Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1847-02-25
BY JOHN 5. s noRA1lo n cALLaiIlER.

i iue evening wore on unDy were
leaving ana sill Walter Clandon dssl mol
fapproseh Alice ass.n. He SEEMED ID
have forgotten her; fol though shs'ss.sn
got glinpses 81 his lorm il the crowd vel
she did bot see him look towards der
Eonce She ieli this deeply II for iasset.
ting how coldlS she had mel him. she
thought tha, IS an OLD acqsain,aace BIZ.
might have been moe le6dly. All
length. finding iba, her repeated felassls
70 dance had caused most Of the sea,le.
men 10 desert her side, and That she
could no longer sustain the part she; had
been acting. she Ter, The crowd. and pass
ed through an open windowEio balecny
beyond. I, overlooked large gsrdea -
a night 81 marble steps Tedto ibis, and
she descended Them.
How bright. how calm. how beautiful.
was that moonlight ccntras,ed with the
scene Of dissipation she had Just fef, how
softly i slep, on each waving Dough srld
leaf, how brightly il sparkIied 10 tie bro
ken waters Of a fountain which playssl|ip
their midsts how discordant nov ,he
noise Of revelry that broke in upon The
stiffness. Alice sifolled on, and al length
sea,edherself in j half natural. halt ar,i
tcial boaers formed of in,ermingled roses
and vines. a green. messy plat, in
which the beautiful fountain threw up il.
crystal food. lay IN front; whilst on one
side murm1ring lill poured It's NINA
ture cascades and silveIy eddes almost
at her feet, seeming, as it passed along,
10 whisper some tale OF sorrow 10 The.
night. This soft sound. With now and
then a strain Of music waited upon the
breeze, or merry laugh echeing from a
FAR. alone disturbed the calm which
reisned around. Here'is a spot for .elf-,
communion, Tor holy thought. Alice felt.
this; and as she gszee up through The
matted boughs and leaves overhead To-
the blue depths. The Bright stars and suoi.
ct moon beyond, the past with ell is
lights and shades. care up wildly before
her Her mind wandered back TO The
days Of her happy childhood, when her
Path was strewn with flowers. and ere the
piercing thorns Of lie had choked up The
way. She thought Of the hour " hen she
first fell the bliss of loving and being low
ed when the ialisg anic wand OF Der own,
happy heart converted This world into
paradise OF love-then came up the dafk,
dark period Of blighted affection Of crush,
ed and wilhered hopes, Blu, she did moi
NOUN over this sad picture. The. s,rug
gle 10 hide her feelings had brought d
calm; and . strange Indifference 10 numb.
ing spell seemed To- be coming over her.
She shuddered. she thought that per,
haps this was the chill, dread apathy Of a
scared heart-that she should never feel
again. Her resolve had been kept. she
had met him who was dearer TO her than
life, with cold uuchanging brow-wi,h,
the formal, unmeanings words Of every
day courtesy; and she had seen him turn
away to aaitery admire--peshaps, 10 love
others. To love others
There was footEfall CO gravel walk
nearby and The nextinstant Walter Clan !
don stood before her! He started sliehts
ly, as an involuntary exclam alton Of sur
prise burst fromg her lips, but quickly
regaining his self-possession, he adyan.
ced, and taking her hand as she rose 10
depart, gehily detained her.. Nei,he,
! spoke. andlbeir situation was becoming
embarrassing. Here are two being,
whom pride has KEEP, apar, and rendered
miserable for years--will il enter here
now and blasttheir hopes forever? No
il was but poment5tbey stood thus, snc
then Walter Clandon poured forth to hel
listening ear, the deep. devoted love iht
hopes and the fears which so long h az
been pent up in his bosom.
A half hour passes-a short half hou
Of bliss-sn6 see he is standing with BIZ
arm around her form-her head is rest
ing on lis shoulder--and both are happy