True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-03-15

sity for something to love-something on
which the busy world had no claim; but
no such flower came to twie its tendrils
round his path-alone, all alone, with a
heart formed for sympathy and compan-
ionship; and what wonder then, if pride
should usurp the place wharc love might
have reigned. Wealth and fame! but
they would not bring to The care.worn
spirit, rest-the blessed rest he longed
for; and many a time, in his onward path
did his step well nigh falter, and his eye
grow dim, when he thought, we're the flu
ture's widest hopes realized, there would
be none but strangers to smile upon him.
There was tiny maiden, with blue eyes
and golden hair, kneeling beside new
made grave, feeling this utter solitude
But of late, loving eyes had bcamed on
her, and kind heart shielded from every
suffering; but now they were hushed in
the quiet tomb, and hencefoth her por-
tion must be cold worlds grudgingly
bestowed charity. The sunlight fell in
bright waves around her, but it did not
warm the heart within. Anon, a stran-
ger stood beside her. and though stern
ness was visible on his brow and in his
eye, the traces seemed more the impress
of suffering than natural hardness, and his
kind tones won the young orphans heart,
and she laid her fair head on his bosom
and sobbed out all her grief.
The busy, restless man, had found a
gem to love-a flower, whose brightness
and fragrance might light his own path
and carefully did he guard it. All the
former aspirations Of his souf were forgot
ten in this one wild, intense dream of
bliss. Each fond word of greeting that
passed her lips-every smile that lit up
her radiant face, was garnered in the
storc-hOuse of memory; and the proud,
talented Allan Everard, knelt to the crea-
ture of his bounty-sued for that which
one word from his lips might have gained
from wealth and beauty-worshipped pas
sionately and truly at the shrine of love;
and the being, who but for him might
have been homeless wanderer, was taken
to his bosom to be loved and cherished
till only death separated,
The world wondered at his choice, and
grieved that one so well calculated to fill
life's busy sphere, should bury the light
of genius in simple cottage; but it mat
tered nothing to him what they said. The
vague dreamings of boyhood were in part
realized-but bliss like this had scarce
been thought of; and when the little one
came, in all its smiling Inconsistencies,
Allan Everard felt that his cup was in
deed brimfull and running over with Gods s
choicest blessings.
A change came over the spirit Of his
dream. There was handsome strange,
at RoSedell, whose eye glittered with fas-
cination, and whose lip spoke strange,
intoxicating language; and skilfully did
he weave a net, strand by strand, for the
fair victim-but Allan Everard saw it not;
only this he read-the wife of his bosom
was changed. When the stranger spoke
of the sparkling gaietv Of the city-its
blazing lights, and undimmed enjoyment
describing its voluptuous splendor il
glowing alteration, Lucy Everards hear
turned from her cottage home, in it
boundless wealth of love, and sighed like
prisoned bird for the gorgeous city
and when her husband turned coldly from
her request for an exchange of homes
and bade her be reconciled to her owl
home, she turned away in tears-not o
sorrow, but anger, and willingly sough
the stranger, whose poisoned tongue hat
infused discomfort in her every vein.
Allan Everard had been walking, and
as he neared his home, he heard the gush
: ing sound of his wife's harp, and listened
to words that had not fell from her lip
3 for many long day; and with softenet
3 tread did he linger at the latticed window
g to catch the light of those features ere tn
expression of the song had faded, but oh
3 how bitter was the disappointment tina
!, awaited him.
Beside his wife knelt the stranger, twi
a ming the long wavy hair round his fingers
and, as the song ceased, her head leanet
s lower and lower, until cheek met cheek
I and the lips murmured low words, Will
r the hands unconsciously sought each other
The husband turned away, and with hui
: ried step sought the forest depths, for hi