Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1846-07-23


IN short, she was fine natural char 4
acter, as lille warped ns possible by
the prcjudices Of the selfish and con-
ventionalhies Of society. Death had.
year before, deprived ber'of her more
than mother /; and the Independence
which this beloved relative had beqneaih-
cd 10 her, while IL rendered her AL. OBJ
lcct Of envy 10 her unmarried SISTERS,
seemed 10 her own heart no consolation
for her irreparablc loss.
But the stranger who had overheard
those few sentences, which to Thought
fnl mind, revenleda world of knowledge,
what Of him (, lie had come to ,h,
morning concert simply to enjoy music,
in which he delighted yet 50 absolute
did he become in some all-engrossing
thoughts that the sweet sounds which hr
had sought TO hear fell upon his soul
only, from time 10 time, as chimes that
harInonized with his reflections, what
ever they might be, and were onl,
remembered afterwards by the power
Of association, which linked some pc.
cuIiar cadence with n thought, a dream.
n memory, or with a moment where his
attention had bcrn reused by some ex-
preston of pleasure or admiration in The
sweetest vnice he had ever hcard--ihr
voice of Helen Travers. lie was not
what boarding.school grls and youths
in their teens call young, for he mus,
have reached FIVE or six and thirty, and,
according Ia such high authority, had
passed the age Of romance and the Ca
pability Of a sudden love and yet, in
those two hours, he drank as deeply Of
the draughi as ever did mortal man.
\ strange and awful Youth had checked
and driven back the tide OF emotio ns
which belonged Ia its epoch, only that
il might now swell with the concenirat ed
might of a lofiier sentiment, n chastened
tenderness, and restrained passion -
Tie would, ere half that time had cx-
pired, have p-rill"d lie to have touched
her bonnet.
Ii seemed, too, that fortune was 10
favor him, for friends came up and
addressed Mrs. Cunningham mutual
introducii"ns elected that Of Helen
lie had but To follow ,hem TO their door,
HIu row Ut hHtW NIlb sUS "uS,
whrre she lived This he did with
wonderful calmness People always are
calm 90 really great occasions---ex-
cepi, indeed, people who are themselves
too small ever TO make or undersl and
them.
Well-ihc pigmy Of the soul escapes
through The en,angling meshes which
E.s. lar mankind nj tho nj =
void nf mere existence. They are the
strong of heart and quick Of sense, who
are retained to play great parts ~ the
struggle of HE, aud the war OF the pas
s,nn. And yet; oh mystery of hu-
manry who that has suffered deeply
has not f'li that, in the deepest Of an
guish, There is n pulse which v,bra'es
MT with pair, -lecblv, and rather as the
first Gam, prowise vf future JOY, than
the flicker Of an expiring power but
s',ll to console, still to whisper, Peace,
peace, better thus than no, to feel
S" fr, William Johnson--lor bv tha,
comn"n name must the stranger be
kmown--- so he felt in the hour of endur-
nncr, hen That strong man wriIhed in
silent agony on the floor of the gorgeous
apartment of which he Was master.
l.ie il either one long chapter Of ac-
ridents, or there is no such IN ing as ap
accident in the would.
Three DAYS afterwards the stranger of
the concer, was formally introduced TO
Helen Travers Mt the house of mutual
friend. Three mouths from iha, day let
us listen Ia their words they had been
betr"thed for weeks. The scene was
drawipg-room IN an antique country
house. Bolh were the guests of Mr..
aud Mrs Cunningham.
i have hut one care, William, one
sorrow in the world exclaimed Helen,
pressing the hand which had fondly
clasped both her own '"h, why this
mystery Why this concealment f? You
are free TO do as you will, and 50 ain |
though good, and generous, and true,
and ,i"h, she added wiIha snile; and as
YOU are, my family, youwel know, would
receive you with open arms.
'The time has come be seated he
replied in tremuIous voice, and re-
lensn. his hand with gesture that
might have been, but was not, mistaken
for colducss. And While Helen sank on
n nciahboIlng couch, he leaned his arm
for support on the opposite of the man
tie piece. lis coun,enance was pale ms
ashes, but his voice grew more steady
as he proceeded.
'The first time | saw you,' he cou-
iinucd, Il heard you say you could more
readily forgive the one great fault ol a
life than habltual meanness Of character
j have two sins IN confess ere | would
we'd you-ns ] might do, and you never
never, know them you see if am my
own nccuser also make the most Of my
virtues therefore do take some cred
it for enforcing secrecy I'LL had sum-
moncd strength for the confession. For
il you reject me, and sorrow in the act,
! believe you would rather not take the
cold world into your confidence.
And yet, il there be solace in reveal
ing what | tell you. he free as air to do
so Il yon will. Life would be so worth
less, the betrayal Of my secret would be