The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1855-02-14

1 RShoNA4 Ao . 6AoNSA0A ANAAAoAN
form. Noiselessly stealing, with +,
heart bent on mischief, over the softly
cushioned Garth, peeped unseen ovel
the shoulder. But oh how changed
were my feelings then, when Z -eaugbi
a glimpse, through the glossy brown
ringlets, of bright eyes that danced un-
der the shade Of long, dropping lashes
of red lips that parted in hurried breath.
ing while tie white bosom, half revealed
by the negligent morning dress, heav-
ed, painting with exercise, and the flush
upon her cheek, and the sparkle in her
eyes, as the lids slowly opened, showed
that she had only now flung herself to
rest upon her verdant bed The white,
tapering arm reposed upon little bas-
ket, and the fingers toyed languidly
with q bunch of mountain-fowers.-
Amazed, and forgetful of all else, there
I stood, when, with glance, her eyes
met my stupid gaze, and with a slight,
half-frightened scream she was bounding
away before I could think to detain her
but in her haste she fell, and her little
basket rolled, away, and her flowers were
scattered over the ground. Recovering
myself, l sprang forward to her assis-
tance, and helping her to re-gather her
lost treasures, I addressed some little
word of inquiry and re assurance, and
we sat down, with our flowers before US,
to talk over the many little secrets that
lurked among the petals. Thus I be-
gan my acquaintance with her used to
call my Annie, and many sunny hour
we passed together then, and many
lesson did l learn that my heart long
cherished, though all are forgotten now.
Would to God she had never taught me
theml Mr.. Willard, | am. an old man
now, and years and cares have done
their work upon me, and words of love
may seem like strange mockery coming
from lips like mine; but l loved that
girl, and when went back to college
halls, threw aside the many pursuits
that had distractedmy attention ! pored
hour after hour over dusty tones la
bored with might and main to gain dis
tinction in my class, all that might
appear worthy in her eyes, and might
hope soon to earn the hand she promised
me. And believe she loved me; she
told me so; and 1 soon fought my way
to position in which 1 might offer her
competence and happy home; her for
whom alone / ever cared to call such
mine And when all was ready, I went
back to that little village among the
mountains, and told my love that was
ready now to claim her for my own
and she blushed, and she put her hand
in mine, and said it should bo SO, and
the Eext month she would be my bride;
so left her, to prepare home for her
where every bright and pleasant thing
might help to make her happy. And
the day before the appointed wedding
day 1 stood at her cottage door, and
there, was met on the
threshold by group of sad. affrighted
faces, and they told me that the woman
L loved had gon fed with one, they
said, a wealthy, soft-spoken william, who
with cunning words and well-told lies,
aud many hellish arts of gallantry, had
stolen from me the heart of Annie; to
whom she chad sold, for few words of
glowing fattery, all-that ever I loved,
all that ever in my whole life 1 priced
above life itselfl''
As the old mans tale went on, his
voice had lost its tremblous feebleness,
and the eyes, that no longer fell upon
the carpet, blazed under the lowering
eyebrows with frightfu. passion. With
a sweep of his hand he had pushed away
the hali-emptied glass, and his clinched
fist in his vehement agony seemed to
sink deep into the marble slab. The
listener at first had leaned forward in
his eagerness to catch every word now
be fell back into his chair, his fascinated
eyes still following the unconscious
speaker, and cold drops stood thick up
on his forehead, and rolled down his
cheeks in streams. rushed madly
from the door; no sound but one. stun
ming buzz was in my ears !: no sight be-
fore my eyes but one black impenetra-
Bile cloud. / had no thought but of
some crushing evil that had befallen me,
and so fed away, ard knew no more
till / was hundreds of miles from land
and the fresh sea-breeze was blowing up
on my check. For years under my as
umed name, wandered: few climes are
there where have not been, few sorrows
and privations that 1 have not felt since
then. l am wrinkled and gray, and
shattered in body and mind, and life is
stained with many sins For all that
1 am sordid, aud implacable, and vindie-
tive as am, and dead to ever human
feeling; for all this I am indebted to her
whom once 1 loved And now hear an
old man's curse l''eand Phil Hope stood
upright with his trembling right hand
raised to Heaven, the baleful fire fash
ing from beneath his gray and shaggy
brows, his pale cheek CHASTITY with un-
earthly passion, and the thin lip writh-
ing and curling, and bloodless with re-
yenge And how in the terror-stricken
face opposite vas reflected back that
deadly ashen hue, and the dropped jaw
quiyercd in speechless horror, and the
staring eye-balls rolled and glared in
dumb alright "Tenfold for all the
love that ever 1 bore her, for all the
good that ever I wished her, for all the
JOY and gladness I ever hoped to share
with her, upon her head, if she still
lives, upon her children and her child
ren's children return hatred, scorn, and
evil untcil, and sorrow, and dark ,unpit-
wing despair May all the evil that
ever pursued me over the worlds wide
waste, all the deep passion and deep cor
roding suspicious that have preyed upon
my life, may they follow down to the
grave. without end, or one moments
sweet reprieve, Annie Leslie and her
damned paramour. May" stop!
In Gods name, Phillip Stanley. hold
Let fall your curses on the guilty head!"
And Phillip Stanley recoiled at the
sight of his own liyid face so faithfully
rendered back, as the rich merchant
stood with arms ontstreched before
him uTt Villain as vou call me