Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1854-04-24
"only a Bit of HARMLESS Flirting.
Ely VIRGINIA +. TOWNSEND.

Hat was dIt-HdS ~, eli! IOW very
complacently you speak il, my good sir,
with that hali-sneer curling your NOUS
tached lip, and that most approved twirl
of your walking stick, which you learned
with your Euclid last year.
And SO it was ''onls bit Of harmless
flirting" just by way of relaxation from
your heal,hinjuring studies, suppose,
when you sat night after night i'll the fire
shine Of the pleasant little parlor, watching
the bushes which driited over the sweet,
half-drooping face by your side' Nothing
more thau this, when you hinged those
soft, flowing :urls round your fingers. or
your arm glided round the girlish waist,
and the little trembling hand which was
lifted with dcprecatory movement, was
caught and held a half-unwilllng prisoner
in your stronger grasp And then, (you
remember il, what low, sweet words you
used to Whisper in her ear. just before
parting, as YOU stood together u the dion
" lighted hall, aud how full Of grace and
respectful fondness was the manner in
which you bent down your lips to the fair
young forehead
And then Ibid you learn it by practis-
ing at your mirror') what language there
was in your eyes, when the soft, dark ones
Of your companions were sometimes lifted
to your own Ia language such as your
lips could never have spoken, for no words
could recognize the love, the devotion
which seemed telegraphed straight from
your heart to your glances!
What charming moonlight rambes you
used TO have, too. How the light arm
that lay on your own would tremble as
vow pressed it, and murmured sentiment
tal scraps Of poetry which you had gather
ed from Bryant aud Byron, Longfellow
and Landon! And | am not sure you did
not at such times, for the moment, forget
there was such word as Il ring in your
vocabulary. There was somewhat in the
serene, searching glances Of those sumnsey
stars, somewhat in the white, solemn
moonli ght, which lay above and beneath
on. that in spite al yourself. brought 9
gale OF holier memories, tide of higher
and nobler emotions into your soul.
You havn't forgotten, either. those long
summer afternoon rides, with the great
play ful arms Of the :rees crossed above
you-no, the twillghts passed under the
broad, vine-wr apped portico, ror the
songs she sang you while you stood by the
piano and turned over the leaves OF heI
music. solicited one, just one more ofthose
exquisite little love lyrics Of Moore's, say
| ing with that glance Of yours, and you
know just the right time to give it effect
..that the sweet words would sound much
sweeter il they came to your ear through
the medium OF one voice"
You know she loved you. There now
don't eiongate your features: with that look
Of innocent surprise or meek resignedAess
Just as though the idea mad never entered
your Uranium, and the thought pevel
licked your vanity before. You know.
saw that she loved you-that her hear
! would quicken at the sound Of your foot
fall, aud the blush that she could NOT con
ceai. flash into her cheek at the tones o
vour dice. You know that during thos'
lang two wears you were drawing tighteI
and TIGHTER around the heart OF you
youag and unsuspecting victim, the chains
| from which she could never release hersel
without suffering which, might be to he
greater than that of death. Don't tell INT
vnur intentions were harmless, you hevel
proposed, never told her you loved her
and all that sort OF thing. You did tel
her you loved her, aye, a thousand tIme
YOU told this, by tone and deed, and look
lust as emphatieally as though your lip
| had sworn it.
Aud then. how calmly, how coprteousl.
at the last you said farewell 70 her, wish
ing her that lifetime Of happiness whicl
uour work had forever blasted,