Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1843-08-05
No. 2l.

mouth, fine teeth, and an abundance of
black and flowing hair. But, the latter was
seldom disposed with taste, and his features
wore a thoughtful and somewhat melancho-
" expression, while bis cheeks were pale
and almost bloodless. Constant study and
close confinement were the immediate eau
SEES, together with the earnest desire, which
ragged like a fever in his heart, to win q
name-to obtain a place Of honor among
the artists Of the world. Despite all this,
however, Rudolph was often won from his
brush his canvass, and his colors. 10 gaze
from his window into the Bankers garden.
The sweet breath of the flowers refreshed |
his fanting spirit and cooled his ievercd
brow. Sometimes, too, must we confess
it,---he held his breath and gazed with ca
ger eyes upon the fairy form which was SO
often to be seen wandering, like Eve before |
the fall, among the walls and bowers Of |
that richly cultivated scene. Alice was
very beautiful to the eye Of the painter
And so innocent--and coy-and natural
and graceful! Her form, too! how perfect
How, in her unconscious arlesSncSs. did
she steal into the sou! of her silent Worship
per- until. sleeping or waking. he found her
image shrined in the elmer depth of his
heart, and he lavished upon himself bitter
reproaches for SO gross foIy--so mad an
infatuation.
ITO me-" he argued. "she can never be
more than she is nova being to gaze upon
at a distance, and 30 worship--a model for
the loveest embodiment Of beauty. The |
young heiress-the only daughter of a rich |
Banker--the object of thousand suitors
Alas. poor painter. what a fool has this
bright creature made thee"
Thus musing. Rudolph would close his
ewes in madness and endaavort to collect his
thoughts. and return to his task. Bui. how
often would the voice of Alice hasten him
to the window again. and there trembling
with excitement and inwardIv cursing his
dy!us:on. how would lie waste the precious
hours. either watching the hlue-cvnd girl rs
she sat in some attitude Of careless grace.
or s,rainng his gaze upon her retreatng
/ form in some distant part Of the garden.
/ Condemn not this folly too rasaly. gentle
reader. The youth was fond:--the maid
was pure and fair. And what would you
/ have donc The more precious the prize,
the more honor in obtaining it. The
brighter the beautv.rhc higher her condition
in life. the more exciting the struggle for the
conquest And although when the thought
Of his infatuation first flashed upon the
mind of the artist he trcmbed and grew
pale at the hopeless madness Of such a pas.
sion. each day thereafter seemed to lessen
the distance bctwecn them. or at least TO
render it possible for him to attain a distinc-
! ton which should take from his name and
/ character all lowIiness and obscuritv.--
/ Once or twice. he fancied that the maiden
/ had observed hm-and that her glance was
| half of recognition and half Of girish co
qnetrv: But, WHY should she hestate He
had gazed upon her for hours, while COM
pIeting her mothers portrait--had convers-
ed with her freev-had compimcntcd her
readily. But, then, he was the mere artist
and she the confiding girl. The thought
of love--its infatuation and It's madness.
had not bewldered his understandings
The spell of the Young cnchantresss was
all unknown TO him. More than wear
had passed away: and, in that brief period,
the bud of beauty had burst into loneliness,
the girl. the mere child. had vanished,
and the almost perfect woman stood before
him. Her eve was larger. fuller, bluer-
the flower of her soul was unfolding lie
saw i, in her look, in her step, in her every
movement. He felt awed and irresolute.
He gazcd, he wondered, he wyrshipped.
1t was an afternoon in May. The day
was bright and lovely. The air was soft
and warm; aud while the spirit appeared to
mount, as if its inward wings had become
more ethereal, the physical tenement grew
Inn 0uH and Inactive IhNuuht and Fancy