True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-05-23
2. RAGAN, Editor and Proprietor

upon me rs belonging 10 the lalnlly, ana
act without restraint; for l assure you,
the thought would be far from pleasant
did I think I interfered in the slightest de-
gree with your settled habits. Miss Edith,
you did right to send me such reminder
at the outset, and I assure you I will be
more careful in the future"
A CLEAN of light, like lurking smile,
might be- detected in the arch eyes of
Edith, as she received this apology from
Lennard. And he thought, without, how
ever, giving utterance to it, "What a be-
witching little fairy" Edith Morton,
though she had not reached the age of
sixteen, was an exquisite specimen of girl
ish beauty, as impossible to resist as de-
scribe. Her charm did not lie in her reg
ular features, golden ringlets, or beauti-
fully moulded and sylph-like form; though
each and every one of these adjuncts to
female loveliness she possessed in a pre-
eminent degree, but her expression-arch,
spirituelh! IT'S useless to endcavor to
convey an idea of the impression she must
have made on you, with those divine eyes,
lit up in their blue depths, with the sun
light of her merry heart, or the piquant
expression of her rosy mouth, whose deep
ly-tintcd portals, when wreathed with one
of her infectious, heart-beaming smiles,
disclosing white, even, little pearls, as
Jonathan Slick says, shining like a mouth
ful of "chcred cocoa-nut." Shy before
strangers, from her secluded life, she was
the life of the circle in which she was
known, and loved. Full of mischief, and
the ringleader in every schoolgirl frolc,
her ringing, mellow laugh, often echoed
through the play ground of the village
school, or singing merrily, as she was borne
aloft in the swing, or dancing like fairy
on the green. Many were the boy-lovers
who bowed at her shrine, with their SIM
pie, heartfelt offerings; but none felt them
selves signally favored-for, young as she
was, she seemed to have erected, stand
ard of excellence in her own mind, and
her ideal hero was alone the loved.
Charles Lennard soon made himself
perfectly at home with Mrs. Morton and
Edith and his first evening with them
passed pleasantly enough to him. He fell
himself much attracted by her exquisite
beauty; and, as their acquaintanship pro-
crossed, when her mother left the room on
household duties, he was much amused by
her piquant and original replies to his ques
tions. He found her, too, not uneducated
and, young as she was, reader and lovel
of many of his own favorite poets. Al
the close of the evening, Mrs. Morton re
quested Edith to sing, and, with startled
look toward Lennard, she left her seat tt
get the guitar from its case.
"Mother, 'tis dreadfully out of tune,
she said in tone of entreaty. .
"Well, Edith, that is soon remedied b,
your wiN So, my daughter, do not maxi
any further excuse, but sing to me as usu
al. Mr.. Lennard will excuse the fault
when he sees how willing you are to obligc.
: Edith bent low over the instrument a
she tuned it, and looking up into her moth
er's face, as if her shyness was not yc
D overcome, waited for that mother to tel
her to commence.
A care you ready? well, play then m
4 favorite."
? And though the young voice was trem
0 bling, and not well drilled, yet she wal
/ bled her "wood notes Wild with marvel
Q Gus sweetness; and she blushed with pleas
e ure at Lcnnard's seeming enjoyment
= her simple music; and her "good night
: to him was as charming as to an acqualr
e tance of longer date, accompanied as
g was by such sweet smile.
;, "What a nice little wife she will max
v for some one, in days to come" though
he, as standing by the window overlool
|, ing the garden, he found himself musln
e on the singularly graceful and beautlt'
!, child whom he had left.
!; Charles Lennard had no idea at that m
n ment of ever loving Edith Morton 81
n was too young, too uniformed in mind
y comprehend him, and to follow, as kl
m dred spirit, through the abstruse and
= most trancendental range of thought,
D. which he often loved to engage. Delica
nr in health as in organization, he contents