True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-06-13

would break with its wild rapture. This,
then, was love. I could not speak. l
turned my face toward him. My long
lashes veiled the joy beaming in my down.
cast eyes, but the tell-tale cheeks, over
which they dropped, were crimson with
bushes.
"You do love me-" he cried eagerly,
and clasping his arms about me, drew me
close to his beating heart.
"Say the words, lisa, want to hear
them-say Reginald, I love yOu;' nay,
better than that, say Reginald, l will be
your wife "
I looked up timidly from the shelter Of
his arms, scarcely daring to trust my voice
to utter the words for which he waited.
"Reginald," l said, firmly, "deareSt
Reginald, l love you, and will be your
wife"
"Heavcn bless my darling" was the
fervently uttered reply; and then drawing
me still more fondly to his breast, we sat
there for long hour, in an eloquent 81
lence, our hearts thrilling with this new
bliss, whose nectar we had just begun to
quaf. -
II have always loved you since that first
night" he murmured at length, leaning
over me. "Isa, don't you know how beau
tiful you looked then. 1t was something
so new, so fresh, so like one of those Ara
bian tales l used to delight in, to come to
this eyrie-looking house, and find in its
very midst sleeping beauty. And then,
when you sprang to your feet, you were SO
full Of sparkling contrasts, with your olive
complexion, your flashing black eyes, and
your glittering black hair; your crimson
cheeks, and the dress scarcely warmer
or deeper in its hue. You were so unlike
every thing had ever seen before.
almost thought l had gone to sleep iii
England, and woke up in the times of good
Haroun al Raschid, in some palace of the
i Barmecides Ever since then [ have
loved you, and now my beautiful vision is
my very own. This will not last, lisa. ]
am too wildly happy. There will come
some great trouble"
i I laughed at his fears then, and fol
months afterwards, while the short days
Of winter heightened into the spring, ant
the trees in the park grew full Of buds
and blossoms in the early summer. One
day in July I was quite alone. Reginald
had some important business to transact
, and could not see him till the evening
and my father had gone out. There CAM
up fearful storm. All at once the SIX.
grew black as night. The wind moane,
and growled through the trees in the park
: and eyer and anon some fierce fash o
lightning would show me their scathe'
and writhing trunks. Then the solemn
thunder-tones would reverberate, like tn
crash of invisible artillery. Istood in tn
window of my "Queen's chamber" as
g had been accustomed to call my room fror
0 early childhood, watching the storm. Pei
haps had never been more wildly happy
o Every shrek Of the wind fell on my ea
Y like shout of exultation, in which
longed to join. My eyes kindled with
o CLEAN Of delight, and fairly clasped m
hands together in ecstacy. Suddenly tn
|, door of my room was pushed open, an
" my father staggered across the threshold
e | sprang from the window and supporte
him in my arms.
/, Mt has come," he gasped, family. "Tt
l doom-the sudden death. 1t has followe
d me for years-ever since SO deeply wronI
-e ed my beautiful Inez. 1t has come. A
d ways its shadow has been beside me
in the street-in the fields, and here in tn
q, house, where she should have been mi
u tress. Hold me tenderly, lisa. Your lo'
M is my comfort to the last. Look in Il
h casket gave you, should any strive
of take away your heritage. l shall be
er peace now. God has forgiven me, al
in even Inez will not turn away when | stal
by her side in heaven!'
p He was silent for moment-there W
fearful lull in the storm-a deathly sti
d, ness which you could almost see. Not
ne bough shivered even on the aspen trees
er it was hushed-calm.
Id "They are waiting" he whispered, wi
ot look which was too peaceful for terri
ke "Who are waiting, father?"
10, "The spirits-those unseen ones Il
r ride upon the storm. When they me