Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-05-09

loo wei Tue eyIlptoulS OF tnlS Irignuul disease,
to be mistaken in my case. have seen thous-
ands carried away By it, and feel that my time
is near at hand. In a fortnight shall have
ceased to breath, Therefore do not longer
speak of me; bnt of what will become of my
poor Clara"
"Should the misfortune of which you are
speaking, happen, am ! not hOr natural protect
orr"
Tou, Gustavus p
Certainly my amt"
"Do you think the name Of cousin is suflici.
ent to a man Of your age to warrcnt his becom-
ing the protector and guardian of young girl
of erghtcen?"
"No, indeed, do not, and for that reason it
is a more solemn; q more sacred title than
mean to ask"
"Wlat do you neanT'
"That | ask you and beseech you to grant
me the hand of my cousin"
"What Gustavus, am not mistaken? you,
the husband of my beloved Clara Are you
aware that have but small fortune leave herr
''f know il my aunt"
" And you know also, that although hand
some, and of good ond kind disposition, she
has the misfortune Of being an IDIOT"
"How could be ignorant of it, since from
her childhood, have not spent single day
without seeing herr"
What is your object then, what a'e your
hopes in making such deInand2"
"These are my reasons. When al ten years
of age, had the misfortune to lose my moth.
er, and to be left alone IN the world, it was you,
who adopted the poor orphan and brought him
up as your own son You enabled ME to 60
through my studies, and should l ever become
any body, it is to you that will owe it ALL
From the time that l discovered my cousins
unfortunate in6rmity, | resolved to ask you for
her hand as soon as was old enough to marry,
and to devote my life to her,"
"Oh! Gusavus, you are good and worthy
youth but think of these sacrifices you wish to
make See, the poor child, good and kind as
she is, but deprived of the power of speech, un-
able to think, and living the life of plants. Is
it not painful to think that God has refused a
soul 10 one of his handsomest creatures. Even
now when am Oh my death bed, she does not
EnoS~ S~rIst DeHru 10 sne
she is on the point of losing her mother; she
cannot hear our conversation, although we are
speaking aloud in her presence, and even could
she hear it, she could not understand the mean.
ngof it."
"My dear aunt, know all this well. know
my cousin, we'll also, since have lived seven.
teen years under the same roof with her, and
such as she is beg Of you to grant Inc her
hand in marriage. promise you that shall
devote my life to her happiness"
sit is well, my young friend, thank you for
your generous offer; such a serious step as the
one you propose, should be, however, duly con-
sldered. Were | in good health, would ask
one week at least, to give you an answer, but con-
sidering the little time have TO live, will de-
side within twenty four hours. Tomorrow I
will give you an answer. Leave me for the
present, for feel exhausted by our converse.
sation."
Gustavus retired and left his aunt TO 90 to
sleep. While the invalid s sleeping, shall
endeavor to sketch the portrait of the two prin-
cipal characters in my story.
As we said before, Gustavus was twenty .sev-
EN- years Of age; his features were handsome,
he had beautiful dark eyes, and kind and af-
fectionate manner, which never failed to win
the hearts Of those with whom he came in con-
tact.
AS soon as he was able to comprehend his
position in the world, and realize that he was
an orphan, without fortune, and entirely depen-
dent upon his aunt, he at once resolved to repay
by his assiduity and the regularity of his con-
duct, the affectionate tenderness which she had
always shown towards him.
Clara as we have said was blonde with
handsome blue eyes, and fair figure but she
was an idiot.
Her idiotcsm, however, had nothing repul-
sive, and her aspect offered nothing unamiable
or ungraceful. She seldom uttered a word (;
but her silence was not like stupidity. The
most perfect harmony reigned throuhout her per-
son; her sclile was carressing, yet melancholy
Her eyes would sometimes send forth flashes of
light, which seemed to come from a soul sus-
ceptible of emotion, but which unfortunately
soon disappeared, like lightning, which having
iumed the earth for moment vanishes, making
the night more dark and fearful.
In the hope of restoring her to reason, her
mother placed her in school, where she remain.
ed till she wss seventeen. The poor child
would repeat her eson very well as soon as she
had leaned it, but after moments interval,
it would bo entirely forgotten. 1t was impos-
slblo for her to acquire any of the little accom-.
plishments of her sex; she could not distinguish
one letter from another or even learn the short
est prayer by heart.
With every reason to be unhappy, yet strange
to say Clara never seemed so, for she was en-
tirely ignorant of her state. She lived without
seeming to know it, neither 10 doubt it. Such
are the characters of the two beings set before
our readers.
The next day, Gustavus visited his aunt. he
found her sitting up in bed and Clara in her
usual seat. After kissing his cousin, Gustavus
took chair and seated himself by the side of
the invalid, to whom he said:
"Have you favorable answer to give me,
dear aunt? Will you accept me for son.in-
law~
"Are you then still disposed to marry your
cousin, my dear friend ?"
"Moro than ever desire it."