The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1849-03-31

bloods of the West End focked about her
seeking for an approving glance from those
dreamy blue eyes half distracted, she an.
swered or spoke upon the topics ofconver.
sation, wthoutap interest. Sudden
ly she started, and biushed deeply, drop
ped half curtsy, in token of recognition
to some one without the group Her eyes,
no longer languid, now sparkled with ami.
nation, and as our naval friend entered the
group about her, she land her tiny gloved
hand in his saying
Welcome, Ferris we had feared that
your sailing orders had taken you to sea,
this blank weather.
We should not have lifted anchor
without first paying tribute to our queen,
was the gallant reply.
A litter ran through the circle of xclu.
slves at his appearance among them, but
when the lady appeared, there was no
room for compliant.
The gay scenes of the night wore on !;
several times had Ferris Harvard com,
pletely put at fault the shallow brained fops
around him, placing them in anything but
an enviable light.
Ferres Harvard was Lieutenant in the
Navy, and depended entirely on his pay
as an officer to support widowed mother
and younger sister, to both of whom he
was devotedly attached. His father was
a self-made man-had once been a sue
cesslul merchant, who sailed and freighted
some of the heaviest tonned vessels that
| left the port OF Boston, but misfortune and
sickness overlook him, and he sunk in the
grave, leaving his only son to protect his
mother and sister from the wants and ills
of life. Ferris had enjoyed liberal educa,
ton, and having entered the Navy as a
Midshipman, had raised to a Licuranancy,
by reason Of his superior requirements and
good conduct. His profession had led him
to all parts of the world, and he had care
fully improved his advautages-though
constrained by reason of limited means, to
the practice of the most rigid economy,
He had met with the only daughter of
Harris Howell, one of the wealthy citizens
of Boston, at fete given on board the
ship to which he belonged, and had lmme-
diately became cnamoured of her, but he
well knew in his own heart the difference
in their fortunes formed barrier to his
wishes. lie he'd been casual visitor for
several months subsequent to the time our
story commences, at the house of the How
ell Family.
Il must think of her no more said F.
to himself. 1f sneered at by her friends
for offering her common cyilities, with
what contempt would her austere parents
received proposition for her hand, from one
so poor and unknown"
Harris Howell, was, indeed, stern old
man, and yet he was said to be kind to the
poor, giving freely of his bounty for the re-
lief of the needy. Still he was strange
man; he seldom spoke to those around
him, yet he evinced the warmest love for
his only child, and Anne, too, loved her
father with an ardent affection. His de-
light was to pour over his library, living,
as it were, in the fellowship of the old phil
osophers. On several occasions, when
Ferris was at his house, and engaged in
conversation with Anne, he had observed
the old mans eyes bent stCrnly upon him,
and he would sink within him, and he
would wake to a reality Of his situation.
Ferris was one evening in Beacon street
at the house of Mr.. Howell, where, in
spite ofthe cold reception he received from
those he generally met there, he still en-
ioyed himself in the belief that Anne was
not Indifferent to his regard. He had been
relating to her, at her request, his expert
ence with different national characters with
whom he had met speaking of their Pecu-
liarities and describing the various scene
effects of different countries. Anne sat
near a sweet geranium whose leaves she
was industrionsly engaged in destroying
Ferris bending close to her ear side:
Anne, will you pluck me that rose, as
a token of affection You must know how
ardent is mine for you-or stop, dearest
behind it blows the condIluft. You know
the mystic languare Of jorh,will you choose
and give me one.