Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-03-14

Esta heard nothing Of his aside intersection,

so she went on
will, however, ingenuously confess &c
you, that have sun-beam-penciled pic
ture in my possession, to which, in sense,
my faith is plighted, and am resolved new
er to marry till find the original. After
such an unfolding of my weakness and folly,
as it will unavoidably seem TO you, l only
dare to expect your forbearance-possibly
have drawn on myself your contempt
For minute, which seemed short for-
erer, TO Es,as excited mind, her lover made
no reply. Never in all her life had she ex-
perienced such a tumult of conflicting emo
tons, or been half so unhappy.
/ accept your rejection of my offer,
Miss Henshaw,' slowly replied MIR. Bodkin,
with the air of man whose pride struggled
to overmasfer every other passion, aud |
will not pain or trouble YOU with any ex-
preston of my regret or disappointment, or
speak of the blight it has suddenly brought
upon my hopes. Neither will / refer to the
nature or raiue of the reason you are pleas
ed 10 render-it is sufficient if they are sat
isfac,ory and of weight in your own mind.
| will by no means press the suit have
made course my affections would dc
tale-Dul Hidy 1 tdhe tiie HDeIiy W d>h OHe
glance at the face of my risalP
Esta grew more aud more pale, restless,
mortified and wreiched. There was some
thing very equIvocal and lnexplIcable to her
in her snItor's ppearance--somethlng that
savored of satisfaction and pleasure rather
than detection and deieat-and how was it
to be accounted for! The Daguerreotype
lay in her work-box on the window beside
her--she reluctantly took itup and present.
ed il, with her face averted, bnt ii was al
most scorching with the crimson glow that
suifused it. Mr.. Bodkin received the pic
ture in his hand, and stepped to position
nearly behind her, os;ensibly 10 examine it
in more favorable light. Not word was
spoken--Esta's heart bounded audibiy, and
the blood tingled alorg her veins with keen
and painful pulsations When he had fin
shed his iOag, long examination, he stood
agaiL before her, and returned, not the Di-
guerreoiy pe-but simple card, on which
was written in familiar hand 'Wapole
/ Fiz Henry
/ Esta looked up in amaZement-a work
as strange as the work OF Egyptian enchaut-
ers had been going on-tor there stood by
her side uudeniabIy the original ofthe below
ed picture the same. the same in his
ripe and manly beauty! What magician
had spirited away her monkey-faced' low
er, aud substituted the flesh aud blood ideal
OF her fancy Surprise, incredibly and
confusion mingled themselves in the express
sion of her CONFERENCE.-THE this very ideal
for the metamorphosis had touched only
his head-had offered her his love she had
rejected II, and he had Withdrawn his suit !
Dear reader, am | not justified in calling
her predcament one-hOrned dilemma,
without hazardlDg war OF argument with
the logicians
Mr.. Fltz Henry, with smile on his face,
seemed to be fathoming the depth of those
large, dark beaniing eyes that were turned
upon HIM in a kind of distresslul inquiry
He took her unressting hand In his, and
said
Miss Hensbaw, can you forgive me for
acting the part of a janus But l have
unmasked nv face here III your presence
see the instruments of my deception and
he drew from behind the mask, the wig. and
the goggles, which he held in his other !
hand and have also unmasked my heart, |
aud profered its most admlrIng and devoted /
love. You are justified in refusing the suit |
of man who was playing falsely to win /
you-but here you see tho original of the I
Ddguerreoiype-wi! you pardon the 'ruse /
and consent to marry him 2
Esta began to look treasured.
1t must be that | ain on enchanted
ground, and see things under The Elusive
Alladn's lamp she said. Nothing ever
was stranger in Persian stoIy, or IN the
chronicles of fairy-land think l am
dreaming, or you are wizard, Mr. she
looked at the card and then slowly added
Fitz Henry
No, no, you are not dreaming nor |
wizard, dear Miss Henshaw,' replied Mr..
Filz Henry, seating himself beside her, still.
keeping her hand close prisoner in both his I
- but you forget ] am waiting a reprieve
from your lipsn
Esta turned her beautiful eyes full upon
him, and said, while the blood mantled her
cheeks till they glowed like fresh bursting
rosebud
Il have never refused my heart and hand
to Mr.. Walpole Fitz Henryr
You and |, reader, have no business to be
a third party to the detail oil the scene that
followed No doubt explanations were
made both conciliatory and sufficient, Tor
Esta was induced to resign her connection
with her beloved seminary, and to enter
prospectvely sphere of usefulness in an
orbit OF society which she WAS eminently fit
ted TO adorn, both by natural endowments
aud by that purifying discipline she had
gained in her past experiences.
have only to add that in a few months
she will be happy wife, and the Eve of
new Paradise. o Joy for the new home =
bright be its aItar-iames, and fragrant the
uprising cloud from its holy censor! Le-
gions of sentry angels! guard We its gates
See that nothing which defiieth scale those
walls,or creep with serpentine or Shiny coil
within those bowers oflove, to whisper of
discord, discomfort or dou5Ifulness-for
these are the shadows which lower over the
SKY of affection, and these are the 'apples
of sodom' which turn even the sanctuary of
home into bitterness and desolation.