Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1857-08-06

that hope is the last thing That dies out of
the human heart, and that when it dies the
death-bell rings. RnI to hssweet image
that hope painted in my heart, most gladly
I exclaimed
soothe gentle image, sooth my mind;
Tomorrow Levitt may be kind.
tsThen came college days, bright, sunny
days, thai, flow swiftly as weaver's shuttle,
and wrought gorgeous web of fancy and
truth Those days are now forever gone.
A fortnight ago they were ended, and
thought heard gates closing on my soul.
It may have been fancy, but it seemed like
truth During my college life my visits
home were not frequent, on account OF the
great distance intervening; my summer va
cations were spent at the springs and sea-
shore and those of winter in the college-town.
Ambition possessed me, ruling me with a
sceptre of iron. Night and day strove for
honors, but my heart was aching. The
laurels could not fill the void. Commend
to me as the best example of misery that
man who wears laurel and myrtle on his
brow, while his heart is dry parched, crack
ling in wide fssures for want Of the dew of
love.
''Last summer I went backato Che old
homestead. with its many -acred felds, with
deep woods, and odorous gardens, with
much Of the feeling which an exile bears in
his heart towards his long-loved home
Things were not greatly changed, and me-
mory could readily reproduce the same state
of affairs that existed years before. Those
loved ones who dwelt beneath the home
roof were the same as when I babe them
adieu, save few gray hairs that frosted on
revered heads, and the fuller blown bloom
of sisters womanhood. The change was
most striking to me. The blithe boy had
grown into an ambitious, restless man, who
was almost maddened by the impetuous
blood of ne-and twenty. As for Julia,
she was still kind and pleasant, but very
different from the gentle, sympathizing spir
it, who was guardian angel unto my boy
hood. We renewed again the pleasant
intercourse Of the past, sometimes stroll
ing forth in the sweet morning when the
dew was on the grass and the birds were
piping on the spray, until her silver-trebled
laughter shook the air with its delicious
trills or haunting like spirits the dells and
steams where we were wont to loiter through
the summer days Tapped on. violet-mounds
and primrose banks. She praised me for the
honors won, (ah! she did not know whose
image pointed the students eyes towards
them, and spurred him onward in the hours
of midnight when the reeling brain and
overtasked body craved repose, and paint
ed pictures of the future, in which stood
forth elad in thesinsignis d greatness, but
my nedTt.that yearned so.for a sweep of her
fingers. She spokeof he Eisnds, mention
ing one Of whom some report had gained
my ears, in a manner that seemed almost
too tender for the relations of ordinary
friendship. Those who have ever been SINH
larly situated can appreciate my feelings
I am willing to acknowledge little jeal-
ousy, for [ believe that no man can piano.
ply his heart against it, and in erotic affairs
it is begotten Of the hottest affections. It
is one Of the spies that love sent out to in
spect the promised land. Happily lift come
back laden with grape-clusters
''One night when the heaven was one
broad dome of cerulean, decked with piles
of snow clouds, Enthusiastically shaped and
ever moving when the moons broad disk
of silver whitened the earth, and the stars
kept holy watch over her sleeping form
just the duplicate of that other ight which
shaped itself into my dream-we walked
out to gather wood-dowers and enjoy the
influences of the season. While we stood
by waterfall our hands had fashioned down
in the wood she told me confdingly great
secret. She was to be married during the
summer. I do not know what said in my
heart, for the blow was terrible in it's UNI
expectedness. A feeling of faintness came
over me SO that was compelled to lean a.
gainst a tree for support. And so strange
~ did l talk, in the struggle to keep my
feelings in check, that she became alarmed,
and inquired if was sick. I said no but
I pray to be preserved from attacks of a like
sickness. Sickness of most sorts may be
borne, but sickness of the heart is unendur-
able and without remedy.
1.-TWO days after, my feet were treading
the pebbly shore Of the gray old ocean, my
ears listening to the thunder-words of the
garrulous old gray beard We have not
met since
Sick at heart, strobe from the halls of
my Alma Mater as soon as the pomp and
hustle of commencement ceased. That
night saw me on the deck of a steamer,
watching the disappearing spires of the city
as we rode over the water. { To night we
sit here on this dear old bank, talking of
old times, Frightening up old memories, tel
ling tales Of old love. Yet sad as I am to-
night, oppressed with the weight of crush
ed but still living love. I firmly believe
fgfga' IT'S better to have loved and lost
- Than never to have loved at ALL
. "a few days ago I received letter con-
tanning these words: Julia will be married