Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-03-10

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Williams upright, honest mind, Eel, not
the slightest jealousy Of divers superior
personal attractions. He suffered him 10
lead the conversation, and gradually 10 draw
out Marion, until she listened with pleas.
| ure, and talked without reserve, before
him.
Many clever men have a faculty for hid.
ing their talents hut Oliver Chadwick's
were all of the brilliant kind His con-
versation was more fascinating not from
his being one Of those takers who poured
out one dazzling stream, and kept others
admiring listeners, but because, by con-
summate skill, which seemed like intuition,
he encouraged the timid aud showed def.
erence to the reserved, until all were set at
ease, so as to take part in what was said,
and all invariably went away wondering, yet
pleased, at their own courage, and charmed
with him who had produced such effects.
There must have been mist over Will
liam Blair's eyes, when he could not see
how dangerous might be the result Of these
all.fascinating powers on young and ro-
mantle spirit like Marion's. But he had
such entire trust in her love for himself, and
thought so highly of his cousin, that he new
err suspected that Oliver could be guilty Of
any but brotherly admiration for the girl
who was to be his cousins wife And the
idea that Marion should think Of Oliver ex-
cept in this sis,erly way, never once crossed
his mind. We acknowledge that such I'M
suspecting confidence is rare-very rare
but it is from weak aud changing love that
Jealousy springs; perfect love knows no
distrust and such love was William Blair's
for his Marion.
Thus. even when, following his profession
as barrister, he sat off on the circuit-his
first parting with Marion since they had
been declared lovers-William felt not the
slightest regret that Oliver Chadwick still
fingered in the neighborhood, bot was raih.
er glad that Marion and her father would
occasionally have visitor to enlven their
dullness in his. own absence. Marion's
feelings it would be impossible 10 analyze;
they were so contradictory, she hardly could
understand them herself. She wept at part
ing with her lover: it might be with feel
ing Of selfreproach at her waning affection
for HIM and when Oliver came, and read
TO her, and talked with her--talked about
William, too-until her conscience was
soothed, and her heart lightened.
A few weeks passed on, and Marion grew
alarmed at her own feelings. She said TO
herself that she loved William still but
when she laid her head on her pillow at
night-that moment when, whatever may
have been the wanderings OF the day, the
heart and the thoughts always fly to what
is nearest and dearest-then. it was not the
face of her beirothed, but of his cousin, that
rose up before her and lips murmured the
name, not Of William, but Oliver.
II is ever sad TO trace The change Of a
faithless heart. One would fain believe
that love can never change-never grow
old and yet, alas for fral human nature,
it does both but not with all. Let US at
once come to the truth-ihat, long before
Williams return, his place in Marion's
heart was given to Oliver. Silently, slowly,
and by means which he well knew how TO
employ, Chadwick had stolen away the
young girls affection from her first love-
To do the young man justice; however, he
many do, TO crafty his own vanity. When
he first saw Marion, and for some time az
ter; he would have shrank from the accu.
sation that he intended winning her heart
But yet, when he felt his own weakness,
, and knew that her beauty and gentle way.
were stealing away the duty he owed to his
cousin, he did not fly from the temptation
which soon become irresistible, until Oliver
resolved that lat all risks, could he succeed
in gaining her. Marion should not be hi'
cousins wife but his own. For the time
, Oliver was sincere in his love but he did
! not think that faith, once broken, may b,
. broken again, and that tickle heart is Of lii
a tie value.
From his childhood Oliver Chadwick hat
never controlled himself, or been controlled
n by another. This, with an ambitious spir
) il, which could not brook TO be outdone b.
any one, had caused his first sin against hi
q cousin, the mark of which William woult
bear all his life. This, too, caused the sec
: ond and more grieyous offence against VIII
iam's peace. That his cousin would suffe
through his fault, Oliver never thought; o
If he did, he judged OF Williams love by hi
own, which had changed so often and s.
easily. that he hardly believed in consianc
A at all.
II With these arguments. Oliver quieted hi
:. own selEreproaches and those Of Marion
. while amidst all this, both so effectuall
7 shielded their love from every eye, eacep
n those Of each other, that the old father ncye
. guessed the truth Sin, like sorrow. neve
y comes alone. The day before Wiliar
. Blair's appointed return, the once dutilt
A affectionate Marion secretly left her father
n house, and became the wife of Oliver ChaC
wick.
:. William Blair returned 10 a desolai
a home. No lidings of Marion's flight coul
l. reach him; and TO the very last her letter
,r TO him had been continued, 10 such a d.
IN gree had guileiul influence worked upo
n, her once innocent heart He entered III
Of cottage full of hope and happiness, and lie
Or il a broken-hearied man. Yet, William
N own sorrows did not make him insensib
n. 10 the anguish Of the father of his Io
d Marion. The grey haired old man sat col
10 tinually gazing at his daughters vacar
es seat. bowed down to the earth with grief
n. Self-reproaches, too, mingled with his so
,e row; he implored Williams pardon for nj
n having kept better his treasure--for haYin
~ suffered a stranger TO steal it away. Wi
In liam felt no anger towards the desolate oil
4: man, but stroye 10 lessen his anguish |