Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1854-11-27


seemed almS5t transfgured, So beautifl
was the play of the mental over lie ply.
ical transcendently glorious was the shnin
of the light Of the thought upon her sa
looking face.
Eva was genius, il is true, but 10
wisely balanced. Her. imagination ha,
been too much INDUCED; the sentimen!a
had been too much cultivated the conse
quence was that life wore 10 her an idea
hue, an iIlusory charm fatal to her peace
George and Eva met that night at til,
Presidents annual levee. He was in rap
lures with Eva. Hei conversation charm
ed him; he was full Of sentiment himsel
end was carried away with hers. Hi
course was not a designed one. He in
tended no evil 70 the daughter Of the poor
needle woman. She was Intellectual
she was the belle of the evening; His de-
votion was but an innocent Irritation, he
thought and argued, without harm to him
self or injury to her. All ! little did he
know Of her nature, and little did he
dream that every tender look he gave and
gentle word he breathed and every feel:
ing he proftssed, were finding a holy
lodgfient III her gtiiefess nature, awaking
feelings which were to cease only wbe I,
the heart ceased its throbbings.
They met often. George admired Eva
perhaps he loved her, but it was mere
pastime. 1t was not dishonorable senti-
ment in the sense Of looking to the ruin
Of the poor girl. We will do George the
justice to say that no Interior end ever
presented itself to his mind yet what
ever the feeling he entertained for Eva
was, it certainly did not look like mar
rage; hence we have called it mere
pastime.
Eva, on the contrary, loved with her
entire woman's nature. 1t was the first
deep passion her poetic sou: had ever felt;
and il possessed her with reserve. She
believed it reciprocated. and therein was
George Sbelden's error-we had almost
said baseneds. His vanity was fatlered.
Besides, he did hot wish to distress Eva
by an a1oWaf Of the truth. persusd,ng
himself that it would Prove an epheffetal
letlins with her-that time and circum-
stances would eradicate it, and that a
gradual estrangement on his part would
produce fofgesfdlness on hers.
A year had passed sihte Eva's gradua-
ton, when George Sheldon and his young
friend, Harry Preston, are seated in the
Office Of their instructor, Judge y:
by the way, George" said Hairy, in
the pauses of conversation, in which
their future prospects had been freely dis
cussed, "what about this Irritation Of ours
with our town. poetess9 Love and Law
have very soft and alliterative sound !;
y ct, my dear fellow. their union will not
be very favorable TO professional success,
am thinking"
"fhe fact is Harry" replied George,
"it has become a more serious affair than
anticipated in the onset
DO you mean p inquired Harry, that
you love EvaT'
"Wtll no. not exactly that. am fond
enough Of the girl, in fact Harry. like
her society rather better than any OF our
fonhg laAies; but am little too old to
slip my head into the matrimonial moose,
where there is so much poverty on both
sides OF the house, as there is in this case"
Eva loves you, George"
"Well, yes, Harry, she does"
"And that love YOU sought" ss.
tAdmittec." .-.s5s5
"And you have professed d teiRfh Of
that affection
IL have"
"And with no view of matrimony ei.
Their ?"
"Come, you are getting inquisitorial.-
But had as well make clean breast OF
it al once. did seek the love Of Miss
Bry an. protested 70 love her-I do love
her and would marry her, If her. circum-
stances were better and family diftftnt.&
As tits, l cannot that's settled. With
Eva IS almost matter Of life. and death !;
At least she thinks SO now, fod need not
look so Black upon me-; | attn d scoundrel
l know, and am not worthy Of Eva YET
| canAot marry her. want 20 let her fall
as easily as possible. have that much
principle left, any way. ihave been cog
itating this matter for weeks, and this i
my conclusion. have all old tniseft,
uncle 10 Nashville, you know, who woult
see me in the clutches Of old Nick befor
he would give me dime. lam going {,
make formal proposition Of marriage L
Eva, on the condition that my wealthy rel
atives sets us up in the world. will writ
Immediately to the old gentleman, givinl
him the state of affairs and demanding hi
aid, which Of course he Will refuse. Tn
result will be that Eva and | will have Il
resign each other. This viii cost Her
few tears: month or 50 Of melancholy
ana then MY tnarriSgG Ms!h some one else
will make II all straight: What cay yol
~ this, old fellow %
Harry e2pos,ulated ana Urged eahaY!
they parted: e3
The PROPOSITION of marriage was made
the uncle written to-his letter contained
as was expected by George, fiat refusal L
help him. Eva, in her woman's devotion
. and trust, pfotfered ~ brave poverty, I,
wait, to do any thing, only that she nigh
hope. George affected 10 be melancho!.
sang those hypocriecal lines
s'pd offer fhs This hand Of mine Ac.n
tore himself from her-aieft her in he
lonliness, pledged her to think Of he
and to bless her in his Mfetched rowing
yet forgetting all for IN less than tweiy
months he was the husbsnd Of an heir
ess.
Z s.,.t.t Z