Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1853-01-06

ger whom she had met on board the steam
boat, and that he had Immediately recog-
n'zed her. With smile he politely raised
his hat and called her name, then as if
ashamed of his presumption touched The whip
to his horse and passed on.
Mrs. May appeared surprised and looked
to her companion for an explanation. Con-
cealing her agitation, EIvira related briefly.
and 10 laughing manner, the circumslauc-
es Of their meeting.
5 A romantic affair truly. said Mrs. May
You should have ascertaned the name of
your unknown friend
But does he not reside in the vicinity q en-
quired Elvira.
Doubtless he is one of the patients in the
ASYLUM replied Mrs. M, for have often
seen him pass the house on horseback Of late,
and from his melancholy appearance we call
him the disconsclate man. / never saw him
smile till to-day. believe yonr cheerful
countenance has wonderful effect upon the
heart, even if | were to judge from my own
case.'
Could it be that he was insane! this then
accounted for his strange conduct Elvra was
astonlshed. The thought had never entered
her head, nor indeed till now had she ever
dreamed that she could not but feel the Young
stranger had gained possession of her heart
She ,ods in love, and that too with one depriv-
ed of reason and shut out from society. She
tried to think of him as such, but still her
imagination would picture his sad and mourn
tul look as he first appeared 10 her, and the re-
membrance of the pity then awakened served
only TO add new strength 10 her passion.
But it is time to give some relation of the
previous history Of the individual who has
been twice introduced in such an abrupt man
ner TO the reader. Charles Ingersoll was the
only son Of wealthy parents, who had spared
neither pains nor expense in endeavoring to
furnish him with good education. AT six
teen he had entered college. and though appa-
rently not superior by nature to others of his
age, he had by diligence and close upplica-
tion attained the first rank in his class and
Notwithstanding this superiority which he con-
stantly maintained, and which often begets
jealousy in the minds Of less successful rivals,
he was universally beloved. During the third
year OF his course, his mental powers, which
had been overwronght, gradually began to give
way. At first the change was slight aud
scarcely observable even to his most most init
mate friends, but as the close Of the last term
drew near, symptoms were presented which
could not be mistaken. His studies were as
faithfully attended to as ever. and his reeita-
tions correct, but he was constantly depressed
In spirits, imagining some great evil about TO
come. He would sit for hours in fit Of alb
straction, with scarcely any indication Of life,
save the occasional utterance of low sch.-
Physicians were consulted, and the immediate
REIMBURSEMENT of his studies presented the on
ly chance of recovery. 1t was deemed advisa-
BILE also to place him under the care Of those
experienced in such cases, and for this purpose
he was at the time he first met Elvira, on his
way TO the Insane Asylum, accompanied by his
father.
His case was not difficult one; for fire.
quent exercise and entire cessation Of mental
exertion was all that was needed, and at the
end of three months he was pronounced well
but in leaving the institution was recommend
ed not TO enter upon his studies again for at
least one year. On making his appearance
once more in the rational world, his first
thought was TO seek out the fair being who
had seemed 10 be constantly lowering around
him in his seclusion, and who appeared to be
the only object, uniting him to that land of Wis
ions and shadows from which in his confused
memory, he seemed to have Just emerged
All seemed as dream, yet he hoped in some
way 10 prove it a reality. Elvira's love was
the offspring Of sympathy, but his was the mys-
tic tie uniting the present to past and strange
existence. His desire to behold her again
would have prompted him TO have encountered
any difficulties however great, but he was per-
picked in the onset. He knew only her name,
and had he, as it was at first suggested to him,
made inquiries in the vicinity of the hospital,
he might not have succeeded for few days
after their unexpected meeting in the street,
Elvira had received letter from home inform
ing her Of the death of her little brother, and
requesting her TO return. This she had done,
and with her love Of novelty and romance
somewhat lessened BY absence, she had con-
clnded to remain awhile longer under the pa
ternal roof.
Charles parents fearing that his devotion to
his books might cause him to dsobey the in
functions of the physician, persuaded him TO
take a journey to Europe. BY an absence Of
six months amid the varied and ever exciting
scenes of visit to the old world, his health
was well established, and on his return he pre-
pared to enter with increased zeal upon a course
of study which had before been so unhappily
interrupted.
A short time after his return, in passing
through one of the streets of Boston, his eve
was attracted by daguerreotype which was
the exact counterpart of the image which had
so long haunted his imagination. He was not
deceived; it was Elvira's miniature She had
sat for her daguerreotype just before her depar-
ture for home, and the artist had reserved
copy for himself Of course it was impossible
10 obtain any information respecting her from
him, yet in the possession of this likeness,