The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-03-18

TO De tne process OF makl0S love, ana
drinking in love, in kind of esthctical
manner. had at that time very full
and, some said, fine baritone voice.
Well, can assure my reader, that it
occasionally grew inaudible from emo
tion, when 1 looked at my two lovely
companions and Henriette had fire.
quently turned around to chide me for
want of decision in the time of the
piece we were performing.
Now, it will naturally be asked, which
of the two sisters had subjugated my
heart? Alas here my infrmity per-
picked me more than ever ! am
ashamed to confess it, but did not yet
know which I loved best of the two
How could I decide between two such
enchantresses If one moment the
spirited flashes of Henriette's converse
ton showed me what treasure she
would prove, as wife, to an undecided
man, the next moment, Sophie's melting
sweetness made it seem yet more en-
viable fate to be united to her. It was
this continual struggle in my own mind
that gave rise to the musical hesitations
that brought down, reproof upon me
from Henriette-who was quite her
fathers daughter in all matters of pune
tuality; so that, when was bent on ex-
ecuting my part faultlessly, was
obliged to turn away from the sisters,
and to look up at the colonel's portrait,
on which occasions I generally was re-
warded, by hearing Sophie say, " How
we'll cousin Sebastian sung thatl''
Time few past-but too rapidly
Weeks had been prolonged to months;
and the colonel, either from degree of
patience 1 cannot sufficiently thank him
for, or, perhaps, because he imagined all
was arranged between one of his daugh-
ters and myself, and that we enjoyed, as
lovers do, keeping up little mystery,
lst me have my way undisturbed. At
the end of about four months, however,
the colonel said one day, in pleasant
tone, to us all three. "Well, children,
when are we to have wedding p"
It was kindly. meant; and, indeed,
from my manner, he could not but have
deduced that ] was in love with one of
his daughters, and he thought to help
me through the difficulty of final de-
mand in marriage. But the effects were
quite different to his anticipatiens. The
girls blushed scarlet up to the roots of
their hair, and ran out of the room
and, as to myself, had thunderbolt
fallen at my feet, I could not have look
ed more confounded.
"What's the meaning of this ?" said
he, in his abrupt voice. Then, finding
1 returned no answer, he hurried into
the garden after his fugitive daughters,
crying out "Halt " in a tone of COM
mand, when Henriette Immediately obey
ed the signal, and turned back to give
the required explanation, while Sophie
ran away to hide herself in the kitchen
garden. sa.= -- -. .r-
I would have given worlds at that
moment to have been able to decide
which sister I should propose for, but I
could not. The moment I inclined to-
wards the eldest, the charms of the
youngest rose up to overthrow my half
formed resolution. What hope was there
that I should not repent after taking an
irrevocable step, and thinking I might
have been happier with the other, let me
choose which I would ? I spent a few
hours in a state of indescribable misery,
yet without coming to any result. The
girls did uotappear again that day, and
supped alone with the colonel, who told
me he was going to take his daughters
to town in day or two. This was tan
tamount to bidding me leave the house,
and I reluctantly announced my depar-
ture for the morrow.
The colonel said not word Of re-
proach, but he naturally thought 1 had
been trifing with his d:ughters; and
the moment he had learned from the
th,speaking Henriette that no de-
claration of love had been made to eth
er sister, in spite of my evident admira-
tion of both, be thought it high time to
remove them from the society of such
general lover, who might win their af
fections, yet never make up his mind to
marry either. I believe he had reason
to fear that perhaps Sophie had already
fancied she was the object of my choice,
which rendered him the more prompt in
his measures. ....---,
The next day 1 left Altenburg Cas-
tie, with heavy heart. It was like be-
ing turned out of paradise. 1 might
have spoken word and been happy
How many men in my position would
have spoken it merely for the pecuniary
advantage it would have brought? II
was not. however, interested; this 1 must
say, for my own consolation, however
blamable my conduct might be in other
respects; and true to my usual indecis-
ion, I said nothing, hoping that time
and reflection would enable me to make
up my mind, when removed from the
charmed circle of such attractive girls.
Fool that was mot tn know that whore