Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-01-17
W. CegEO "a q .
From NeGl's Saturday GazeHe.
FIRST AND LAST LOVE.
BY MRS. LYDIA JANE PERSON.


Did You ever see so fair a chamber2 Certainly
its occupant has read Byron; for she has copied
as nearly as circumstances would permit, his des-
cription of Zuleika's hover. And &c she ofthis fair
cell the sprite, " behold she is here also. Fair she
certainly is, and her eyes are large, and blue, pale
blue; her hair is of the lighteSt brown, long and
silken, and her hands white, though not of the
smallest. She surely fancieS herself the heroine Of
some romance, if we may judge from her languId
air, as she lifts her heavy eyelids from the novel
she is perusing-itis "The Children of the Abbey"
and slowly turns her gaze from the page toward
the ceiling, signing.
"0h, Sir LindenthaIl! If you could but read
my devoted heart, then would that voice, ever so
soft in its intonatlons to my ear, no longer hesitate
to pour forth the passion which so thrills my heart
in every glance Of those deep dark eyes. feel
that have not given my heart without requital,
and yet-but it is the ditfidence of true love; he
shall read my worship in my silent devotion; sure
ly his heart will understand the language Of mine. %
A gentle tap at the door-sho rises, and admits
the visitor, a girl apparently ten years her junior,
for she can hardly have seen her sixteenth sum
mer. She is truly an intelligent looking creature,
and her dress testifes to the wealth Of her father.
But her young face is Swallowed by passion, and
her fine eyes swollen by recent weeping.
"Welcome, dear Mary says her hostess; "But
what ails you, love?2
ooh dear LeonOra, true and only friend, ;" re-
plies the young girl, " | bring you a broken heart.
am utterly undone My cruel father!"
"A" Dear, dear Mary, what has occurred which so
agitates your gentle soul?'
"Oh Leonora, my father has discovered our Sc
cret, has intercepted a letter from my priceless
hearted Henrico; has written to him in an abusive
and naughty strain; and is going to take me with
him tomorrow on a long journey, know not
whittier. | shall die. | cannot possibly endure
this agony long | shall perish like a young lily,
whose stem is crushed by the cruel passer BY"
"Try and calm your agony, dearest" murmurs
the fair Leonora; "can nothing be done? is your
father indeed memorable? Can he, oh can be
wrest asunder hearts so fond, so true, so dearly
~plighted? Does he not know that woman's heart
loves once, and forever? That young love is
like, a bark in which she gamers all her treasures
That it ii be lost she is thenceforlh de%solate, poor
and miserable? Better, far better is il for a Young
maiden to die, to 60 down in her young LONELINESS
to the dark grave, than to see the rose Of her frs
love wither Oh its stem; to see the one hope of hcl
existence crushed within her bosom. But wba
are your fathers objections to young Henrico?"
"Oh he PROCESSES many, but they all turn OF
one point: Henrico is poor. He has no landed
estates, no stock in banks or funds, no ships oil
the ocean. But he has all | ASIA fine person,
cultivated and noble mind, and a generous and low
ing heart. ! have plighted to him my faith forever
will never think of another. My inhuman fathe
shall see me die, but never give my hand withou
my heart"
"Iapplaud your resolution, Mary: but be com
sforted. Henrico has told you that his heart
8 yours. Oh, | could envy you that bliss, thong
you part with him now forever. NY love is IRE
vocably given TO one who knows not that the Ger
is his. Yet he loves me. | read it daily in hi
every glance and tone and gesture. | viii be hi,
or Will die a maid. But do not weep so MARY
EFue love is ever, sooner or later, crowned wit
JOY. Did you ever read of a true and devoted Ia
mdy, who did not finally wed the man of her heart
Let US be like Amanda Malvina Fitz Allan, or la
dy Helen Mar, and we shall triumph at last. Blu
is your father utterly void Of pity? Can no en-
treaty move his tyrant will, [heart he has none T.
can you by no means elude his vigilance and ali
second with Henrico?'
a4sa" No, On no. | have no hope, no choice, BIT
h to submit and die. Henrico is too noble to urg
me to an elopenent, because, in consequence
my fathers dlSlnherlting me, we should he poo
and be cannot bear to be the means of lowerir
me in the worlds estimation. If he could on
know how much dearer to me his love is tina
wealth and fame, and all my friends, he would la
aside such s~eruples. But | must go. The servat
waits. Farewell, Leonora, ! shall see you Il
more. | feel my heart breaking. My grave
4iready in some distant land. Farewell, forever
Five years have passed-In the hall of a hand
some house, a young gentleman stands eduipt f
"a q Journey. His wife holds his hand fondIv. viii
& the other caresses the lovely child piIlowed upo
her bosom,
"Qh, Charles" she murnurs, " | pray. he car
4ifpl Of yourself, If any thing Details YOU, viii
you are away, what will become of me and ID
sweet boy!"
G. "Put your trust in God, my love ; replied II
gentleman. she will keep me in all my ways, al
apa i i be His holy win Eshall speedily retur