The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-03-23

Upon divan in luXuriouslv furnished
drawing-room, lay Il young gIrl. She WAS
fair, oh very fair, with eyes OF II heaven
ly blue, and shining hair, OF bright gor-
den brown. There was an air # exquisite
refinement in every motion ut her grace
full form-n the wave of her uraurtu,
hand, or the tone of her thrilling voice.
Dreamiy the sweet girl lay. her head
supported by her hand, and her eyes half
closed.-The soft folds of her blue silk
robe fell gently around her slight figure,
and the rich lace was scarcely winter than
the polished throat it cncircled.
Marie said deep, musicat voice; al
ways dreaming"
She started those eyes, usually OF so
mild lustre, frightened, and u faint color
rose upon her check as she met the glance
Of the intruder.
Eugene, she murmured. as he coldlv
pressed kiss upou her brow, dear Eu-
gene, have you come at last! All last
evening i waited for you, and oh how
longseemed the weary honrs'
AS Eugene Harrington listened to these
gentle words Of reproach, h pang of re-
morse for II moment shot through his
heart, but he answered gaIly-
You tlattcr me, Marie
She replied with glance of those soft
eyes, in which love and tenderness shone
with glorious lustre.
There was something touching in the
IDolr opl M bn ,vn ,al rrDn fLo ~ MI. ,.;,I
he shuddered inwardly at the course he
was pursuing. His promise to the Italian
rose up in his mind-a promise which, in
his cooler moments, he knew he should
never fulfil, and he resolved that moment
never to see her again. 1t was a sudden
resolve, but naturally Eugene Harrington
was possessed of a strong mind and a no.
bic heart, brought up to have his every
whim gratifed, he had given way to the
evil passions of his nature, and at all times
self predominated. Such was now the
case, for in giving up the prima donna and
marrying Marie Fitzherbert, he, it is true,
sacrificed his feelings to his interest. For
the last two or three years, Eugene had
been living upon the debris of a once mag
niticent fortune, dissipated by his useless
extravaganza. 1t was this that caused
him to seek the hand of Marie Fitzherbert,
and beside being the only daughter of a
millionaire, she was very beautiful, high
bred, and of an old and aristocratic family.
| Winning the hand and heart of thesweet
girl had been a source of great triumph to
| him, for MD the circle of admirers that
surrounded her, most Of them were very
wealthy, and every way calculated to win
her hand. But she loved Eugene Harring-
ton-loved him with the first, pure love of
young heart. In him were centered all
her earthly hopes, her joys, and she be-
leved that it was returned. True, at
times he seemed moody and negIectfnl,
but she forgave all this, attrihuting it to a
disposition noble, but somewhat capricious;
and tken how tritling seemed the faults
when, with assumed tenderness, he press
ed her to his bosom, and called her his own
precious Marie. All those were golden
tinted days to the sweet girl; bright Wis
ions Of the future were continually throng-
ing her brain. When Eugene was her
own, time would steal on rosy-footed hours,
and earth would seem almost paradise.
All little did she dream Of her lovers
faithlessness had she known it, how like
a stricken flower, laid low by the chilling
blasts Of autumn, would that fair form
have sunk but she was destined to live
on while ere the dazzling dream was
over.
A month had passed, and Eugene Har-
ringIon had not broken his resolve, for the
prima donna had been absent on visit to
some Of the other principal cities Of the
Union. He was one morning startled by
an announcement in the morning papers
that the Italian cantatrice was in the city,
and would sing that evening for the last
time ere she sailed for Italy
A sudden desire seized him to again be-
hold her, and for the last time to listen to
the tones Of that ravishing voice, He
thought himself firm; vain thought =
Again he listened to that dalcet voice, and
drank in the beauty Of that splendid face /;
once more he beheld those dark, lustrous
eyes--the coal black, sbining hair, glitter.
inn with gems Of priceless yalue-that
throat Of polished whiteness, With the long,
| sloping shoulders that eoluptuoqA though
Symmetrical figure. Again wasSthe lure
! thrown by the syren woman around him :