reserve. Her
lovers, mortified by her indifference to their
attractions, attributed their want of sue
cess to some early attachment - but
with how much truth cannot say. But
look there comes the lady berself-Heay-
ems isn't she beautiful 7"
Leigh Merton raised his eyes and encoun-
tered the radiant glance of Flora Crichton
She, then, was the heiress whom he had a
moment before rejected.
"There, Merton ;-what do you think OF
beauty like that Confess that it is such
as is rarely met, said his lively friend, as
soon as they were beyond hearing of the
lady
II never saw its equal" replied Merton,
with emphasis sinking aGerward into a
reverie so profound and protracted as to call
forth the keenest railcry of his friend.
A week or more passed, and he sought
no introduction to the beautiful heiress.-
They met at table and at the Falls, and Of
ten their bright eyes exchanged glances that
each remembered hours after in the dark
ness of midnight; still they did not speak
nor did they express TO others any desire to
have the barrier to their intercourse remov-
ed Frequently in his eloquent table-talks
for Leigh Merton was unrivalled in con-
versational talent-he detected her eye fixed
on his face with an expression of admira-
ton that almost stopped the current of his
breath, so strangely did it affect him aud
once, just once, he saw a bright blush steal
over her cheek as his eye Unexpectedly fell
upon hers.
An hour before sunrise one exceedingly
warm morning, Leigh had walked out alone
to the Falls, aud as he stood in the path
slopng down to the American Sheet, some
gittering object, half trodden into the moist
EARTH attracted his notice On holding il
up 10 the light, he recognized the seal ring
bearing the name of Flora Crichton. He
had seen her standing in that spot the pre-
vious evening, at which time she had proba-
bly, lost it. With smile Of Joy he was
pressing it to his lips, when light step
caught his ear, lie looked up, and Flora,
herself stood before him. 1t was her turn
now to be embarrassed, aud she was, pain
fully so; but returning his courteous good
morning" she FASTENED to explain her ear
y errand.
81 came out, sir, in search of lost ring,
which is very precious to me- i missed it
before retiring last evening, and could
scarcely rest from anxiety lest should be
unable to recover it. 1t was my fathers
gift, and indeed, is of inestimable value to
me, If | can enlist your sympathies suifi-
cently TO induce you to assist my search,
shall be very thankful, though have small
hope of finding the ring"
lyon should have my ready sympathies
and tireless assistance, dear lady, were they
necessary" replied Leigh, "bnt / am so