Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1857-08-27
Srlett Missrltunq
lFrOm Harper's WSokly.l
T E M PIT ALTON

Not the beauty that fades in years;
5 not the white neck, and rosy cheek, and
sparkling eye, and ruby lip, and all that
sort of loneliness that poets praise, men
love, and talk of dying for.
Nothing of that kind was the beauty
of Glare Glen. She was tall and nobly
your worship. Her cheek was brown,
her lip was rather pale, her forehead
was not high, her hair was as black as
midnight. 1 can not well describe her
to you so that you can understand her
beauty. If you were to ask me any of
tho ordinary questions about it L should
answer No. Was she graceful? No
but she was majestic. Had she small
hand? No-but her hand was of shape,
and color, and vein-tracing that made it
fit for sceptre. She was one whom,
seeing first in a crowded assembly, you
would pause and gaze at with admira-
ton and respect; whom, seeing alone,
you would feel tho temptation almost
irresistible to spring forward to, and
either bow before her as a superior, or
clasp in your arms as magnificent wo-
man. Do you understand me? No?--
Well, / can not make it better. Glare
Gleu was beautiful.
Close by the old house in which she
lived there was a grove of trees-old
trees, .clms, oaks, and hickOry,-largc
old forest monarchs, through whose
leafy beughs the starlight scarcely pen
ctrated. Ny own home was on the
other side of tho grove, and as it was in
a lonesome eodntry place, | had no fear
of walking there alone in the evening,
or of crossing it to see my friend.
1 had lover. L, plain Elizabeth
Gordon, had lover when loved
But Clare had none. We confded
much in each other; 1 telling her all my
love and all my hopes. had been "a
sad child, almost always sick, almost
always thinking of death. Twice had
looked into the grave so closely that the
damp mould came into my nostrils, and
did not think it chilling or revolving.
BY this you may judge of my mental
condition. Latterly had been more
happy, and when there came to the
house one of my fathers friends, who
spoke gently to me and looking kindly
into my large brown eyes (for had fine
eyes,) / loved him. There is One
! who knows how 1 loved and how 1 love
him.
lie was nearly forty, educated in the
schools of the world, an accomplished
scholar, splendid man. His form was
erect, manly, and noble; his face exceed
ingly fine, commanding respect, and his
whole carriage that of the thoroughly
refined gentleman. 1t was strange that
bespoke gently to me, listened so kindly
to my peevish ways and wishes, yielded
SO to my whims.
I had loved none before but Clare
and my father. was that fathers only
child, and / was motherless. SO my
heart went out with my lover with un-
restrained affection. After 1 knew that
he loved me 1 was brought very low
again by sick kness, and now the grave
was terrible, and the thought of going
all alone to lie in the old church yard
was horror can not tell of.
His love saved me. 1t was that and
only that. l clung to him, and clung
to life for him. He was SO good to me.
He held me in his arms, and laid his
hand on my forehead, and smoothed
back my damp hair, and touched his
lips to my thin temples, and-I shall go
when they told me l was to live and live
for him!
Let me go on with my story calmly.
We were to be married in the fall.
walked one summer evening across the
grove to see Clare, and show her all
dared show her of a letter had from
him that day, promising to be with US
the next morning. Old Jupiter offered
to 60 with me as 1 passed the servants
quarters, but 1 would not let him. l
had pleasant thoughts for safeguard and
company, and went along singing in
a low tone TO myself; for l had no voice
for song at any time, but could please
myself, if no one else by humming over
old tunes as 1 went alone. He used to
ask me to sing for him, but never had
the courage.
And SO went into the dark wood,
and the sharp chirp of the crickets and
the cries of insects drowned my voice
and my step. And suddenly [ heard a
voice close to me in the darkness, just
before me and it thrilled through me;
it was SO like his voice. I remember
the words well even to this day. They