The independent. (Harrisonburg, La.) 1853-18??, 1854-03-29

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what direction to turn"
"The roof Of the mansion shows above Il
trees" replied she, rising and stretching OIL
her pretty hand.
Il might have guessed So" said the stral
e ger, whose accent was but slightly foreign
e and this is but bad excuse for speakin
to you. 1t is more frank to say, that l wa
n surprised at seeing so much beauty and grac
t buried in this sequestered valley, .and coul
mot pass on without learning who you ma
e be-"
al Flattery flies to the heart as swiftly as elet
+ tricity along the wire. The maiden hlushet
!, and drew off but slightly Florence May,
, said she, is known to the whole valley, an
will not be made sport of nor molested with
out finding defenders"
Was this affected fear cunning device 70
) telling her name without seeming to answc
, an unauthorized question!
"Child," replied the stranger, who per
: haps took this view n the matter, for h
smiled, though kindly, "you may count OF
me as one of the defenders. For the presen
let me thank you, and say farewell,
With these words, and somewhat forma
bow, he turned and went across the fields
leaving Florence bewildered, almost breath
less, with surprise and excitement, and, te
confess the truth, not little piqued that hel
lruse, if ruse it was, had brought the dialogue
to so abrupt termination. She had no wish
to parley with strangers. Her mother had
expressly warned her not to do SO. What a
famous. opportunity thrown away to exhibit
the rgidness Of her sense of duty! Indeed,
there had been so little merit on her part,
that the stranger, if he had rightly read her
countenance, might pretend that the forbear-
ance had been all on bis side. Of course,
she would have gained the victory in the end;
but how much more dramatic if her prudence
had been put to seyerer test!
-
And yet there she is at her place again,
thinking Of yesterdays meeting; and--by the
bowsof Eros there is be, too, wandering
accidentally in the same direction with his
sketch book under his arm. We had no
business to be eaves-dropping but "a con-
cealed fault is half pardoned." We were
invisible, and heard every word they said
It should all be set down here, but it was
dreadful nonsense, at least what Ne said for
she, partly in coquetry perhaps, and partly
in pride aud Przfrnur, .uczcncf1ru nersen ue-
hind the rampant Of her maiden modesty,
and answered only-by listening.
The young man was in state of tempora-
ry insanity; at least, if one might believe his
words. Like all lovers, he professed to have
skill in physiognomy. He asked no infor-
nation about Florence, did not care who she
was or where she came from; all he wanted
to know was, whether she was free. He
spoke eloquently and with sufficient respect.
The young girl more than once felt her heart
melt; and it was a great exertion for her at
length to reply, that her mother was away,
and that she could not listen to another word |
without her knowledge and sanction.
She did listen, however, for he went on
talking interminably. According to his ac-
count, he was an artist who had studied many |
years at Rome but he did not say whether
he was Of English origin or not, and, Of course
Florence could not ask the question. This
would have been to avow stronger interest
in him than consisted with her views. We
should have liked her better, perhaps, had
,he been more frank and sartless. Yet, after
al, her conduct was not at this time an i'm
age of her character, but arose from q strug-
gle between her own simplicity and her re-
collection Of her mothers warnings.
It is needless to say that, after many hesi-
ations, she now invariably went every day
o her accustomed seat. This might be in
erpreted into giving rendezvous; but she
lad prescriptive right to the place, and
Why should she be driven from it by an IN
rusive, impertinent stranger Impertinent!
Nay, not 30; nothing could bc more reserved
md respectful than his demeanor; and if he
vas really in earnest and if he turned out
o. be respectable man, why-perhaps it
pssJ3 - 6f ysa.s, Ia resif
.ulse his advances. Matrimony was indeed, Il
hey had told her, an awful responsibility III
'ut il, BY undergoing il, she could raise her
mother to more comfortable position, would !
not be her duty to make the sacrificed II
Matters went on in this way for several q
lays, and Florence began to wait impatiently {
81 the arrival Of her mother, to whom she i
night relate all that had passed. Angelo
perhaps, to more easy conqueats, It
ras irritated by her cold caution, not know '
ng that hers was the hypocrisy Of duty. He =
nee even went 30 far a. to say, that he II
lamed himself for wasting time with cal !
ulating village coquette, and, rising, depart Ia
d with formal salute. Florences bosom lt
eaved with emotion, tears started TO her Ii
yes, her lips trembled, and she was on the III
oint Of periling III her prospects Ly calling .
- back. But BY . prodigious effort of Il,
II she restrained herself. and kept her eyes Ii
xnY fixed on the ground until the sound ofl 2