Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-08-30
Cguitt gittratnrt.
WILLOW DALE;
W Il I Il 3 sTEP-MoTHER
BY ELLEN LOUISE CHANDLER.
GceNCLUDED.1

ac way 20 her boHdcir. There was ahou+
Cuis apartment kind Of Turkish luxurv
ana repose. Edith throw herselfpeolioeni-
~ down on lounge near the door. adjust
ing the pillows under her Phydian head
anu then, motioning the young man to
low seat beside her, she resumed her dis
course 40 N''-
am not as Odd inyears,1 she remarked.
as are yopy Mr.. Hines, but Heaven has
gwen me quick penetration of character,
aud 4 have seen much Of the world. [
wIitteil You what / should have pictured
tor your spirits bride. She must be beau
dfai, Eoas very soul demands that no. J.
more boauiful perhaps than Aymce, f Jr
CIV 81 Ich could be found this side Ito ly,
I SHOULD have thought of diffe rent
yle 'cf beauty Aymee is gene rous,
Haheartcd child / could have Ancied
bCving q stately and marvelously gifted
nan orc whose beauty and talents were
world's wonder, but who was cold to
sEye you, rs a Swedish glacier. This
,atywoman Ghould have been old enough
knowher 'Sun heart, to love you with
,ohildish devotion, but to yield her whole
uhup in homage to the greatness and no.
n
kind of magnetic at traction for you indi-
iaually. She should be able to influence
on, to lead you on to speak of all your
Ugh and glorious dreams, to win you, for
ler sake, TO show forth to men the most of
heaven you have ia you; to-but pardon
nc, / am.wearying you and making myself
ridiculous. Ireally wasn't aware l hod
such an, undiscovered fund Of romance in
EEy composition
| am snre though, after all, that you
hs.ve chosen better than / should have
sOilesen for you. Aym &c has kind, true
aIaort, ard believe you are so ambitious
otys1rsolf you wall ha rdly need W oman s
jnhRence to aid you to reach your proper
level land now we'll change the subject
,'-kS~rtthTeo hours they sat there. Walter
Hines was entrauced, bewildered he for
got every thing in those hours but Edith.
There wcs = know not what fwild long
ing iu the soul Of Walter Hines, to draw
away those trembling fingers and kiss the
heavy tears from the flushed cheeks, but
Edith DE Wilton was the wife of another,
and he sat watching her, as those suffering
the torture of purgatory might be supposed
to turn longing eyes toward heaven. Soon
by strong effort she calmed herself, and
said humbly, FWill you pardon me, Mr..
Hines, for having so disturbed your am
not wont TO indulge in such weakness
But from my very childhood this loneli-
ness Of heart has tormented me like an un-
.auiet demon, and have borne it all these
wears and never spoken. This is the first
time, and forgive me, but could not helT
IL. II was so new to find one who coulC
at all understand me one TO whom th'
proud Edith De Wilton dared to say sh
was unhappy But come, 90 now to tn
library. Your fancee is there, and Wi
join you presently.
Never before had Walter Hines locke
upon his Aymee's face with 50 little of tel
derness or admiration. The smile wit
which she welcomed him was as sweet {
ever, the light iE her blue eyes was III
.dimmed, aud yet between them came
beautiful spirit Of evil, dark, brilliar
face, irresistible in its magnetism, and
could not look through it, or by it, I'M
the clear eyes of his promised bride. b
Aymee was truth itself, and she nevC
dreamed Of fraud in others. Her mannt
toward him partook Of the same refine
gentleness, her eyes sought his own as col
hdiugy as ever and her little hand lay
his with a changeless faith, And Oh,
sometimes the spell was broke.1a. Som
times he would resolately close his eve
and opening snem, instead of the wei
beauty OF that haunting face, he would S
the pure, pale brow Of his Aymee, and be
her to his heart with remorseless tendt
ness.
lie had spent week at Willow D;
before he found an opportunity to dema
Aymee's hand Of her father and someho
by this time, he himself had lost all inc
uation to hurry the nuptials. Who
had concluded the story of his i "a
stood in the proud eyes of HO~ !; 'ye, T : :
ton, and he said, half sadl' "'olo Do
yes, will trust n Sonabtor 70
keeping gladly, for to1iara uS po,, uSO' oro W
thy Of her, and 8 DC iopes % Won. Thank
pif's love : = "'T''' =
There was an iuexplcable sadness il
tone, which struck the young man as
gular ~ the time, but the impression (
from his mind.
And all this time Walter Hines was b
dered, enchanted, bewitched. His
and soul were true % his first love, bl
eyes had played him false. His eyes
hnger on Edith's staturesque beauty,
turn to meet her bewildering glances
mind ,oould busy itself in fatal C
lures about the cause of her stranI
happiness, and his footsteps without
most seemed, any violation Of his
would linger at her side. But AymeC
heart, never dreamed Of jealousy
was sad sometimes that he so
sought her presence, when she was
but she never dreamed that he had S
in single thought from his faith
her, and she loved on, trusted on.
One day, it was in August, the !
with midsummer glory, and pass
the triumphal march Of a monarch,
his cloud-curtained pavilion in the
1t was afternoon; hot and sultry
Senator De Wilton, entering hi;
6oudoir, remarked that he did not