Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1849-10-22

a ed to@the Huch of deep, holy, inexpressibl
f feeling, tilfesea her lar foot pressed tn
e earth with more thoughtful step
f The summer fled by, and Leslie Hel
! wood and his sister Ada were compelled t
, return to their home. ,@-
] "Do not weep, Lille he said, as h
: bade farewell to his betrolhed, ''the month
> will soon flee oy, and by Christmas yo
t must be ready to return with me 10 m
home as my bride Ada wishes 10 writ
TO you, and you must answer her letters
: Do not weep we will soon be happy" an
the sorrowing girl was left 10 wait patiently
ior The time w4ten she should see hin
again.
i Thrown once more among the life ant
gaiety OF the city, for time Leslie scarcely
thought of any one but his distant love; bu
by-and-by her sensitive heart was painet
by receiving shorter and colder and les:
frequent letters. Christmas came and III,
unhappy girl sat in her lonely chambe
with a lhrobbing brow and bosom tortured
to agony. No word-no lover.
Where was Leslie Herwood? At the
feel of his old love, Clara Merrill. Strang'
that he could forget the young, pure ant
bewi,chingly beautiful Lellie, for that cold
dsdaintul, but brilliant creature with hel
scornful eyes and smileless lips. Oh! it
was such change, and men love variety
So while one young heart was silently
breaking, another was feeding its fountain
of vanity from the love vows offered by the
proud, the envied. the handsome Leslie
| ~ nj 4
but she was a belle, aud it fattered self, II
secure her IN chains the one, so many les!
tortona'e ladies were signing for.
| The winter was nearly spent, when n
new star appeared amid the galaxy o.
fashion and beauty. Great was the com
motion among the upper ten thousand; ane
at the opera, the ball, the private circle
everywhere was ringing the name Of the
beauty and heiress, Miss Manly. Leslie
Herwood procured presentation to her
what was it caused his heart to thrill when
her eyes met his, and made him for the
time forget even Clara Merrill! She was
very beautiful; could that be the charm?
He gazed and gazed upon her queenly and
graceful form, her classically formed head,
with its heavy braids Of rich brown hair
folded around it; her exquisi,ely sculptured
features; her cleaning brow and large
proud eyes; her clear pale cheek and lovely
lip-he listened eagerly to every tone OF
her low, mnsisal .s.si$e,, siA be wss COP
vinceI that il was one of his boyhocdFs
dreams, grown to perfection and gifted
with li-o and breath. Clara Merrill's
power was over.
Days and weeks passed by, and he was
ever lingering by the side of Miss Manly.
There was something mysterious and in
comprehensive about her which he could
not account for. She ever treated him with
the same unvarying coldness; she was ever
proud and digniied; and yet he dared to
love-to worship her, madly and devotedly.
She was SO peerless, so unequalied! and yet
every tone and look thrilled his hear: like
the forgotten music Of old. She was very
Intimate with Ada, who often threw out
mysterious hints which he could not under
stand. One day he found them in Ada s
boudo;r. There was soft light in the
eye and a warm glow on the cheek of Miss
Manly which was indescribablv beautiful
On some light pretence, Ada left them
alone. Leslie was embarrassed, and he
asked her to sing. She hesitated, colored,
and began:
A young heart is NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.;
The gladness has fled from once merry tone;
An eye has grown dim and cheek has grown
pale; s.ta 5s
She was loved, was forgotten-and-
She attempted to finish, but her voice
trembled, and she burst into tears. Leslie's
heart beat faster, and he felt il was the
moment to decide his destiny. In an agony
of mingled hope and fear he poured forth
wild and hurried confession of his love.
He dared not look into her face, but he i'm
plored her to pity him to speak and end
his suspense. A low sob was the only
reply. He raised his eyes to her face;
tears were standing on her downcast lashes
and her cheek was burning crimson. She
told him he was accepted, and he caught
her small soft hand in delirium Of delight
and pressed it to his lips; i. was Withdrawn,
and her large eyes lifted half proudly, half
mournlully to his, and her tones were low
but firm, as she said
"Perhaps under other circumstances,
Mr.. Herwood, might be induced to accept
the hand you have SO generously offered
me. But have a young friend, surely
you remember her, Lille Lelford; and for
her happiness and your own I.must remind
you of your duty. Think not that could
consider you blameless or worthy of love
with knowledge embittering my existence,
that an innocent young being was sinking
into the grave because her affections had
been gained and then thrown away by one
whom called my husband. Dream not
then, that shall ever listen TO VOWS which
have reason to believe false and unen.
during: but if | have any influence over
your feelings, prove it by returning to her
you have so hear,lessly forsaken."
She arose, and left him to the burning
thoughts of shame and guilt and despair
which agitated his bosom. A thousand
conflicting emotions troubled his heart as
he tossed that night on his restless couch;
and when he came with heavy eyes and
aching head to the breakfast table, Ada in
formed him that Miss Manly had left the
city that morning.
For week he roved restlessly about the
city, running into every kind of amusement
and striving to- forget his late refusal by
renewing his attentions to Miss Merrill;
but that lady was no longer even interest
inp-the nafr1e 81 lille falford ,, ,voe for