The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-12-12

the entrance of that young creature to the
home now so desolate. Then happy bride
now deserted wife And when Arthur
Clare gave mistress 10 the halls ol his faith
ers, he gazed with look of idolatry upon her;
few idols were so worthy as was Lucy of the
homage she received for well might he be
proud of his beautiful wife. An orphan from
her earliest remembrance, she had known rev
10 love, and the affection that had been so long
repressed in her gentle heart was now yielded
warmly and unreservedly, and that affection
gave a soft light to her glad, blue eyes, and
tender beauty to her delicate mouth that srnil-
ed on him, who was far dearer than aught else
in the wide world to her.
With no earthly sorrow, no vexing care to
annoy them, what wonder that peace and love
dwelt in the happy mansion. A year passed
thus, and then came serpent to their Eden'
Eveline GRAY was cousin Of the gentle Luz
CIV, but she bore no resemblance to her, save
that at times she could wear the same winning
smile, and speak in her low, sweet voice. She
was beautiful gloriously beautiful and Luz
CIV looked when near her like the gentle lilly
that hides its head in the green moss OF the
valley when placed by the gardeners hand, be-
side the queenly camelia that blooms Tor the ao-
miration of thousands.
But the. heart of the proud Eveline was
false, and her nature most base and artiul.
She had vowed to steal from her sweet cousin
the love that she in her innocence deemed I'M
changeable. Little did Lucy know the heart
of man-little did she dream of the sorrow SO
near at hand, as unconsciously she aided IN
the scheme her cousin had prepared; for when
Evelne's white hands swept the harp strings
and her brilliant voice floated in glorious
strains through the hushed room, Lucy would
listen in wrapt attention and beg for another
and another song; then as Eveline, well pleas
ed, granted the request, Lucy babe her nus
band mark the graceful curve Of her beautiful
arm, or the proud stateliness of her snowy
neck, 'quivering in the tide of song. Strange
that an angel-like form should so often en-
shrine the basest heart, filed with pride, pas
sion and treacheryl Lucy would have shrunk
from that enwreathine arm as from serpent
could she have read the purposes of the friend
whom she so trusted: her mind was too pure
to comprehend guilt, such as jealous love and
wounded pride had conceived. Eveline had
loved Arthur Clare, and before he met the
gentle girl whom he had made his wife, she
dreamed that her love was returned. She saw
it was but a dream, and then her pride
was reused pride that with all her glorious
beauty and her dazzling intellect, child
graceful and fairy-like it is true, but still {
child in comparison with herself, should be
preferred before her. She had vowed re-
venge, but though it was delayed, it was moi
the less certain.
She had studied Arthur's character. She
knew that acting from impulse, though noble
and affectionate, he was changeable and east
" influenced. So she yelled her anger I'M
der pleasant seeming, and when she knew
that the first romance of their love was pass
ed, she came to their home little doubling that
a new object for his attentions would be glad
ly welcomed.
But Arthur truly loved his wife, and for a
time that love was his safeguard. There
were moments when the tull dreamy eyes Of
Eyeline would be fixed on him, as she spoke
bitterly of the msery Of heart that had vast
ed its deepest, hottest love on one who looked
upon it as a stranger-when he would almost
wish to press her snowy hand TO his lips, his
heart, and tell her that he leved her, guilty
though it might be. Then the sorrowful face
of her who had trusted love and life to him
would float before his vision, and he would
turn from the beautiful, but erring woman at
his side, and seek tranquility and safety in
the sweet presence of his wife. Yet he still
listened TO the tempter; though for time her
image would be banished, it was but to return
again, and a thousand times more radiant than
before, lowering near his couch in the hush OF
midnight, contesting still place in his heart.
Then though he saw the features of his wife
lovely in the repose of calm and Innocent
slumber, he would turn .madly away and al
most hate her as bar to his future happi-
ness.
At last weakness and vacillation became
guilt. and he fled with Eveline Gray to a for
eign land, leaving in her trust and blindness
the gentle Lucy, to whose unsuspecting heart
the truth came with terrible force, that for
time threatened to destroy the life that hence
forth she felt would be but a borden. A life
that she would gladly have yielded could she
have breathed IT OFT upon bis bosom, cheer
ed by the thought that his love was still her
own.
CHAPTER III.
"Ohi welded love-how beautiful
How pure thing thou art I