Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-05-19

noble purity of thought and deed.
AS we returned home, / described nv
fair neighbor and asked my mother who
she was,
:" Her name" my mother said, :" is
Grace Denny /; and she is the loveliest,
the most superior young woman l have
ever in my whole life met with. 1t is too
soon to think of such things yet" she
continued, smiling, "but some years
hence it would make me happy to see my
dear son married to just such woman"
"Not quite so fast, mother" said l,
laughing good deal to hide little boy
ish embarrassment which was not anx-
ious to conceal.
l found that Grace had become con-
strAnt visitor at my mothers, and l did
not fail to improve the opportunity of be-
coming better acquainted with her.
She was indeed a gifted creature, en-
dowed with all natures best" She
sung, she danced, she conYersed with an
indescribable grace peculiar to herself
Though generally thoughtful and earnest
in her dcmeanor, she had vein of quiet
humor, and her strokes Of playful drolle-
ry charmed all the moro from being uncx-
pected. But more Olluring to me than
all her gifts and accomplishments was the
shrinking sensibility depicted on every
feature of her sweet face. l soon found
mysslfdeeply-pa painfully interested in her.
say 1ainully, for Grace received my as
siduous attentions with perfect cOolness
and unconcern which gave great uneaSi
ness. Sometimes thought she remem-
bered my early impertinencc, and was
disposed to punish it.. But there was
rival, cousin of Grace's, who always
stood in my way, ard from whom Grace
received, as a matter of course, number
less little attentions which dared not
even offer. / hated this man was in
suGerably jealous; but Grace seemed
either perfectly unconscious, or perfectly
indifferent to the by play of animosity
which was carried on between us.
Grace, sweet, noble Grace, with her
childlike simplicity and sensitive woman
heart who could resist her? [ could
not my whole soul was hers. In vain
had struggled in vain had called up
on my vanity, (of which had plenty to
invoke to save me from the modification
of loving without return. could not
stem or control tho passions which, strong
as mighty whirluind, had seized me.
One evening L sat by the piano while
Grace sung to me. The cousin was not
these. and dear Grace's varying color and
glistening eyes suggested sweet hope to
my vanity. fancied saw lore in those
bright dewy eyes and Ola those soft music
breathing lips.
1t was the last evening Of my vacation,
and surely 1 read n gentle farewell
thought in Grace's face | was beside
myself at the idca-I was as if in blissful
dream--a sweet dclirium--A rapture of
love. As Grace rose to leave the piano
l caught her hand, and unable longer to
rcprcss the one thought that filed my
heart, | exclaimed ferVently
Grace dear Grace, with all my soul
love you y
She lifted her large, soft eyes, and said
slowly, while mischievous smile stole
over her face
81 know it,"
She was gone before had time to pre-
vent it, or to recover from my surprise.
The next day returned to college, ex-
pecting to complete my studies in another
year. A year! how long time to be
absent from the beloved being who was
to me, whether she returned my love or
not, the nucleus round which my thoughts
would revolYe. need not say how often
her strange and unsatisfactory answer tor
mented me. l Iperceived in her repetition
of the same words, her remembrance of
the time she had used them before and
this then was the just punishment for my
insolence. tortured myself by bringing
the whole scene again and again to mem-
ory my passionate declaration of love,
and her provoking reply, 81 know it,"
The deuce you do" thought l, some
times, 81 would l had possessed the wit
to have lett lou little more uncertain"
| often wondered that was able TO
study ut this time, for Grace, beautiful,
qyacctul Grace, was never absent from my
thoughts she had become the dream OF
my life, the object of all of my love SON
nets, which had till now been scattered on
various rival beauties. did study, how
ever, and studied hard, and at the end of
the term passed examination with high
honor; much to my dear mothers pride
and JOY.
| determined to be wiser when l SAW
Grace again to discover beyond doubt
If were indeed beloved, before | com
mittcd myself as 1 had done by foolish
speeches.
In order to satisfy myself on this point,
and perhaps also to crafty little pique'
when returned home did not so inn
mediately to see Grace as my feelings die
tated, but waited till, at my mothers
summons, she spent an evening with us:
Even then, though my heart WAS full of
tenderness for her, affected GOODNESS |
had made nn nv mind to play part, and