Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-08-10

mine. am not at all deserving of her."
"Not at all, in my opinion" said Corbet, pen
sively.
People do not always like to be agreed with,
"And pray why am | unworthy Of herr"
asked Meadows rather Indignantly.
because you only value her beauty" replied
Corbet "custom will render that beauty familiar
to you, years will rob it of its brlIiancy, and
your love will deteriorate in proportion. wish
you valued her mental attainments as highly
as"
"As you do," I suppose :" interrupted Mea-
dows, rather scornfully.
"As do," repeated his cousin temperately,
81 cannot compete with you, Meadows, in the
goods Of fortune, or in captivation of manner; !;
but have an income quite sufficient for every
comfort and would have gladly laid it at the
feet of Mrs. Temple, if she had given me the
least encouragement to DO so. / certainly ad-
mire her appearance, but have never coveted
personal loveliness in wife; her temper, mind
and manners are the great sources of attraction
to me-"
"Temper, mind and manners are all very well
in their way, responded his cousin =" but could
never be happy if did not marry beauty"
"May you find all the happiness You antci-
pate in such an union" said Corbett j." and may
you constitute the happiness of her who de-
served TO be loved for qualifications very supe
rior to the charms of the countenance! And
here the cousins separated. =.
+
"Another railway accident in the papers"
said old Mr.. BridGemore, as he mumbled over
the newspapers. "ConcuSsion at the Vauxhall
terminus-no lives lost, but several of the pas
sengers materially hurt. The beautiful Mrs.
Temple has received dreadful injury the sharp
corner of dressing case having literally crushed
one of her eyes. She is now lying dangerously
i'll at her home in Winpole street, attended by
physician and surgeon"
"Why, Celestina, my love, (said Mrs. Bridge
more to her daughter) that Is the beautiful young
widow that Meadows raves about. Upon my
word am sincerely sorry for him. Suppose
she loses her eye!''
"Then she will lose her lover" said Celestna-
a prim, plain spnster with dull greenish grey
eyes; "Ithink the disappointment will be pro-
per punishment for him. | used to like Meadows
very Will, but l have been perfectly worn out by
his insane raptures about Mrs. Temples dazzling
eyes actually he seemed to fancy her a twin SIS
ter Of the Princess Brilliant in the fairy tale
"She is fine creature" said young Bridge
more, land dare say she will look very we'll,
even with the loss Of one of her eyes"
There quite disagree with you," said his
sister "her charms depend upon having her
countenancc we'll lighted up; these accidents
make one have quite horror of RAILWAYS; such
a thing might have happened to oneself"
And Miss Bridgemore looked compacently in
the glass. feeling that her greenish eyes were an
unquestionable pair, and left the room to put on
her walking attire, and call on hafa dozen neigh
bors to claim their sympathy for the shock her
feelings had sustained from the disastrous an
nouneement Of that morning. papers
The beautiful Mrs. Temple lay in violent fe
yer; the physician and surgeon looked grave;
Meadows was on the brink of unacy; Corbett sad
in his looks, and constant in his enquiries; Miss
Hi dlev was a tender, kind and ca eful nurse
At length the patient was pronounced out Ct
danger.
"But will the sight Of the eye be restored :"
said Meadows, passionately, to Miss Hindley, as
nicatc the cheering intelligence to him.
Miss Hindlcy shook her head
"Let us be thankful that her life is preserved"
she said, land we will not think about her eye"
"Not think about her eyem exclaimed Mea-
dows is life worth having on such terms p
Miss Hindley regarded him with something
like contempt.
"Arc talent, money, and health of no value
to the posscsscr, or to others ?" she asked.
Nothing can compensate woman for the
loss of beauty" he replied.
Miss Hindley did not, above once in twelve
month"; indulge herself in the relaxation OF speak
ing her mind: an humble companion has no right
to be more extravagant in her luxuries, but she
was on the point of favoring Meadows with some
very candid structures, when the door opened, and
Corbett, who had heard the good news from the
servants, rushed into the room in such parox-
ysm of joy, that Meadows was glad to seize the
opportunity to make his escape, to the satisfaction
of Miss Hndley, who began to recollect that I" it
was never good policy to affront anybody and
that after all Mr.. Meadows had only proved him
self to be silly and selfish as she had always be-
lieved him to be-"
A few weeks elapsed. Mrs. Temple was con-
valescent, and sat in her drawing-room to receive
visitors; she was elegantly dressed her complex
ion, although paler, was just as clear as usual :;
her hair flowed in ringlets just as graceful, and
the railway conclusion had not robbed her Of her
white teeth but broad band of blach velvet
was tied over her right eye, and nobody, who