Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-09-03
D THOBURN EDITOR & PROPRIETOR.

! Die Orotner Tom. he was winning neT
body and soul. Like bird within the goi
/ geous fascination of snake sat that help
less victim of my rural exquisite. Sh
scarcely dared to raise her eyes even to mis-
and when she did, they seemed to glanct
/ with furtiye entreaty occasionally to mine
as il to impiore a rescue from the too hand
some and remOrseless ensnarer of her youn,
heart An appel to me! |, who dared no
dream of the wealth of happiness in whicl
Tom was reveling with extravagant delight
How could be possibly talk to her as he did
What magic did he possess by which t.
preserve the cool, imperturbable ease o
heat, and mind, and tongue, while, as verl
well knew, he was her most devoted slave
cious 3ewel, cenfidence-I was about to sal
impudence-as would enable me only to ap
proach and share with Tom tiihe of tina
sweet converse which was all his own. Ant
Il trembled as | confess it-a twinge o
something, like the first turn of screw ap
piled to the poor wretch upon the rack
thrilled about the fbres of my heart, and
contracted the muscles of my chest. There
was momentary sense OF suffoca:ion, and
an almost audible 2ord, JEALOUSY!
JealOusy-and of my brother Tom.
knew then my fate. | saw it palpabiy be-
fore me. There was nothing for me but
flight, and that without a pause. For the
first time IN my life my home had suffered
an abatement Of It's sacred influence. Ma
home! no, it was no longer home to me-
Nothing less than 'the wide. wide world
could now and hencelorth be a home to me.
Tom came into our room that might've
had always slept in the same room
Fred, my dear Fred, is she no: beautiful!
| could not have believed it. She was a
lovely little witch when | saw her four
years ago, but now she is positively en-
chanting!'
"A little witch!' it was sacri!sge to talk
so. did not say it-merely thought it.
Did you observe bow completely | was
captivated by her-most hopelessly enam-
oredr
Il did not observe that | said; 'but
thought she was-f -fasci-that is, delight
may say, at least, uery much pleased with
you The>fact is, hesitated at too strong
an expression; thing | had never done
about my brother Tom before. And that
hesitation-I really felt as if it were verg-
ing on lratricide. And it was a sort O. a
lie, too; for knew that she was sfrigh;fully'
in love with him, and would certainly per-
ish if she lost him.
PLEASED, was she! He took it calmly
enough. Honest fellow, he even attributed
that to my partiality. 'Ah! Fred, yeu fatter
ne, fear. But really think she was
little pleased, or something of the sort. AT
all events, she did not look at Gus twice
after he was seated. She only looked oc-
cas:ora!ly at you, and SO that's al right
sAt me- said. hastily. dtsclaimng such
a fancy. 'At me, Tom! Well that is
pleasantly. Why she does not know that
there is such fellow as l in existence
sOh! does she not! You would think
otherwise if You had heard how she spoke
of the cool intrepidi,y with which you risked
your life for hers; and of the cay, unas-
suming grace with which you--'.
Tom, no more of that-no more,' said.
almost passionately, for my blood began TO
leap along my veins with unnatural alacrity.
''Pon my word, Fred, would give some.
thing handsome to have that affair OF the
carriage for basis to go upon--a point
d 'appui from which to assail her heart.
Whv, she referred to it half dozen times,
and looked toward you with the most-sis
terly sort of affection. am sure she will
always esteem you as the best of brothers,
.Sisterly affection!' The best of broth
ers!' What pleasant phrases in their pro-
per association! What hideous, hateful
thoughts and fancies they conjured up with
in my brain! No, no, could not bear it.
Fly, must. Fly! and wherefore? No,
will perish here. Life were worthless
thing Without her. will die, if must, al
the very altar side. And so determined
to give to the heartless world one proof, at
least, of that love which knows no alterna-
tive but death!
A month had passed. and the two fair en-
slavers of three aspiring youths still tarried
at my fathers house. fe; my doom, as it
were, under the relentless hand of some in
visible power. gradually, but surely closing
upon me. Tom and Adela were compan-
ions in the morning walk and the afternoon
drive. Webster and Jane were similarly
associated, as | saw, and believed was the
necessary consequence of TOMS devotion
to the charming Adela. Half dozen times,
perhaps, Tom had confded to me the special
charge of beloved, assured that she was safe
from his dreaded rival while in my hands
And Webster, as if conscious of the trust
thus devoived upon me, never obtruted upon
US, or seemed disposed TO abate his atten-
tions to Jane; although | felt that he was
suffering an intense privation. For me
ahI those were seasons of paradisiacal de-
light. Yet | discovered that Ade.a was
less free and familiar with me than with
Tom. At times. she even seemed embar-
raised; and again, there was a tenderness
in her tone that thrilled my spirit with an
agony of Joy. We could readily find con-
genial themes Of conversation, and | soon
felt that she was well informed upon the
most interesting subjects. Easily rising
above commonplace remark, we engaged
each other in pleasant discussion OF the hit
erary world; and she glded amidst the beau
ties and graces of letters and art with the
ease and familiarity of Flora in conserva-
tory of the choicest flowers. Upon one
theme she was always reserved, and that
was, my praises of my brother Tom. She
would calmly assent 10 some general appre-
citation of him, and then adroitly change
the subject. And l. the guilt that was
| in my hear.-would as adroitly thrust him
before us, verify believe oaly TO test the
spirit with which she put him aside -
Alas. II wrung my heart with the con
vc;ion that the deicacy of her love only
insisted upon holding the lover as forbid
den subject of remark.
One evening Tom had driven to the sta
tion to receive some parcels for the house
and we walked in the sunset by the road.
side mile or two to meet him. Webster
and Tana uera Somp distance in odvopco nj