The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1854-08-02
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,sW0MANs LOVE

s-.ONB Of the Editors of the New Or
leans sPicayune, in recent article ON
the moral culture of the affections, re-
lates the following pretty story: ~.
In the course of our peregrinations,
we were introduced to a family consist
ing of a widow lady and two daughters.
The oldest was about twenty, an exceed
ingly interesting girl, well educated and
possessed of considerable personal at
fractions. In the general demeanor of
the sisters there was a striking contrast,
the youngest one was all gaiety, with a
transparent candor on her features that
enabled you to read her very heart
Every word, every move, evinced some
predominant idea-that she habitually
!" chewed the cud of bitter melancholy"
What that idea was, in a young girl, of
course everybody might divine. After
a time, a little intimacy having sprung
up between US and the widow, the cause
of the melancholy in her eldest daugh-
ter was explained to us. They had been
brought up near a family where there
was a youth of her own age, and recip-
rocal affection was the result of intimacy
between them. The mother only be-
came aware of the state of her daugh-
ter's feelings by the demand for her
hand made by the lover. The position
of the young couple was such, in regard
to worldly affairs, as to render their mar
rage imprudent in the extreme The
widow therefore pointed out to her child
all the evil consequences which it would
entail on her, and the latter, like a sensi-
BILE young woman concurred in the just
ness of her mothers views. It was then
agreed between them to remove from the
scene of danger, and the family accor-
dinghy established themselves at a spot
forty miles of, where we first saw them,
the young lady promised to hold no cor
respondence with the gentleman. Cir
cumstances shortly called us to another
part of the country, and but about nine
months subsequently, we were again
thrown into intercourse with the family
at the said place. Somewhat to our
surprise, We found the widow with her
youngest daughter only, the older had
left her home forever The explanation
was readily given US. 1t happened that
Notwithstanding every effort on the part,
of the young lady, the passion she had
conceived for the companion of her in
fancy could not be eradieated. Her
gloom and dependency daily, hourly in
creased. She uttered no complaint, but
it was plain that memory like a worm
in the bud" preyed upon. her young
heart. Riding one evening in a carriage
with her mother, in the outskirts of the
village where they lived, while the lat
ter was endeaxoring to arouse her mel
ancholy, by ~descanting on the beauties
of nature she suddenly brok out from
her torpor and exclaimed, "look ma, at
yonder oak in the middle of that plow-
ed feldl. I would rather be Morton's
wife and live upon acorns beneath that
tree than be the bride of a princel F"
Struck almost speech1ess by her daugh-
ter's unaccustomed energy, the poor
widow looked at her a moment, and burst
into tears. do you really mean that,
Hetty? Then as there is a living God
you shall have him. 1 am too much of
a woman not to understand you, and 1
will nc longer oppose your wishes "
The two were in an instant locked in
each others arms, weeping tears of love
and gratitude. They returned home in
stantly; aletter was forthwith addressed
to the lover, and the wedding of the
young couple was duly solemnized, with
in a month from that day.