Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1851-07-21

, the prayer Of many grateful peasant o
her gentle head. ] was fully disposed
credit the old lady's assertion when sh
told me that Miss Helen was zoo beaunft
for this. world, bu. did not know by ho,
frail tenure she held the life which wa
SO grea, blessing to others.
81 learned that the brother and siste
were on their way 10 Florence, and afte
ieeding my wild passion with every ex
element to be found amid the scenes whicI
had once enjoyed her presence. Iresolyet
to follow them 10 Italy. You will usl
; with what purpose thus sought her pres
ence. Alas! / had none--no hope-nc
design save that of once more beholdine
her wonderful beauty. She had uncon
sciously woven a spell around me, and
sought not TO be disenthralled. That face
which was thenceforward 10 be the loao
star Of my life rose before me whenever
look upon the features Of woman-it was
with me in the vague happiness Of my
nightly dreams-it outshone the brightness
Of joyous moments, ond illuminated my
hours OF solitude and saGness.
"There is a madness of the heart which
often resembles the madness of the brain.
The passions often becomes masters over
the intellectually powers, and men, while
in full possession of reason, do things
which nothing but the wildness Of delerium
could excuse. Perhaps such was my con
duct-such it certainly would seem in the
eyes OF q worthy and imaginative being.
abandoned my intention of returning to
America, and again sought the shores Of
llaly-that fair land Of shadows, where the
passionate dreams OF youth and genius are
embodied in the sculpiured image, or por.
trayed on tn eloquent canvass-tbat noble
country, whose blue sky is but cloudless
home above glorious panorama Of natu.
raj beauty and physical perfectioR. 70 u
visionary like myself the very climate Of
Italy brings danger. There Is something
SO enervating in its genial gales and sunny
.heayens-so fascinating in The indolent en-:
=jeyment which is common to all, from the
prince TO the beggar--so soothing in the
do ce far 'niente' which is universally
practiced amid sounds Of harmony and sights
OF beauty, that stranger inevitably falls
into those habits Of idleEess and reyerie,
which, however,delightfui at first, have q
reaction not less terrible than tha! which
attends the bliss-giving opiale ofa Turkish
elyseum. Had sought to subdue my wild
passion, would never have returned TO
Italy. Active life, with all its excitements
ard its duties, would, perhaps, have chang
ed the course of my feelings, but there
was q romantic mystery in my strange ats
5tachment which suited too we'll my pecu.
5liartemperament. Ii was like the reviy al
of an old tale Of sorcery-i was subjected
TO some secret power which took from me
even the yolition to be free. Alasi how
often do we forget our own chains, and
then complain Of the fate which hung let.
iers on our will.
II wandered through Italy as one in q
dream. Wherever went heard Of those
for whom sought, for they had been before
me along the whole route. occupied
apartments which they had quilted, travel.
ed in coaehes which they had used, tray.
ersed picture galleries they had explored,
and found their names on the records Of
visitants at oil places of note. Yet they
seemed always 10 elude my view, and
like the early nayigators in their search
for the Fortunate Isles, was ever near,
yet never within sight of the object of my
desires. But my patience was at length
rewarded. A difficulty in obtaining post
horses had detained me at miserable inn
on the confines Of Italy, and was prepar-
ing with an i'll grace to submit TO its dis.
comforts through the night, when was
startled by the low sweet tones Of q well
remembered voice. listened-the words
were Italian, and addressed TO the slatlern.
ly landlady whose unwashed kerchief and
long gold earrings had attraction--but the
voice was not to be mistaken. 1t was in
deed Helen Mordaunt, whom the sudden
illness Of her brother detained in that mis-
cradle place, and who was thus left unaid.
ed in the midst ofslrungers. To make my.
self known TO lIer and proffsr my services
was my first impulse, though the agitation
of my manner was sufficient to awaken
her surprise, i( not her distrust. But she
was too Ear above guile to suspect it in 9th.
ers, she accepted my offers with graceful
and digni6ed gratitude, while the attentions
WHICH 1 wuS bDuS OUuUiCN W OOoso" uPoh
her brother laid the foundation Of a warm
friendship in her gentle heart. 49,
s'You will think it strange, Anne, when
tell you that Of those blissiul days of pas
sionate existence retain only a vague
and dreamlike recollection. | nigh: tell
you few striking incidents which stand
out in bold relief. but the details of that
period Of my life seem to have become
blended into one indistinct remembrance
of happiness.
'sWhen I look into the chambers Of
mine imagery see only the exceeding
beauty of her who was now my earthly
idol; all the accessories of the picture,
beautifully and delicately as they were de-
picted by the hand Of love. have become
blended in the indistinctness Of times mel
lowing tints-Charles Mordaunt gradually
recovered, and he rallied his little remain.
ing strength in the hope of reaching &c.
neya, where he purposed passing the sum-
mer. With some difficulty he succeeded
in reaching the desired place, and when