Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-08-05
CORA LEE:
OR, THE BROKEN HEART.
BY j. w. PATTERSON.


BY ]. W. PATTERSON.
A sad night it was at Oakwood, the
residence of MIR. Madison Lee, when Cora,
the pet and pride of her home and ac-
quaintances slept the sleep that knows no
waking. She had sunk gradually from
laughing, happy creature, to calm and
and swcetly pensive patient, longing for
the time when her soul, released from the
sadness of earth would pass to brighter,
and, she trusted, more blissful abode.
Around her, in by'gone days, had clus-
tered a circle offriends and acquaintances
who sought and cherished her presence
as an object of infinite value. She had
been the belle of the quiet little village of
!Vaynsville, and in all the sport of the
season, at the evening party, giddy dance
or merry-makings Cora had, in her
great simplicity and enchanting beauty,
gathered a crowd of devoted admirers and
friends. But the rose fled from her check,
and day after day, for two long years,
her merry laugh grew less and less ioy-
GUS, and less often did she join the happy
group in their festivities. Death had
slowly but surely done its work, and, un-
needing all the efforts of medical atten-
dants, it FASTENED to sever from the en-
brace ofkind parents their sweetest treas
ure and from society its choicest gem.
Sixteen summers had lightly famed the
brow of Cora, when this gradual decay of
loyousness first made its appearance, yet
but few knew her disease.
Some three years prior to the sad event
related above, there came to the quiet lit
rlc village of w. young man of pre-
possessing appearance who gave his name
as George Pcyton. He was a stranger.
None had heard of him or his family:
yet curiosity was on the alert to know
him and onltivatn his aca,Iaintance His
department towards strangers was of that
character which alone won him the re-
spect of all. His kind open hcartedness,
together with degree of intelligence
beyond the limits of many with whom he
associated, rendered him also an object
of some interest. His object, he asserted,
was simply to visit the country and, if
pleased, settle somewhere from the noise
and confusion of his native city and try
and improve such literary attainments as
he possessed. The many acts of kind
ness bestowed on him served to attach
him to the people, and in short time it
was nOised among the people that young
PeytOn had determined to settle in W.
He applied himself diligently to his call
ing and mingled gradually in the festivi-
ties of the younger portion ofthe commu-
nifty, with whom he soon became quite
popular and beloved.
Upon the family of Mr.. Lee he often
called, and village gossip soon report
ed an attraction in that quarter. A
mutual friendship sprang up between
Cora and young Peyton, which ended, as
is usual, in mutual love- Cora loved
him for his nobleness, frankness, and de-
votion to friends, and he loved her for
that sweet refinement and simplicity
which had rendered her the pet of her ac-
quaintances. She confided in him her
little secrets, her desires, and her love, as
pure and holy as that of angels, and, in
return, he bestowed upon her such gene
rous love as an honorable man can only
bestow. He told her of the rough, wide
world that jostled the struggling aspirant
as he toiled along the thorny road to
fame. He told her of the tempestuous
ocean of life that rudely tossed ones bark
and ofttimes buried it beneath its pillows.
He told her of the trials and troubles, the
thorns and tangled woods, thai skirt the
path of life's traveller from the cradle to
the grave. Thus they ofttimes communcd.
Such was his life, he said, and with Dcs-
demona,
'.She loved him for the dangers he had passed,
And he loved her that she did pity him.
The interviews between Cora and young
Peyton were of that character which low
ers can only describe or feel. Time wore
sweetly on thus, until strong political
strife entered the quiet village of w. The
talent and position of young Peyton were
called into action. The only principles
of his life, on subjects pertaining to fetler-
al politics, still were the principles of his
heart, and they were arrayed against the
personal friends and relatives of Mr.. Lees
family. Remain idle during the contest
he could not consistently, and his friends
placed him in their foremost ranks. His
unwavering principles and fidelity to his
esteemed party would not allow suffi-
cient mark for the artillery of his oppo-
nents, and, as a last resort, in order to
weaken his influence, strange mysteries
and villifying fabrications were circulated
concerning him. His character, which
before, either in his isnativeland or amongst
comparative strangers, had been beyond
the shadow of suspicion, was now DETAINED
and volley after volley of SANDER was