The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-05-06
For the National Era.
THE NSUSCE TIBL E.

THE sCEPTIBLE.
LEvIsoN LODGE Sept 10.
DEAR MARY EUsTAcE: For no being but
Yourself would prison myself within house
walls to-day All the airs of heaven woo me-
while here | sit, faithful lover at your side.
For Won my mortal hatred of pen and ink gives
way Your sway over me is as unbounded now,
as when so gently welded through all our mer-
nv school-days Yet miss your hourly coun-
sci, and the many sweet ways In which you
used to reconcile my Grant heart to its duty.
In fact, think am in a hopeful way of be-
ing spoiled. The process began the very night
/ | reached here and found myself person of
unexampled consequence to the whole house
hold Our good housekeeper hurried up stairs
in fever of impotence to meet Miss Agnes,"
| little black Sam was to be seen throwing up
his heels on the grass outside like one mad,
and my dear father, in qqieter WISE drew me
into the library and there looked on me with
such affectionate pride beaming from his fine,
grave eyes, that my heart grew quickly full
of conceit if you WILL but there was some love
and gratitude in it too Yes, and quite little
flame of daughterly and domestic feeling, and
host of most respectable resolves. | would
so gladly become what he believes me to be, for
know his every hope centres in me now; |
was not always his only child.
spend much of my time rambling about
my old haunts, and looking up my friends, the
brooks and birds nests Imagine Madame
Records horror could she see the pupil fresh
from her polishing hands, poised on the top of
a wall ready for a spring, or scrambling hands
and knees, up rough hillside.
Dick Sullivan has found it convenient to run
up here occasionally, since have been at home.
My father looks with no favor on the poor fel-
low and, think, allows the calmness of his
own mind to be quite unnecessarily rufled in
regard to him. Even from your gentle lips |
seem to remember some severe things spoken
of my friend Dick--all well deserved no doubt
yet, for the minor purposes of life, Dick does
not answer badly One should not in a world
so barren of good looks, undervalue hand
some face like his, even if it is open to that
whitening charge of owing more to complexion
than expression.
Dick is not, however the only handsome
man we can boast And here we approach ar
interesting topic Perhaps you remember, ir
nv impromptu sketches of Levison Lodge and
it's vicinity, a certain nondescript flourish OF
the pencil, which, contended, was a most sug
gestive representation of our next neghbOr's
fine old house and domains. The poor man
has died abroad, and forthwith has come into
possession nephew, who, as said before ri
walls Dick Sullivan in point of exterior and
distances him altogether on every other ground
moral and intellectual
Now, Mary, this Rodney Decker, idling away
the autumn months in our quiet village might
naturally be expected to fall in love with me,
were it only for something to do. Never did a
man fall so far short of his duty, Seriously,
Mary, am not so cOnceited as to assume the
heart of every man meet to be my necessary
property. But there is usually certain spice
| in the intercourse of two thrown together in
the way we are, slight degree of passing de-
votiOn in the outward demeanor OF a man to-
ward you so long US you are perforce his sole
feminine companions which one misses If it Is
absent however little it is worth in reality.
Mr.. Decker is very neghborly, very kind, very
cordial, but he is withal 80 utterly Indifferent
and unsusceptible, that my young charms are
quite thrown away upon him. | can see that
am invested in bis eyes with just about as
sentimental n halo as my father who by the
way admires our new friend to the last degree.
The consequence of all this is that the two
gentlemen entertain each other with high con-
verse, which they know to be seven flights
above the reach of my girlish powers and
am driven to console myself with the gallant
| nonsense of Dick Sullivan; hardly preferable
extreme, perhaps.
| But as | can make nothing of Mr.. Decker
for myself | generously give him up to you.
You cannot have forgotten that old promise of
a visit to me, sealed as it was with thousand
schoolgirl vows; can wait for its fulhlment
no longer. Come and try your spells on this
impractcable hero have already begun the
game by praisng you on all occasions. He
listens with polite skeptcism, butyour presence
will strike conviction to his heart, if Ia doubt
full point he possesses one SO, come speedily,
best and dearest of all my school friends, and
if your dignifed spirit scorns these devices 'to
make sport withal" let not your contempt keep
you from me--for, all cold, insensate men apart,
my heart longs for you, and whispers that we
two may have many happy hours together.
The woods and hills, and free air of heaven,
will be Joy enough for those whose love made
80 dear the dusky walls and narrow rooms of
Madame Records establishment.
must leave you, for Mr. Decker is waiting
below, wish might say impatiently; and our
new clergyman, Mr.. Heath, is to dine with us
to-day-an event for which must be suitably
prepared. | shall anxiously wait for your COM
ing. Ever your own AGNES.
| Mr.. Decker did not appear indeed to have
frotted himself at all in his solitude He sat
musing so quietly, that the entrance of Agnes
was unperceived by him, till she came close to
his chair, and held her letter before his eyes.
| See there, unbcliever. IL is easy to call my
pictures fanciful and false; there is what shall
bring the orginaln
what mistaken faith you place in your
own eloquence! Has it been your happy ex-
perlence that request needs only speaking to
be fulfilled 20
"No not exactly
"Then conclude that Miss Eustace posses
ses that plant loneliness that cannot refuse
wish once put in words A most amiable char
acteristc !"
"Amiable!D cried the indignant AGNES;
"She is no more amiable and plant than /
am"
"Rather stormy season in prospect, should
she actually arrive Really, had no idea in
what disrepute the gcntlcr virtues were held
among you. | shall be curious 10 watch the
intercourse of two such professed unamiablesp
ave shall harmonic admirably, assure
you much better than you and | are likely to
do at present.
Mr.. Decker turned to the piano. "Come,
them said he, let US hush our discords with
the spell Of your music"
"The only spell" thought Agnes "that
have not found utterly pOwerless with youD
For, in fact while listening to a few chosen
songs he had often seemed as rapt and dsvout