The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-05-12

"
his eyebrows in an interrogatve manner.
You do" exclaimed Resale, greatly sur
prised-excited.
Certainly do! how could possibly re-
main in ignorance of 1t g"
"You do! You know it! And yet you are so
calm Nay, indeed | am afraid you are mis-
taken whom do you suppose it to be? 4"
"One once betrothed to myself-my cousin
India!n
You DO know il And you are not I'M
happy about it Oh, blessed Lord am so
thankful-so glad" And Rosalie dropped
her face upon her hands, and wept softly and
quietly. ~
Dear Resale, has all this disturbance OF
yours been caused by your sympathy with un-
worthy met"
Il remembered how you suffered at Cash.
mer-I feared-I dreaded if you met her sud.
denly here-the bride of another-that .
"Well, dear Rosel That
ooh, fear you think me very impairment
If you do you may tell me so; indeed, shall
not take it amisS"
Tell me your thought, Rosalie. Was il
that all those old wounds would be re-Opened
That all those suferings would be renewed :"
"Yes!n
"Yet you see that they are not"
"No, thank Heaven Mark But | cannot
understand it,
Well then. understand it now. The adj
vent Of my promised BRIDE as the welded wife
of another, does not disturb pulse Of mine,
because in mn heart-in any honorable heart
love could not long survive esteem, more than
it could survive hope or duty, and because -
Here his whole manner grew most earnest,
most intense, and passing his arm over her
To-. NA,,v dc
and kissing away the tear drops from her eyes,
said. Because | love this single tear of true
feeling better than the whole perjured heart
of yonder selfish beauty"
And now if Mark fancied tears, he might
have plenty Of them for now they fell warm
and fast
"What is the matter RosaliOl Why do you
weep nowln asked Mark.
But she did not answer. He repeated the
question, perseveringy.
At last sobbing softly, and smiling and sigh
ing, and blushing, and averting her face, she
said. archly, Juliet wept at what she was
glad of"
7" Are you glad Resale Tell me, dear Rose.
Are you glad that love you more than all the
world-that have chosen you the guiding star
Of my life20
She did not could not, answer He repeat
ed this question, also searchingly, perseverng-
w. only 10 hear Der answer; and he bent his
ear, and avertcd his eyes, and quelled the beat
ing of his heart, to win her reply
At last it came, with her face hidden on his
shoulder, and in a tone scarcely above her
breath-"I always hoped you would like me
at last did not think you would so soon,
though"
But are you glad--aro you glad 2" persist
the unreasonable man.
Yes glad, whispered Resale; and in proof
of her truth, the tears rolled quietly down her
face.
"And 80 am |! Glad, happy, hopeful, con-
fdcnt, Rosalie There will be no more falter-
ing. and faintng and failing now! You have
infused new life into me. That any gossamer
girl should have the power to do this Yet
such is the case, Resale"
Am such II gOssamer!"
You are very fragile, Rosale."
60 Out of the heart are the issues of life "
They were interrupted, of course; people |
always are when they are very blessed 1t
does not suit " the rest of mankind" to leave |
them 20. This time it was old Colonel Ash
ley, who really was happy enough in himself
to have left Mark and Resale alone in their
content, if he had known it, He came in with
a brisk step, with his slight figure seeming
slighter his gray hair lighter, and his thin
rosy face fercer than ever, with the eilerves-
cence of his JOY. He advanced, speaking
"Ah, Mr.. Sutherland you are here |
have been looking for you. What! will you
be the last to pay Your respects to the bride,
and she reative-though a very distant one,
| suppose, of your own? Come let me pre-
sent you"
Docs India-docs Mrs Ashley expect met"
inquired Mr. Sutherland,
Il imagine not !" replied the old gentle
man, raising his eyebrows; but that does not
matter, you know. Come! y
Pressing the hand of Resale, before relin-
gushing it, Mark Sutherland arose to accom-
pany Colonel Ashley to the front drawing room,
and to the presence of the bride,
They could not ut once approach her on ac-
count of tho number of persons around her
yet the room was not so thronged with COM
pany as to prevent their having full view of
the bride and her attendants.
There stood India receiving the homage of
her crcle-her superb form arrayed in the
rich and gorgeous costume that was so well
adapted to her majestic and luxurious style of
beauty Her checks were mantlcd with rich
high color, yet this seemed not the carnation
bloom of youth and health, but the fire of n
tevcrish excitement. Her eyes were dark and
brilliant yet not with the light of innocent
love and iOy but with the blaze of q burning
and consuming heart.
"Come," whispered the old gentleman, 1T is
no use to stand here, waiting our opportunity
for We might stand all night, and those fools
wouldn'J give way. Poor wretchcs just like
boys peepng at gentleman's conservatory,
where they know they dare not touch even a
rose bud Come, we must elbow through that
circle of handles; gently, you know-gently"
And shifting the action to the words Colonel
Ashley adroitly nsinuatcd himself through the |
outer crowd aud through the nearer circle and |
into the very presence of the bride.
She was not looking towards the new comeis |
She was listening to gentleman, who, having |
apparently exhausted all other subjects of adu-
lation, was now expatating upon the rare and
exquisite beauty Of the bouquet she held in
her hand
Colonel Ashley and Mr. Sutherland were
before her
Mrs. Ashleyo-
She looked around
viii you permit me to present to you my
young friend, Mr. Sutherland--a distant rela-
tive of your own. may | hope?n
Mark Sutherland looked up caught her
eye, and bowed deeply. But before he had
had time TO do 80, before even the deliberate
acrimonious presentation speech of tho old
gentleman was half over-at the very instant
she had turned around, and her eye had fallen
upon Mark Suthorland--a change, an appal
ling change had come over her lovely face and
form, like that which might be supposed to
sweep over tho face of some beautiful and fer
tile oasis ut the sudden blast Of the simoom,
that burics all its luxurious beauty in the burn
ing and arid sands of the desert
Shy the sudden smito of death, oil color
WAS dashed out from her cheek, and all light
from her eye For moment she stood and
gazed, trans6xed, unable to withdraw her
stony eyes FROM his; then, with sudden cry,
as If some tightly strninad hon m atr;n, had