The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1851-03-20

ness %feseeX4stenee they denied. Months
passed oRi the PLEASANT spring came back
| again; and one evening, while walking
with large party, Maurice d'Erval DIRE "
me aside, and after some indifferent re.
marks. said, "Does not the most exalted
happiness consist in making others share
!! Ii wi.h you? Is there not great sweetness
IN Imparung JOY TO one who would other
wise pass life of tears?' | looked at
hahn anxiously without speaking. Yes -
said he, ''dear friend, GO ask Ursula if she
will raarry me!'
An exclamation of joy was my reply,
and hurried toward the gray house. l
found Ursula, as usual, seated at her work
SOLITUDE, silence, and the absence of all
excitement hal lulled her spirit into sort
of drowsiness. She did not suffer; she
even smiled languidIy when | appeared.
but this was the only sign of animation
she displayed. | feared not giving sud
den shock at this poor paralyzed soul, or
stirring il into a violent tumult of happi-
ness; wanted TO see if the mental vigor
was extinct, or merely dormant. IDaced
my clair next hers, took both her hands
IN mlHe, and fixing my eyes on hers,
said. ~ Ursula, Maurice q Erval has desired
me to ask you If you would be his wife!"
Ihe girl was struck as if with thun-
derbol; her eyes beamed through the tears
that flied them, and her blood, rushing
through the veins, man,lcd richly beneath
her skin. Her chest heaved, her heart
beat a most audibiy, and her hands grasped
mine with cOnveisIve pressure. Ursula
had olly slumbered, and now the voice of
love Awakened her. She loved suddenly;
hi,herio she might. perchance, have loved
unwitfngly, bat now the vail was rent,
and sic knel0 tha! she loved.
Afi4g few moments, she passed her
hand across her forehead, and said, in q
low voice, No: i; is not possibIe.'
simply repeated the same phrase,
"Maulce d'Erya! asks you if you will be
his wife" IN order TO accustom her TO the
sound OF the words, which, like the notes
OF = heEm0njous chord, formed for her.
poor thing, sweet, unwonled melody.
HIS wlle!' repeated she with ecstasy;
"his vife!' And running toward her
mother, she cried, Mother do YOU hear
ii! lie asks me TO be his wife!"
"Daughler," replied the old blind wo-
man, fmy beloved daughter. knew that,
sooner or later, God would recompense
your virtues
My God!" cried Ursula. "what hast
Thou done for me this day! HIS lOife!
beLoUek daughteri" And she fell on her
knees with cIasPed hands and her face
covered with tears. At that moment foot
steps we're heard in the passage. al is
he!' ried Ursula. ''He brings Iife!'
hasleted away, and lett Ursula glowing
with tfarlUl happiness to receive Maurice
/ d'Ervil alone.
( From that day Ursula was changed
She gew young and beautiful under the
magic influence of Joy, yet her happiness
parlock in some measure of her former
/ chara<ter; il was calm, silent, aud reserved;
so tha Maurice, who had first loved a
pale, sad woman, seated in the shade, was
not Obliged to change the coioring Of the
pictur, although Ursula was now happy.
They passed long evenings Together in the
! low, dIll room, lighted only by the moon
beams, conversing and musing together.
Ursnla loved with simplicity. She said
to Maurice, II love vou-I am happy
and Lthank you for ill., The old gray
house was The only scene of these inter-
views. Ursula worked with undated dill
I igencc, and never left her parents. But
/ the walls of that narrow dwelling no Ion
/ ger cnnfined her soul: it had risen 10 free
( dom, and taken lis flight. The sweet
magic o. hope brightens not only the fu-
ture, but the present, and through the
medium of its all-powerful prism changes
! the colorng Of all things. The old house
/ was as mean-looking and gloomy rs ever,
but ene feeling, ensirined IN the heart OF
a woman, changed it to palace. Dreams
of hope, although you feet and vanish
, like golden clouds in the Say. yet come.
come to us everl Those whQ have never
known you, are a thousand times poorer
than those who live 10 regret you!
Thus there passed happy time for
Ursula. But day came when Maurice
entering her room in haste, said, dearest
we must hasten our marriage; the regiment
is about 10 be moved 10 annother garrison,
and we must be ready To set out."
"Are you going far, Maurice?"
''Does il lrighten my Ursula 10 think of
seeing distant countries! There are many
lands more beautiful than this"
"Oh, no, Maurice, not for myself, but
for my parents: they too old TO bear
long Journey" Maurice looked at his
betrothed without speaking. Although he
well knew that, in order TO share MS wan
dering destiny, Ursula must leave her pa
rents, yet he had never reflected seriously
on the subject He had foreseen her