Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-04-24

amen, stohiy rcsPonueu, ds
closed the door. While / was put
ting on my overcoat, 1 overheard
without the smallest intention of lis
tening, passionate exclamation from
Theresa:
"'Good heavens, motherl was there
ever anything so unluckya 1 never
thought Of seeing my neighbor's dog
tonight l have been completely
caught
al hope you will mind my advice
next time, replied her mother, in a
grieved tone. i told you not to sit
down in that slovenly dress. have
no doubt You have lost him forever,
my dear.
"Here ! made good my retreat, not
wishing to enter the penefralia of their
family secrets.
1.-THE rain still continued undated
but my social feelings were very
far from being damped. / had the
curiosity to make another experiment.
The evening was not very far advan-
ced, and as turned from Mrs. Vane's
fashionable mansion, saw a modest
light glimmering in the distance, and
/ hailed as the shipwrecked mariner
halls the star that guides him DER the
oceans foam to the home he has left
behind. Though Twas gay and young
and passionate admirer of beauty, I
had very exalted ideas Of domestic fe-
licity. knew that there was many
rainy day in life, and / thought the
companion who was born alone for
sunbeams and moonlight would not
aid me to dissipate their gloom. /
had, moreover, a shrewd suspicion
that the daughter who made sufficient
excuse for shameful personal neglect,
that there was no one present but her
mother, would, as wife, be equally
regardless Of husbands presence.
While ! pursued these reflections, my
feet involuntarily drew nearer and
more near to the light, which had
been the loadstone of my opening
manhood. / had continued to meet
Mary in the gay circles / frequented,
but / had lately become almost a
stranger ut her home. Shall / be a
welcome guestY said TO myself as /
crossed the threshold. Shall | find
her en- dishabille, like,cise, and discover
that feminine beauty and grace are
incompatible with q rainy EVENING"
l heard a sweet voice reading aloud,
as opened the door, and knew it
was the voice which was once music
to my ears. Mary rose at my en-
trance, laying her book quietly on the
table, and greeted me with grace
and self-possession peculiarly her own.
She looked sursprised, and q little era
barrassed, but very far from being
displeased. She made no allusion to
my enstrangement, or neglect, ex-
pressed no establishment at my un-
timely visit, nor once limited that, be-
ing alone with her mother, and not
anticipating visitors, she thought it
unnecessary to wear the habiliments
of lady. Never in my life had /
seen her look so lovely. Her dress
was perfectly plain, but every fold
was arranged by the hand of the Ora
ces. Her dark-brown hair, which
had natural wave in it, now uncurl-
ed by the dampness, was put back in
smooth ringlets from her brow, reveal
ling face which did not consider its
beauty wasted because a mothers eye
alone rested on its bloom. A beauti-
full cluster Of autumnal roses, placed
in a glass vase upon the table, perfu-
med the apartment, and q bright
blaze upon the hearth diffused a spir-
it Of cheerfulness around, while tire
lieved the atmosphere of excessive
moisture. Mrs. Carlton was an inva-
lid, and suffered also from an inflam-
alton Of the eyes. Mary had been
reading aloud from her favorite book.
What do you think it was? 1t was q
very old-fashioned one, indeed. No
other than the Bible. And Mary
was not ashamed for such fashionable
young gentleman as / then was to see
her thus employed. What contrast
to the scene I had just quittedl How
| loathed myself for the infatuation
which had led me to prefer the artifi-
cial graces Of a belle to this sweet
child Of naturel ! drew my chair to
the table, and entreated that they
would not look upon me as o stranger
but as a friend, anxious to be restored
again to the forfeited privileges
Of an old acquaintance. / was un-
derstood in a moment, and, without a
single reproach, was admitted again
TO confidence and familiarity. The
hours l had wasted with Theresa
seemed to be a kind of mesmeric
slumber-a blank in my existence
or, at least, q fevered dream.
"What do you think ola rainy eve
ming, Nary asked /, before leaving
her.
az love II ofallthings' replied she,
with animation. There is something
so home-drawing, so heart-knitting,
in its influence. The dependencies
which bind us to the world seem
withdrawn, and, retiring within our
selves, we learn more of the deep
mysteries of our being
mary soul Denmed from her eye
as 1t turned, with transient obliquity,
towards heaven. She paused, as If
fearful Of unsealing the fountains of
her heart. said that Mrs. Carlton
was an invalid, and, consequently, re-
tired early to her chamber; but / lin
gered till late hour, and did not go
till l had made complete confession
of my folly, repentance, and awaken
ed love; and as Mary did not shut
the door in my face, you can imagine
that she was not very sorely displeas-
ed"
"Ahl l know who Mary was. /
knew all the time," exclaimed little
George, looking archly at Aunt Ma
ry.
A bright tear, which at that mo-
r. -