The Northern galaxy, and Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1843-1844, 1843-12-13
CHAPTER III.


"Taming my wild heart to thy loving band.'
At twenty-five years of age Charles
Wexford came TO the village of s.,
poor and unknown, but his mild dignity
of manner. his prepossessing appearance,
his youthful and handsome countenance,
gained him host of friends, and the
small number Of pupils to which he had
limited himself was soon made up. Mr..
Lincoln sent Lizzie and Priscilla to be per-
fected in French and ltalian-and the
former made wonderfully active progress
If not in the languages, al least in the
! affections of her teacher.
Miss Lincoln" the master would say,
endeavoring, but in vain, TO look stern,
shall be obliged to detain you after school
hours, if you persist in talking and laugh
ing" and Lizzie would blush and maintain
a demure composure for the next two or
three minutes and half-then he would
hear the little gypsy buzzing away again.
for the least sound of her voice always al
tracted his notice, and calling her to him
with grave face. but inward delight, he
would point silently to little chair at his
side.
Poor Lizzie, half pouting, half pleased.
" with smile on her lip.and tear in her
eye" would quietly obey. / rather think
Lizzie liked the punishment upon the
whole for his dark eye had talked to her
soul a language more pleasant than French
or Italian-and after looking earnestly up
to them for a moment to discover if he
were really offended-reassured by the
glance of affectionate interest which he
returned to her inquiring gaze, she would
study for hours by his side, happy and
tranquil, and silent as dove in its wood
land nest.
Now and then.when she had been more
than usually wild and uncomfortable, MIR.
Wexford would feel it his duty to detain
her after the other pupils had left, in order
to give her serious lecture upon the light
ness of her conduct; but that serious lee
ture generally ended in long rambIe thro'
the woods, after flowers to assist their bo-
tanical studies. And during these ram
bles they would confiGe TO each others
sympathizing hearts their memories, their
hopes, their tastes and preferences. -
Lizzie,wi all the simple and lrustful ten
derness of child, and Charles, with all
the frankness natural to spiri, still fresh.
pure and untrammeled.
" Do YOU know,Mr Wexford" said Liz.
zie one day, :" | would give great deal
that my uncle was poor T.
Poor! Lizzie-what a strange wish
Why !"
"Oh, because-he is so i'll, and cross,
and unhappy that l pity him from my
heart, and would be so very, very kind 10
him, if he were not rich but as 1t is,
mother makes me treat him coldly."
How do not understand you.
thought she was all attention to him and
wished you to he SO too"
Yes ! that is the very reason | can't
be. She keeps telling me he will leave us
all his money if we indulge his whims and
agree with him in his queer opinions
so make 1t a rule to be inattentive TO him,
except in his absence, and then | do all
can for his comfort but that is not much.
| should so like to sooth his pain by reading
TO him. or singing, or caressing him. |
am afraid he wont live long, and he seems
TO suffer great deal at times-oh don't
you wish he were poor 2"
Lizzie was right. III in mind and body,
the unhappy old MN was wasting away.
OF all his relations, of all the world, Liz.
zie Lincoln was the only one he loved ;
and she alone of all apparently neglected
him. Yes IN spite of her neglect, he
loved her. He struggled against the pre-.
; ference, but in vain I; he could not help it
she was so frank. so sweet, so frolicsome,
and, above all, so like his favoriie brother.
Importuned, beset, followed, fawned upon
for his wealth alone, he had become dis
gusted with life, and his naturally kind
heart embittered by suspicion.
CHAPTER iii.
Mullins and justification.
"Mrs. Lincoln, don't you prefer cold