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


that way you'd drive me out of my senses"
Here Mrs Vivian hemmed TO give notice Of
her presence; and Robert Bloomfield turned,
and perceived her for the first time If he had
not observed the lady before, he did not care
about her now. He bowed and then, forget
ting her, turned, and resumed his conversation
with Resale, in the same impatient impassiOn-
ed tone.
Mrs. Vivian, with a cold offended air. arose
and left the room. But as soon as the door
closed behind the lady, and Robert found him
self alone with Resale, he certainly betrayed a
great sense of relief for his manner became
more earnest and vehement and he pleaded
anew the hopeless suit so often and so decided
ly rejected. His tongue was looscned and
words flowed, without let or hindrance, in that
impetuOus torrent Of eloquence inspired only
by passion and Rosalie listened with emotion
scarcely less than his own, for every impas-
stoned word he uttered gave expression to the
vague, deep unspOken yearning of her own
heart.
She heard him out patiently; yes, she let
him begin again, and go over the whole mat
ter q second and third time before she could
find courage to destroy his hopes. AT last
she said
have deeply wronged you, Robert did
not mean il, Heaven knows; but hare wrong
ed you Robert | am very sorry. | shall
never forgive myself
don't understand you, Rosalie-I-do tell
me what you mean"
- mean that have not been frank enough
with you, Robert. | have not had the cour-
age said ROsalie, in faltering voice, for she
still deeply pitied him.
He did not look like an object of pity, Just
then; all his countenance suddenly frightened
with joy He seized her hand, exclaiming-
4" Do | comprehend Do hear you right !
Do you mean, after all, that you like me a
little better than you said you did,"
"No. Oh Robert what a sanguine nature
yours must be- to interpret every word which
is not positive, in your own way. No. Robert
mean, that have thoughtlessly accepted all
your kind services, knowing full well that
never, never can repay the smallest of them
| mean too that have let you tell me, again
and again, Of your regard knowing all the
while that can never, never return it in the
way you wish. ! have wrOnged you, by not
telling you this with sufficient firmness be-
fore
"Cruel cold hard heartless m
at is my misfortune that | cannot-hke
you, Robert. My reason is telling me all the
time, just as any prudent old lady could tell
me-that if could like you, should have an
enviable lot in life; not because you are veal
thy, and all that, of course, Robert, but be.
cause | really do know you are-so good so
disintercsted, so true, and because your dear
mother and sisters are Just like you, and
could love them as if they were my own rela-
tives"
" In the name of mercy, Rosalie, why do you
mo- Al yo IN ha,y
"Why, indeed! Because | cannot reject
this kindness for which | am indeed most sim
cerely grateful in any other but the humblest |
manner, and with every circumstance to assure
you that feel how much good | reject in re-
.ectng you, Robert Dear Robert, there is
certainly destiny, as well as duty in these mat
ters; and, well as ! like you | could not love
enough to marry you, if my salvation depend |
cd ON it-indeed | could not am not des-
tined to so easy a life Robert | begin to have |
foreshadowing that my lot will be a very |
rough one, Robert; that shall not be left to |
bask in the sunshine, but shall have to face
and weather the Storm
lOu-you fragile snow-drop! What do
you mean now You meet the storms of life 1!
Has the Planters Own Bank broken, or have
all the slaves on your plantation run off i'll
bodylo
Neither one nor the other, Robert And if |
rough it in the world, it will be my own free
choice
&" ! confess that do not understand you the
least in the world--e1cept that you make me
wretched; that is plain enough, but as to the
rest | am all in the dark
" IL Is my own secret, Robert
" One thing | do know; that is, you are too
delicate Tor rough life"
Robert there are many delicate natures,
that have been cherished, and nursed and
pctted to miserable weakness and to death
My flower garden has taught me that lesson"
% should like to know how flower gar
den, or anything else, could teach you or any
body else lesson Ike that :"
"Oh ! should you! ! can tell you, then
Last year, when | came here found n new
flower growing in the garden. | don't know
botany, and don't know what the flower was
or how it came there; but suppose the wind
brought the seed My flower was so feeble
and withered, that it had lost all beauty and
comeliness and every charm, except delight
lul odor. | weeded and worked around it,
and watered it regularly and nursed and cher
ished it, but it faded faster and faster, yielding
dying fragrance. | said it was too exposed
and cold, and took it up and transplanted it
to the conservatory. There it wilcd and fell,
and gave it up for lost. But now mark the
sequel. few days afler | took ride up to
the mountain top, and leitm my horse, for a ram
bic on foot A fresh, delicate delicious odor
greeted me. looked about and 10! there, in
II cleft OF the rock, on the mountain top ex-
posed to all the snow, and wind and hail of
winter, and burning rays of summer, my
strange hot-house plant There it grew, and
tourished, swayng to and fro in the wind, and
filling all the air with the freshness of it's fra
GRANGE! Now, what do you think did, Rob.
crtt You will laugh ut me- of course for
everybody laughed. The very next day took
my poor flower, that was dying in the conser-
vatory-and that pticd as if it had been
sick, Gagged brd--and | carried it up the
mountain, and planted it in the evening Thun.
der gusts and showers the next day prevented
my ride but the third day | visited my pro.
tege. lt was living! 1t had plucked up a
spirit, and intended to live! | am like that
plant, Robert And now, to como back to
yourself We must part, Robert-as friends
kindly-yet not TO meet again, except as mere
acquaintances, until you have outgrown the
present weakness of your heart"
She extended her hand-he pressed it to
his lips, seized his cap and hastily left the
house
TO BIZ CONTINUED.
~ fact.