Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-05-07

y painting such a richly-colored picture OF
be delights of the excursion, that she could !
Iot resist the temptation. Lulu knew very
veh that | was in love with her, and that |
vas seeking for an opportunity to tell her SO.
either my tone Of laughing carelessness
lisarmed her suspicious, or she yielded to the
temptation which so frequently as
sails young ladies under the same circum
stances ; and SO she consented, and ran and
got her bonnet, and in ten minutes we were
the boat.
1t was one of those frail little canoes, which
lie upon the water like a leaf of autumn and
had only seats for two-one ia the middle,
where Lulu sat-, and the other at the stern, 5
which now occupied. Obedient to Che sim
gle paddle, the skif plunged her cutwater
into the stream and; ascending the lazy cur
rent thus, we glided past the Lovers Rock"
raising its tall granite peak straight up from
the bed of the stream, to the fir clad heights S
along by the beltof richly v~ariegated oaks
and ches nuts which skirted the stream, and
SO, into the primitive forest,as it were, through
which the current wound and sparkled.
Lulu's brilliant eyes seemed to gather fresh
light from the blue skies and the golden for
est /; and the splendid tints Of autumn COM
municated to her face, it appeared to me-. a
new and more dazzling beauty. We scarce
~ pm ~A4 with Voc O"O ~ 0@R
of the paddle, as / drove on the little boat
the musical, fairly bell-liku chime of the crys-
tai drops which fell from its edges into the
water, as / raised it for a moment into the
air or, perhaps, now and then a snipe or
ployer's cry, or the partridge's whistle from
the up.ands, beyond the belt of the forest.
We assembled the stream thus, until We came
nearly to the ishbaskets, on the Grassland
estate and there, in the midst of a scene of
wild and picturesque beauty, of thick woven
f>liage, brilliant with October and clear rum
ming water mirroring the tall trees, / threw
the paddle into the bottom of the boat, and
permitted the craft to take its own way back
to Belleair. r.g.
and a thousand things, but I think my cow
ardly voice trembled slightly. It's an old
story: I suppose young fellows will go on
being towards to the end of the world, and
will never come to understand that frequent
Z ~ the young damsel has no fonder desire
3 than that they should take courage, and ask
! for the willing prize. I hereby recommend
to my dear grandchildren the adoption of the
, venerable motto: Faint heart never wen
fair lady yet" assuring those dear boys, up-
l on my honor, that bright birds very often
, wish to have themselves Gagged. Perhaps this
S advice may seem strange in connection with
e what follows | nevertheless communicate it.
n But | will proceed.
As the little boat drifted down the stream,
l sat with my eyes fixed upon her lovely face,
: shaking and trembling to my inmost hear
n with the thought of what l designed. Al
yet, / could only try and tell her with my
eyes, that life, without her, would be a mis-
IS cradle farce to me and to this occupation
%assidnously addressed myself.
Lulu did not seem 70 he aware nf nv nrns
ence a dreamy influence seemed to hav
stolen over her, and, pensively leaning he
u head upon her hand, she gazed at the tint
a. of the autumn forest, and murmured: beau
tiful! beautiful!
As she sat thus, supporting her fair bro1
with her white hand, with her dark curl
falling upon her classic neck, l was plunge
~ into such a sea of love, that | could not spea
nc at first, my words fainting at the portal {
IN the lips. At last l mustered courage to ech
re her observation, and murmur Yes, yer
a beautiful"
There must have been something in tt
tone of my voice which sounded strangel,
for Lulu walked up, as it were, from her re
q cry, and fixed her startled eyes upon m
an countenance. It told the whole tale full
ty without a chance of misunderstanding an
is a sudden flush covered her cheeks, and eve
invaded her neck. The ice was. broken, ii
signed of the assault given, the cat release
from the bag. Any of these figures ofspeet
. may be taken as a description of the suddt
change in the face Of affairs. In a nome
= was in possession of Lulu's unappropriat'
hand, with whose assistance | performed
foolish ceremony, common to lovers IN
nth ages, and In the. most rapturous manner
est The following were the terms. in which
did then proceeded to. address my companion :
How can Iconceal it any longer? O
mad Lulu if you only knew how much | love 20
snd Without you, | feel that life to me will bt
ma wretched burden, and unless you love me
,to- will kill myself, and my blood will be up
bile your hands! Oh, Lulu answer me tell
avs that you love me, and will marry me I
hat less you do, Twill be ruined and broken-hea
ing ed, and | will leave my native land, and n
ual- er more return J"
a Ipaused, nearly out of breath, and OF
best saw a blush suffuse Lmlu's face, and /
his frame shake with emotion, as she cove,
and her eyes with her handkerchief.
ung Without you," | continued, life will
evo. nothing but a thunder cloud to me, and
hope will depart Do you, can you doubt
this love If you doubt it, tell me what l ST
tier do to prove it, and if it be to accomplish gr,
i'm er labors than those of Hercules, | will
neg complish them for | feel that the though
last winning you.wll give me a giants strens
Nos Speak, Lulu ! tell me that you love mel
ming me that you will be my wife, and make
happy! | know am not worthy of J
most but your love will make me 80. If you
/ his not mine, care not what may happen to
and. you will have upon your c~onsienC
was ruined life. The thought of having refu
pre- such love as mine will prey upon your S
ating its you will waste away, and perhaps FL
r was ~untimely grave, beside my mouldering
hay- mains. Avoid this dreadful future love
q her in return, and the world will never see a
AS pier pair. Oh, Lulu, answer me, and tel
was | am blest!'
stopped, this time wholly out of bre
/. and and waitedf for a reply. 'Lulu's emotion 81
ed to have overwhelmed her; her face
star. convered, and she shook with emotion.
Don't let your feelings overcome
and, dearest Lulu cried; trying to draw a
n" her hands, your emotlon, under the CIR
t me stances is very natural, and can unders
lit"
e, by Inc hands Tell down q more violent
,apin- vulsion shook LnlH's frame she was
and come with laughter
l have passed through some disagree
NOR scenes in the course of my life, but |
going think ] ever experienced an emotion Of
2 profound me0nness That is the word.
LUIS reception Of my addresses had the
of freezing water throw on a naked and
n this ling watchlI was completely speechless
fehino Lulu laughed for FIVE minutes withor
SER PERMISSION, and then, wiping the tears
her eyes, said, trying to speak gravely
rthnr "Oh cousin Tom! How could you ia
T ovar that way How could you saw such b,