Democratic banner., 1849-04-16
From the New Orleans Crescent City.
THE HEARTS HARP.
A FAIRY TALE,

In one Of the most beautiful regions o.
our State there lived, not many years ago
a widow Of wealth and standing, whose on.
ly child was a daughter. IF you're anxiou.
about her age and pardon me if I say, tina,
this interest which we feel in each other.
ages is one of the characteristics Of our sex, !
have no desire to conceal the Fact, the,
Laura M was just sixteen when the in
Icident which ] am about to relate occurred.
Talented, beautiful and wealthy, it seemed
that her happiness. was incapable Of in
l~crsase. Well might her fond mothers
eyes sparkle with pleasure as she saw her
child, the exposure Of every brilliant as
Isembly, graced by her presence. Nor was
the Interior of this fairtemple, before which
knelt SO many worshiPpers unworthy ITS
exterior. The purity of her skin was
~rivalled by that of her heart. The spark
ling brightness Of her clear brilliant eyes
was but the reflection Of . gem more bril-
liant still. 800 .tI.'i. a. aa.-.
And yet Laura (for who is perfectP } had
one weakness; nay, one decided bIemish Of
character. She was psssionately fond of
admiration. To be loved, and if not loved,
admired, constituted the source of her high
est happiness. And no fault is so apt to be
overlooked by ones immediate friends as
this; since it leads to that course Of con-
duct calculated to win their approval, and
love is as blind in the domestic circle q
elsewhere.
Kept within its legitimate bounds, the
love of appreciation is a virtue, its abuse be-
comes a rice. You may smile that I should
speak thus of q fault so common to our sex.
A simple example will illustrate my mean
ing. The little girl resigns her favorite
|play-thing to her baby brother, mama calls
her darling child and she is recompensed
for the sacIifce-mama's approving smile
|%sufices for the child. But with the dawn
of girlhood, comes the desire to be the dar-
ling or in more fashionab BILE parlance belle
Of a, wider circle; and too often, when
from the other sex she wants but admira-
ton, she finds herself the object Of a pas
sion which she has as thoughtlessly ELECTED,
as she is incapable of reciprocating.
A girl of good mind AND well disciplined
character, will control this weak desire ;
when once aware that its influence is detri-
mental to happiness; and yet how many of
our sex do we see under its dominion !
Why does the mother leave her little ones
to the uncertain care of hirelings, while she
basks for a few brief hours in the. glare Of a
ball room, permitting the arm Of the empty.
Drained coxcomb to eneircle the waist that
should be sacred to her husband? Her
white arm never so beautiful as when pill
lowing the head Of sleeping innocence, are
dazzingw with jewels-not such rs the snat-
ronst of Rome gioried in-for the sake of
their land, would they were
Laura was first made conscious of the
existence of her ruling passion by an event
which causedher 50 much pain that it made
an indslibls impression upon her mind. It
was d passionate avowal of love from a
young man whose assiduous attentions she
had encouraged. He ministered to her love
of admiration, and her feminine pride re-
joiced in 50 rare a conquest. iBut.wheu his
words Of fond devoted love fell upon her
ear and found no response in her breast
when trembling with the consciousness Of
wronged one who had lavished up
on her the rich incense of his first love, she
laid her cold hands. upon his and met his
bsseeching glance with eyes in
tie tears that glistened were those
Of sorrow only. she felt that it were better
to be unknown, unadmired, than the cause
of such anguish as this. :4a2'ia srT.4'''
! He parted from her kindly, for he was
touched BY the unfeigned, sorrow, but his
brow was clouded. She had cast a shadow
there which time and absence alone could
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