True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-01-18
STEUBENVILLE, THURSDAY JANUARY 49, 1866.

which she received, and which had sup
posed came from her brother, were mostly
from devoted lover. With her face hid
den on my shoulder, Sophie first told me
her tale of love. 1t had been an arranged
matter from childhood by his or her friends,
Sophie hardly knew which, but she did
know that "Willard Raymond" the chosen
one, surpassed all others for goodness and
every virtue. "When once SEEM" she
said, "none could fail to love him." and
so she would talk of him with all the fer
vor of which her young heart was capable.
With what glow of rapture also would
she receive his letters, those white-winged
messengers so dear to the absent These
she would sometimes, though not always,
show to me. must confess that in their
strain there was a something which struck
me more like the letters of brother to q
younger sister, than Of a lover to a be-
trothed bride. At least they would not
have satisfied my jealous heart, With So
phie's enthusiasm for Raymond, mingled
the most devoted love for her brother Her.
bert, of whom she never tired discoursing.
The second year of my stay at Madame
As glided away swiftly and pleasant
ly. Sophie had invited me to spend the
coming vacation with her; but she was
called home suddenly just before the close
of The session, by the illness of her mother,
and so l spent my vacation as usual amid
the dullness of deserted rooms. l was by
this time in my eighteenth year, and was
as my fattering glass assured me, much
improved in personal appearance. This
thought gave me much pleasure. Anc
why did I so prize beauty? I, who was
said to have talents, and to excel in almos
everything. I had existed so long in al
atmosphere of romance, that it became
necessary to my happiness to be admired
and beauty, l knew, Or rather believed
was the surest road to this
At last Sophie returned, but clad il
mourning. folded her to my heart will
a renewed VOW to love and cherish her
inwardly resolving that no shadow, whicl
my hand could avert, should ever rest o.
that fair brow. She seemed now alway
depressed. She had not seen her lovel
she said, who was unavoidably absent, bu
she still received letters from him occasion
ally, though not as frequently as hereto
fore.
And what had become of my unknow
hero? I had never seen him agair
, though his vision still haunted my dreams
and when Sophie would tell me of he
! brother, and express her hopes that ou
S fate might be united, I would gently child
f her, telling her that my heart was alread
/ filed with an idea that none other coul
e replace and then I would take her to tt
a fairy spring, and describe the intervie
v with the unknown knight; and she woul
y laugh, and say it was pity indeed that
o romantic an adventure should have no S
n quel.
Y Her health, never firm, meantime faile
l. I was often startled by bright hect
:, flush, and at last secretly wrote to her fat
f er, telling him my fears. He came
= soon as possible. He was much shock,
at her appearance, but betrayed no une
i siness before Sophie. He told her, ho
a. ever, that, as the season was so soon
k close, he had come to take us both hor
to his Southern home. Sophie flew
!! Madame A to beg of her to let /
n accompany her; the request was granite,
\, and so our happiness was complete,
s, As we approached the "rose-twin
j. cottage" which Sophie had often desc
r, bed, and I saw the bright, vivid green
m the shadowy elms, and the almost pathl'
" shrubbery, gay with roses of every hue
lie no longer wondered at her enthusiasm,
lie Sophie's brother came out to meet us.
e, thought, "Sophie has not exaggerated
IS for in as much as l could Judge in I
re gathering twilight, he was tall, handson
X and commanding-looking How mu
n love, too, was expressed in the embrace
"a which he folded her again and again to
er heart. How pleasant also was the "
of come which he extended to "Sophi
IN friend, as he called me.
lc- Weeks of quiet happiness passed
,e- Sophie seemed much better. Moth
ne could exceed the devotion of her brot
rd to her wishes; he anticipated her cv
ed want, he gathered for her the fairest a
ere srs. To me he was attentive and pol