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

ought to incline towards her in whose
eyes we have obtained the greatest
amount of favor; and still greater fool
was 1 not to have seen at glance, that
since Sophie ran away from her faith
er's council of war, it was she who was
most kindly disposed towards me.
But suppose it was my fate, as peo-
pie saH.to excnsa- alI-t -their- nsvn--fsuiAs-,
A few months after, heard of Sophie's
marriage to a young merchans, whose
mind was made up to win her the very
first time he saw her; and now that the
prize had escaped me, seemed con-
frmed in the opinion that it was Sophie,
after all, who would have suited me the
best of the two.
I was still unmarried two years after
my fathers death, when had occasion
to visit Altenberg Castle on some mat
ters of business with the colonel. After
these were settled, would have retired
to an inn, but the colonel insisted on my
staying few days with them. I now
ventured to ask Henriette.
"She is rather a lonely, poor child,
now her sister is married." said he, "for
I am rather an old companion for girl
of her age"
Henriette received me trife coolly
at first; however, music brought US to-
gether again, and I soon began to think
it was a mercy one of the sisters was
married, as there would now be no more
hesitation, the moment I was convinced
she might become the sole queen of my
heart. Weeks slipped away in this
pleasing delusioD, when one morning, as
1 came back from ride, found the
corporal husily cleaning the colonel's
uniform. singing merry song as ne
brushed away.
"Is there going to be review" said
I, in as conciliatory tone as 1 could
assume, in order to propitiate the old
soldier, who never seemed to like me.
"No sir, wedding" replied he, with
his military bow.
"Ahr" exclaimed L, feeling half diz-
zy. ''Is the colonel going to marry
again ?"
''No sir, but our young lady has just
accepted Lieutenant Helder."
"Why, I thought he was merely new
acquaintance, stsmmered 1, forgetting
it was no. suitable to discussSthe matter
with the frank and file" of the house
hold.
"No, sir-saw her at review, sir,
SIX weeks ago. And he went on lr lsh-
ing, adding, by way of useful aphorism
for my instruction, "Faint heart never
won fair lady !''
1 made no attempt to gain the lost
victory, but left the field to my rival.
Chance so ruled it, that did not see
my cousins again till more than twenty
years after this period, and then l met
Sophie at party in -. She was
still handsome. aud happy wife and
mother. She asked me, with an arch
smile, whether had yet made choice of
a wife? Alas had not-though some
| silver threads were mixed up with my
dark hair, and was fast sinking into a
confirmed old bachelor. She now sought
to cheer me by introducing her daughter,
a lovely girl of nineteen, who strongly
resemb bIed her former self, but when she
SAT down to the harp, and looked and
played as her mother had done, could
bear it no longer. I started up and left
the room. My wasted youth, my past
folly, all rose up to reproach me; and
what think you, reader, was the ED of
my foolish career? Why-I, who might
have been happy, who was rich, grew
so tired os being lonely bachelor, that
1 finished by marrying my house-keeper,
rnd sunk into nervius old gentleman,
who cc::;i lat bear the sound of harp,
because it reminded him, too vividly, of
the harp of Altenberg.