Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-12-08
VOL. X.-NO. Is.

Miss Crchion," lie continued let me beg
your pardon for having hitherto declined a
formal introduction. | claim the right Of
knowing you on the score of old ac0uain.
lance. see you do not understand me.
but suffer me to explain. Seven years ago.
short or long, know not how they may be
reckoned ia your memory, ! started forth
INTO the world, pennlless boy. fsi
My previous life had been among books
and flowers had been spent in dreams and
sentiment. 1t was not strange, therefore.
that, with heart filled with loneliness and
dread not unmingled, it is true, with
threads of golden hope, should have felt
the influence of any sweet voice or smiling
face. ] was not four miles distant from INV
mothers dwelling when your voice arrested
me. Have you quite forgotten, Flora, the
young pedlar who sold you the Azalia, and
whom you paid in Forget-me p 'o H
A CLEAN Of recollection shot over her
blushing face. 81 had, indeed" she ex-
claimed, forgotten that scene, but it is all
vivid before me now"
ITO me-" returned Leigh, "tbat inter-
view has been living memory. / could
show you, this moment, those very forget
me-nots, which have since been gazed on,
madIy, thousand times. could tell you
Of all my wild aud extravagant dreams, in
which the image of that beautiful girl, (less
beautiful than now) was ever moving but
suffice it to say that loved you exclusively.
without hope, reason, or excuse; and that
never for one moment did my heart swerye.
from It's devotion TO your memory. -Four
years passed on, and resolved 10 see you
In ,har r
meeting!" 'a 70
"Ah," said she, pressing her hand upon
her brow, which was burning with excite.
ment, "Ah now | understand the mystery
of this ring p
at 'cas a mystery, then? ] thought il,
possible that in attempting to account for
your name being on the seal, the remcm--
brance of the poor pedlar hoy might return
to you; and that You would guess from this
circumstance how deep had been the I'M
preston OF that interview upon his memo
ry." "a,
IL wonder it had not been So" replied
Flora, "but you know I was such mere
child, that an incident like our first meeting
could not be long retained in my thoughts :,
besides, you were so totally changed in APP.
pearance; though, ] may say. not more
changed than you are now from the Italian,
aspect you then wore. You are really
strange being no wonder cannot recog-,
nlze you IN your many phases" she added,
with playful, but embarrassed snile. asos,
True, am somewhat strange, but my
life has been of a character to foster idio-,
syncrasy; aud il is only since have been
above the fear of insult that have thrown.
aside much Of my earlier disguise. With,
you | am ready TO throw il all aside, and TO-
let you read my whole being. am no lon,
ger the poor pedlar-the wandering Italian
--barked at by the dogs in the streets, and
thrust churlishly from mems doors; good
luck, or rather a certain Yankee slrewd-,
ness which l may as well as not plead guilty
TO, has brought me into possession of wealth
perhaps scarcely inferior to your own -
while by another dispensalion of good for.
tune, bear the burthen of certain public
honors not generally held with Indifference,
by those who have struggled up to them from,
poverty and debasement. Yet, dear Flora.
had | come to you when poor hawker'
through the streets, and told YOU the story
of my love, | could not have done it in
more humble spirit than now Alas those,
seven years Of deep, answering devotion
must be my sole claim 10 your notice but
whether they awaken any interest in your
heart or not, believe it will be ever a bless,
ed consolation to me that have poured in,
to your ears this brief history Of my love.
To tell you of its intensity, its purity, and
its truth, would transcend the power and
aiiluence of words. Only can your soul
suggest to You how much love - saan,
Agiiatcd, embarrassed and deeply affect-
ed by his words, as well as by the emotion
with which he uttered them, Flora in. vain
attempted TO speak. He relieved her by
saying, 81 will not detain you now TO an
swer my sudden, aud of course unexpected
declaration. shall be absent during the
day When ] return tonight, will send
my servant to your door for note Let
that contain my fate" Flora bowed, hes-a
tated moment, but finally gave him her
hand, which he kissed, and then fastened
to her room, where she secluded herself till
the next morning. The result of her days
reflection is contained in the following note,
which was called for early in the evening:
"Some might laugh at my frankness, and
others wonder at my rashness, but you will
do neither, when | tell you that the interest
have felt in you as stranger has been a
hundred fold increased by this MORNINGS
revelations. No woman can fail to be
touched by proofs of faithful and long
cherished attachment, let them come from
what source they may; and certainly, have
no heart to turn away from the only man to-
whom was ever attracted, merely because
he tells me he has long and devotedly loved
me. Your story this morning strangely re-