Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1847-12-08

acquaintance, LIE 0l[re saw new charns
IN our heroine; and she. ii turn, kchAd
daily moresnd more Of the really noble
nature Of her beloved Still Emily was
not one to be Wooed and won easily. She
kept strict guard on her heart and re-
PEELED all hasty Advances So that lie Clere
knew he would not dare toI tell her all he
Efelt, until longer acquaintance had better
tested his worth. ne
Itwasnot until ! short week before the
opening Of our story that Ne had ventued
to hint his love in wordsh Emily trem-
bled at the blissfil news -as what oman,
loving truly, would not 2-bat, with in
stinctiye modesty, she shrank from more
Eppen ayowel that evening. Though the
iglance Of her eye told her lover he need
not despair. The entrances Of 4 visitor
broke off this critical interview, but mel
ther was any longer ignopantof each others
love.
At least SO thought Emily. For two
days, therefore, she experienced happiness
she had never felt before For two days
she kneW her lover would be absent, for,
on parting he had pressed her hand, and
told her that unavoidable business called
him away for that period That mute
pressure was returned for the first time by
Emily, and even in her own chamber she
blushed, and her heart thrilled when she
thought of his unmistakablc acknowledge,
ment of her love
To Emily's surprise the two days pass
ed without lie Clere's return. A third
and fourth elapsed, yet still he neither
came nor sent any messenger At first
Ishe comforted herself with the thought
that business unavqidably protraeted his
absence; but, if SO, why did he not write (
BY the end Of the week she grew sick at
heart, for perhaps he wasill Or dying. and
the suspense was intalerable BAIT now
when she had heard that he was inIthe vii
lage' and well, and that he was engaged to
/ Miss Balfour, all at once she recollectcd
that she had been told Of his co4uetry,
and the conviction flashed across her that
she saw a new victim to his art. In
He only waited till be could assure
himself of my love, and thendcserted me- [,
sheoexclaimed with wounded pride, .Ohl
Heavenly Father support ME in this trial I"
Had poor Emily reflected longer she
might not have been SO hasty i'm condemn
ing lie Clere; but unfortunately for her,
in the first burst of outraged maidenly
modesty, her lover himself was seen APP
preaching the house He caught Sight of
her as she sat at the window and bowed
fShe returned it haughtily and turned q
iIway
@He shall not triumph over me- she
said, s'for it i. for that he comes now
Lucy, @she said, opening the parlor door,
Jas the servant passed down tile hall, "tell
Mr.. Le Clere am engaged, and shall be
whenever he calls again. With these
words she ascended to her chamber where
she flung herself on the bed ID an agony
of tears.
Her lover was. thunderstrutk at receiy-
Ling this message. He had thatmorning
only returned, and, happening to meet
AI}ss Balfour in the street, had joined her
for a square or two as. their routes lay il
the same direction. Urgent lusiaess had
kept him engaged aF day, butFseizing the
first moment of leisure to visit Emily, his
heart had thrilled to see her at the win
dow, and he rang the boil with quick
glad jerk, impatientto clasp her small, fail
hand Alassl he little knew themischiei
/ that idle tongues had been preparing fol
Emily and him. n
Engaged r. exclaimed lie Glefe, repeat
! ing the servants words. sWhy saw her
but now at the window s4 al.
And will always be engaged when you
call, she told me tosay, SIR
< lie Clere colored over cheek and Lrow,
and turned to depart. But better thoughts
came to his aid and he paused.
"Tbere must be some mistakc,n he said,
addressing the servant, 60 and tell your
mistress that wish to see herEif only for
minute sSurely, 2 he added to himself,
as the girl departed, Emily will not dis
miss me unheard. What can be the mat
ter 2p
The servant speedily returned, handing
him a card On it was written, miss
Melton cannot see Mr. lie Clese, and he
knows why"
aBase firt r. exclaimed lie CleEe, as he
tore the card into pieces and crushed il
under his heel Then he left the door, in
twardly yowing never TO allow Al reconcilia-
ton, even if Miss Melton, discovering her
error, should seek one. bef4
We are narrating story Of real life,
and not visionary tale of romance -
Neither Emily Nor her lover were above
the weakness common to humanity, and,
therefore, they both acted, perhaps more
hastily in this critical moment than their
after judgment quite approved. But each
was proud, and each thought the ether had
done the injury Was it strange, there
fore, that they kept aloof freaa each other
Emily, after she learned that Le 6ieTe
had only returned TO the village the day
she refused to see him, began I'd think he
might not haze intended 10 desert her,
and her love might have conquered her
pride, if she had not seen Miss Balfogr
pass the window the ensuing days attended
BY lie .Clere Her loger, as yet, was e.
| I0rant Of the cause Of her conduct, and,
therefore, thought her heartless with this
belief he was in danger Of falling into his
former scepticism as to the depth and Pu-
rity of yoman's love, and had really began
Irritation with Miss BalfoqF -
Several days had now elapsed. Pd1F
Emily one moment regretted her conduct
as too hsty, and again she imagined ncf
Hover really faithless, SINCE she heard dali
Nv IF his attentions to Miss B1liprr- Top-
mented By conflicting feelings, her health.
was rapidly giving away She SCENT han
her nights IN tears. Had she consulted
only her wishes, she would have Sesfpneq