The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-05-27

played in the high saloons and balconies, before
the manor was sold
You can now conceive what impression |
those ehurch-lke buildings with their towers
aud domes must have made on your mother, |
and with what feelings she assembled the |
high stone steps, and set foot IN the rooms in |
which she WIS TO be buried alive Wherever |
her eye wandered, it fell upon embroidered |
and woven arms, pedigrees, and ancestral pOr- |
traits and the living persons whom she met
appeared not less cold and stiff than those
painted on the wall. After the new gouyer-
nantes abilities were proved she was intro
duced 10 her future pupils, two lovely girls Of
twelve and thirteen years
The present Canoness of the Holy Cross, !
Countess Wanta Sternhof, and the married
Empires Countess Helmstadt2 ~ inquired Baler |
The same continued the narratress who
with tenderest lore were attached to their tn
toressp Here she was silent q moment and
then proceeded Ia that house, where your
mother had hourly TO feel her subordinate sta
ton, she became acquainted with man who
caused the first rays Of the sun TO break in
upon her cold, comfortleN sfe, who sympa-
thized with her as no other person ever had,
who strengthened and raised her PROSTATE
hopes This man. whose influence was of SO
much importance 10 the future condition Of
your mother, was the governor of the young
est Count Sternhof, and called himself John
Muller
He and Clara saw each other daily, and
when the GOODNESS Of pride wounded the latter
and benumbed her, then came Muller, and
melted the incruststion upon her heart as soon
as the warmth of his sympathy was applied
At first he assumed the place Of comforter and
counsellor TO the maiden, spun the conducting
line of education for her pupils. and instructed
her how 10 extirpate the false from their young
minds, and plant the true and good in It's
stead warned her Of deceyers pointed her TO
what was right, lightened her burdens, and
walked hand in hand with her, secure and
easy, on the path marked cut for man
9 Interests so closely interviewer could not
! remain free from danger TO two hearts, in
which God had placed fulness Of the capa-
city of love, which till then were solitary.
Each seemed DESTROYS TO give the other its
life, and thus was opened for Clara depth of
suffering of which she had had no idea Muller
may have experienced greater but as be was
poor and proud his lips were closed
At this time there was much and frequent
talk of the elder sons, who were expected to
visit LeinfeIs BY accident they both arrived
at the palace on the same day. and there being
many observations on their exterior and inte-
rior difference, they failed not TO make a won
derful impression on Clara. Waldemar, beau
tiful as Mars himself of lofty, noble bearing
with fresh, handsome, good natured face, having
the arm Of beautiful young lady Is hand
some as himself was an animating sight But
as if dark foil were necessary to present
these two figures in clear light, the younger
brother Francis was small with an ogergrown
head, old features, and gloomy expression. Sick
ly from childhood, and badly crippled, he was
to the proud family more Of burden than a
pleasure
g The childhood Of Francis had something
congenial with Clara's. She felt herself drawn
towards him and while the rest indulgcd in
within and haughtiness, she was with Francis
in window niche, or some lone corner of the
room, studious to mitigate his sufseripas in the
tenderest manner, She hoped thus to catch
an occasional glimpse OF Maller's approba-
ton but he avoided looking at her and even
eyadca her in every way so that, in her anxi
ETY. about him, and in stnte OF inmo~t die
traction, she felt nowhere better than in th'
company of the despised and neglected Fran
| els.
/ ale that sympathized with Clara, though sh
was unconscious Of it, was when she ap
proached. more serene, more afable. The darl
expression of his features became bright ant
the confidence which be manifested in tn
maiden encouraged her 10 much, that she wa
oft on the point of disclosing to hin, her situa
ton with Muller, and asking his advice anc
assistance.
| g One day, Clara found herself with Franci,
in the garden HeSppeared to be unusually
glad, and she was about to trust him, when be
made proposal which she did not anticipate
and which cut of all her hopes Francis,
confession of love to Clara Was as pathetic q.
timd He said she was the first who had EN-.
kindIsd and nourshed desires which ne had
never before ventured to express that she was
the only one who had dropped sweetness into
the bitter draught Of his life With full conf.
dence he committed his fatnre destiny TO her
hands When he observed her tremsr and
emotion, and felt that perhaps she was about
to express her decision nnfayorably, he mplo-
ringiy added, that she must not, By an annihi-
lating No, drive him back into his primitive
desolation and darkness, and condemn him 10
lasting dependency, bat that she would take
his proposal into mature consideration before
deciding At this moment the old Countess
came to the window, and piercing glance Of
her black eyes tell upon Clara who trembled,
as before the poisonous breath Of serpent
Francis knowing her conjecture, assured
her that she had nothing to fear from the pride
of the old lady, since no one ever imagined any
thing great respecting him.
CLARA felt hurt and degraded by the candor
of the Count, and would have told him how i'm
possible il would he for her to accede 10 his
wishes, when Muller entered the garden
Francis, observing him, withdrew TO some dis
tance, after whispering 10 Clara that he hoped
this evening on the granting Of his request, and
that his whole happiness or misery depended
on single word fro,7 her Mailer also was
about to 90 but Cars, trembling, interfered.
told him all, and that she had concluded to re-
ject Francis He withheld all opinion and ad-
vice, and left her deeply confused Clara, not
used 10 setting independently, now in her dere-
LECTION yielded to tho petition OF the Count, aud
the imposing win Of his parents, swho desired
TO see him happy
Here the stranger Eaaas short panse, and
seemed exhausted Baler who restlessly await
ed the conclusion Of the narrative, was likewise
silent, lest he might hinder the progress of ad-
venture. He was rsjoccd at these disclosures,
but curious about their event Somewhat more
steadily the stranger proceeded
aCIara, from that time, was treated like an
other person; and the unfortunate found
amends in their unwonted attentions for the
privstion Of the only heart that she loved, and
which she now though. was lost forever
"A few months afterwards, the marriage Of
the young lady Of Schoenbolm with Count
Francis Ssernhof was contaminated. Inc
young pair went 70 . distant midland town,
where the Count held a place in the Supreme
Court Of Judicatare. Clara was not happy,
but suffered ia silence. The thoughts of Mul-
lsr, her Hrst and only love the gnawing sensa-
ton of being missppreheaded by him. the
charge Of falschood, were not moment ABB
scpt She yearpsd towards him, yet dared not
induIgc her weaknev