Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-08-16

voted attendant, and yet never had he
breathed In her ear one word of love. He
dared not thus Familiarity approach into the
statesque majesty pf her presence. And
yet Edith Trevanipn had resolved to be his
wife. She was not ignorant Of the circum-
stances under which he had married. She
knew that her chidren, if she had any,
must be portionles, and more yet she did
not love Harold DE- Wilton. But it was
inexpressibly gallitg to her proud spirit to
be the recipient of charity, and as such she
could not avoid considering herself, despite
Sophie's earnest 1--we and disinterested
friendship. Her position was well known, |
both in Virginia andat the capital, and
many who would otherwise have been her
suitors, on this account stood aloof from
her, and she, though she passed s1aVpday on
turning afar-of the glance of her he eyes,
yet saw and felt all these Sights INST acute
ly. But by a marriage with SeIAtor De
Wilton she could Immediately plae herself
in position scarcely second to any in the
land, and become as much the sbiect Of
homage, as she had formerly been the re-
cipient of indifference.
For each and all of these reasons she de-
termined, as [ have said, to become the
wife Of her high-born admirer, and this was
why she had made the months of his pro-
baton so very long-Why she had treated
him with such studied coldness. She was
poor and proud, and she would not be won
unsought-she would make him feel that
she only conferred an obligation upon him,
and she succeeded. At last the time SEEM
ed ripe for a declaration, and she very easi-
ly managed that Mrs. Floyed should be O.
bhged to leave a pleasant party, at the very
time when she was engaged for six cotil-
lions; and Mr. De Wilton he;Rg sosmaeh-
the friend of the family, nothing was more
natural than that he should offer his car
riage to escort her home.
Moved by the unusual graciousness of
hermanner, he proposed, and was accepted !;
but still, when he pleaded for an early mar
riage, the strange girl would answer, not
yet and it was SIX months ere he could
win her rosy lips to name the day.
Then he left her side and hastened home
to ascertain, by personal inspection, that
his steward and housekeeper had arranged
all things in fit order for the reception OF
his beautiful bride, and then it was, that
bidding his Aymee goodbye, he remarked,
A few weeks, and my little girl shall
haze MOTHER
Aymee De Wilton was now fair child
Of seven, and the one great grief of hel
heart had always been that she was moth
erless. Elsie, her quadroon nurse, hac
often led her. into the pleasant library, anc
! drawing swuy UurUoin frv.--vA DeppfTv7- or,
picture of a. fair, happy-looking, blue eyec
girl, had lifted the little one up to lool
upon it, and told her the story of that gen
= tie mother, who died that she might live
|, But of late, by her fathers express request
Elsie had changed the theme from the dea,
p mother in the churchyard, to the beautiful
. living mother, who was so soon to becom
~ the mistress of Willow Dale. And brigh
- light stole into Aymee De Wilton's larg
. blue eyes, and new JOY rang out with tn
= clear, rich tones Of her childish laugh
! Sweet little Aymee!
3 The master of Wfllow-Dale bade his Ii
al tie daughter good bye, and turned from th
3. door Of his splendid mansion with a vii
ID JOY lying warm at his heart. He had me-
D. er dreamed but that Edith Travanion love
t, him, and yet beyond her graceful and dil
fe nifed acceptance of his suit, he had notl
h. ing to warrant this belief. Never once, ha
d. those proudly-curved lips beer, pressed
d. his own-never had the e~fairS peatthh=ilil iii
~ cheek cri1nsoned at his approach. or Il
er small hand trembled in his clasp. Butl
heart thrilled now, for he was dreamil
tn that in few days more, that proud, state
tn beauty would be all his own-that |
to would be the right to clasp that gracet
as waist, to look into those dark eyes, a
re- something whispered that the cold music
,e. her silver voice would soften into tend
he ness, when the name she called was /
tlv husbands. And yet dream on! So
le- enough will come the awakening.
ZEN [To BE CONTINUED.