M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1855-06-01

as worthy OF a true mans heart as-as
Mr.. Lacy is of yours. BY the way, Con
stance, | was very anxious about you
that night he came home, for your man.
ner was rot-not what. were / in his
place, would have satisfied me bat
that was the fOrm woman's caprice
takes with you. have concluded. As
for not loving him at bottom, don't
dare SO TO impugn my noble cousins
heart and UNDERSTANDINGS
Frank talked on long and earnestly
told me the story of his love, re ad me
his letter but heard nothing distinct
ly, understood nothing fully. one fact
\ grasped. that he was going to leave
me o.morrow-going to this darling of
his-and that il had a spark Of digni-
ty and womanly sense left, must ex-
cite it now. | don't know how stood
my martyrdOm; but won its crown
Frank babe me goodbye without sus.
piciontof the the truth.
] ran once more to the solitude of my
chamber. felt ltabaudOned-- PROSTATE.
| flung myself on the bed in transport
of despair Why, | had lost all Had
| been so criminal that my punishment
was so heayyY 'oh, Frankr | cried,
how | have loved you-what life might
have been' Then | reflected, If Mr..
Lacy loved me as loved my cousin,
what fine spirit and nature he had
shown.what taIare gift such heart was,
1t was deeper misery to think was the
cause Of his.
was very i'll after these events, aud
lears Tor my health quite absorbed any
anger my father might have felt at the
disappointment of cherished desire
or perhaps Mr.. Lacy, by his representa-.
tions. had shielded me against it. When
| recovered, people said was very much
altered and so | was. The flush OF
youth was passed | was no; twenty,
but nothing of the childishness of few
months back was left. Frank was mar
rled and Mr., Lacy we never saw, at
least | never saw him. Disappointment
had made life an earnest thing TO me
and taught by its discipline, and charac
ter Of my former lover rose in dignity in
my eyes.
How was it that what had thought
would be a life. long regret-my love
for my couSin--seemed transient emo
tion, Of which the traces grew daily
Geebler. Had sacrificed my happiness
to passing fancy? Or was it that at
my age one cannot long cling to the i'm
possible? Little signifed the seeming
contrariety OF my heart, for the fact re
mained--ii never loved Mr., Lacy be-
fure, loved him now. thought per.
petualy Of the incident Of our brief EN-.
gagement--every word of endearment,
every embrace, had It's hold upon my
memory. recalled his opinions, fran
ing my own stringentIy by them, and
followed his public career so far as
WIS able, aided by my deep knowledge
Of the high principles and motives that
actuated it.
The feeling grew in silence, till my
former love lor Frank was but a child.
dream in comparison. To he ar Mr., Lacy's
name mentioned in connection with
some thing honorable, moved me with a
strange passion of leeling-and he had
loved me Oh did he love me yet?
Time passed, and | long resumed my
former relations with society, and had
met with successes enough to crafty
my heart had vanity been my ruling
passion, or could have ad opted it in
place of the one which was secretly
swapping the fresh springs of life. Sumo
times the IDEA occurred, that it might be
possible, without any compromise oI
womanly dignity, to ascertain his feel,
ings for me, aud if they remained un
changed, TO teach him the change in
mine and then fell into that coloring
ola bright future, which seems TO be
the ordained aud Sisypus-liEe penalty oI
the unhappy.
My chance came at last. Al large
dinner party | unexpectedly met Mr.
Lacy. lie came to me at once; spoke
kindly and gently, as in Iong.past times
but there was nothing to lead to tht
, idea that he stitl loved me; no hesta
tionin the well known voice, no laleh
tenderness in The searching eyes.
could not bear it, aud wished he woult
leage me TO myself, and not torture m
with that cruel friendship At my frs
opportunity, turued from him, and en-
gagged myself in conversation with
gentleman who was we'll known TO b
one Of my suitors. 1t Appeared like CO
quetry, but it was the eagerness of sci
1 mislrust. That evening seemed yer
/ long and insupportably painful. hat
not known how tenaciously had clun
z to hope until it had failed me. Whel
/ Mr. Lacy came forward TO help HE /,
my carriage, | felt | could hardl receiv
the ordinary civility from him wlhou
betTuying myself.
e i was surprised when he begged IL
:, to turn Into an empty room, that "
e passed on our way TO the hall. Con
: stance he said, i was going to ask yo
e when we first met to night, whether
D might resume my old relations in you
| family. Nearly two years have plsset
since we last met. and | thought coul
: bring you back the calm heart Of
S friend 5utyou have so studiously shur
h ed me, that to ask permission now seem
n supertiuous. What am to think +? Hay
d you not forgiven me yet for the mser
It | cost youG
Twas silent. If | could have falle
: at his feet aud sobbed out the truth,