The Panola star. ([Panola] Panola County, Miss.) 1856-1857, 1856-08-06

what his opinion of waltzing had always
been. There was little difference after
all in their degrees Of wretchedness, only
Augusta was the bravest of the two.-
She had been stung to the quick by his
words at parting. She felt that she
would not have so parted from him, even
at the risk of her fathers bitterest dis
pleasure and it CALLED her to think that
he could give her up.
So she sped round and round in the
gay dance, laughing and smiling to keep
from crying, and with an unnatural color
on her check, that told of some wild ex-
citemcnt laboring within. She had caught
sight of Langdon, whose haggard face,
presented suddenly to her gaze, nearly
made her faint-and yet she bore up even
under that. In n few moments he had
rallied and joined the dancers. His part
ner was very young girl-scarcelv more
than child-but he paid her the most
marked attention, which was not lost upon
the watchful Augusta.
In less than week she heard it conf
IDENTIFY reported that he was engaged to
this very Miss Huntington, who was an
heircss in expectancy Of large fortune.
RumOr in this case proved true; for in
a very short time the marriage was record
cd in the newspapers. Augusta read it
with pang, which even her father must
have pitied her for, had he known it; but
that evening she again joined one of the
gayest parties of the. season, and her
spirits seemed so genuine, that no one
doubted their reality. 1t was about an
hour after her own entrance, that she saw
him come in with his bride. Augusta was
convinced that he had sought wife who
should be the very opposite Of herself,
and she reioiced at this. The bride was
simple, childish, and untutored. He paid
very little attention to her, and seemed
absorbed in thought. Augusta kept away
from that part of the room, and avoided
them, without appearing to designit. But
she had strained the cord somewhat too
tightly. She could bear it no longer
Her ihdisposition was supposed to arise
from the heat of the room, and she was
carried out into the air. That evening
was the last time that she ventured to
sport with the misery she endured.
She became gloomy and i'll. Her father
saw his error when it was too late. Now
that he saw her in this state, he would
have recalled LanSdon, had not Langdon
himself set the seal to their parting for
ever.
Mr.. Harley, widower, old, disagreed
! bic, but rich, wished to marry Augusta.
| She consented passively. Her acceptance
almost shocked even her father. lie had
ne idea that she would marry him, but as
she chose it, he could not of course deny
her right 10 do so, 1t was a melancholy
wedding, in which the bride neither blush
ed nor smiled. She gave her hand me-
| chanicalIy, and her heart was not in it.
| There were some there who thought it a
very sad scene,-nuch more like funeral
than marriage,
She went away with her husband, glad
to leave the place where she had suffered
so much. They visited Europe, and spent
nearly four years abroad. While on their
return, Mr.. Harley was taken i'll and died.
His wife had never loved him, but she
| c,l l. L. 81, fha mt
attentions he had bestowed on her. He
had never suspected that she had pre-
vious attachment, and died unconscious
of her Indifference.
She returned to find her father broken
down in health, spirits and fortune. Every
thing had gone wrong with him; he was
literally a beggar. She never asked for
Langdon. and no one named him to her.
She could not bear the remembrances that
crowded upon her; and after placing the
family in better circumstances, she went
to Washington to pass the winter with a
friend whom she knew abroad.
One night they went to a lecture before
some literary society; and when the first
word of the speaker fell upon the ear,
Augusta started and turned pale. 1t was
voice she had never forgotten-the voice
of Walter Langdon. For two hours he
kept the audience at the highest point of
interest, and ceased amidst the strongest
demonstrations of applause. AS ne bow
ed to the assembly, his gaze encountered
Mrs. Harley's face. He knew her, even
in her mourning dress; and for moment
his confusion was apparent, but he soon
recovered himself. He, too, was In deep
mourning. As they passed out he spoke
to the lady who was with her, and asked
permission to call on her the next day
She knew his whole history-not from Mrs.
Harley, who had never mentioned him,
but from himself-and she knew how her
ouest had been mixed up with his life.