The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1857-10-03

as an internal apparatus Of torture;and who
does, by his heroism eore than bear y, he
puts it out Of pQwer 70 &dect him; and though
i there is the lssage) his appointment BY
/ day and by night was incessant pain, yet
high enjoyment was, Notwithstanding, the
law of his existence Robert Hall reads
] me q lesson, me, an old soldier who thought
himself above taking lessons, in courage at
least. And as came to that passage when,
in the sharp paroxysms before death, he
says, q have not complained, have !, sir:
And won't complain; when read that pas
sage started up and exclaimed. Roland
dc Caxton, thou hast been coward, and il
thou hast thy deserts, thou hadst been CASH
tered, broken and drHmmed out Of the regi-
ment long ago."
A coNvERsATIoN AND WHAT CAME
BIZ CLARA SYDNEY.
why, in the name Of all that's curious,
May Benton, have you never got married !?
This question was asked by gentleman
some thirty-fre or six years Of age, who
had been for nearly twenty minutes closely
watching the motions Of lady who sat near
him at a work table.
| Tho gentleman was 6ne, noble looking
man, with frank, well-formed features and
pleasant expression. He was handsomely
dressed, and to judge by the look of his
hair, you might have said that he had wife,
had he looked in other respects like mar
ried man-which he did not.
The room in which the two were sitting
betokened wealth and taste. Its occupants
were evidently in the upper ranks Of life.
! The lady addressed was person of fair,
interesting face and graceful form. She
certainly did look remarkably well, as she
bent her head with its abundant and shining
hair, and piled y white hands in the task
which employed her sight and apparently
her whole thoughts.
Probably a conviction of her attractive
ness and worth had caused the question with
her companion, put in such hearty, abrupt
tone, that May started and dropped the red
worsted work upon which she had been in
tent. .. ... -. s-
'What question: she cried with light
laugh-'just as if cared about being mar
riedp a .s.s= s
'Why should you not care May? Surely
1t is the best and happiest state for man or
woman
'Granted with proviso,' said May; sbut,
MIR. Rossiter if you think so, why have you
never married p
'You are a true Yankee May, and answer
question by asking another; but tell me
now, why you are, at thirty years Of age,
| slow dare you say am thirty years old !?
Upon my word, if you were not brother to
my sister.in-law, I'd not speak to you again
for a week.
May pretended to pout; and the pout was
quite becoming to her full arched lips.
didn't you yourself tell me your age,
and only the day before yesterday? Your
memory seems very short, Miss Benton.'
swell, didn't expect you was a going to
throw it up to me that was an old maid, to
pay me for my confidence in you.'
'Oh! May-did say that! and if l did
you can break my sglass house, by finging
back my very taunt. But, come now, do
answer my question:
Il never could get any one to have me-
said May shortly. sAre you satisfied
| 'No. You need not tell me that person
so interesting and attractive as you are, has
never yet had ardent lovers. know better,
Alay-so tell me truly why you are not Mrs.
Somebody, now p
| May suddenly sobered down and said
neryously-'It's because no man whose love
l could return ever loved me-
And she resumed her work.
| How her face had altered There had
come over it stern, hard expression, as if
she were saying, inly-
| 'lt matters not-l can wrestle down these
yearnings for something worthy and noble,
and true, and strong, against which to lean;
something winning, and tender, and loving,
| which to love. If there is no heart on earth
whose best love is the Lowell want | can do
without it can walk to the end of life as
have walked thus far
Rossiter regarded her in long silence. He
had known her for many years, and had Of
ten wondered at her great indifference to
| the attentions Of gentlemen. He had even,
on more than one occasion, taken her to task
for her manners towards them.
'You want allow them to become ac-
tquainted with you at all,' he said. 'When
you are introduced to man that's the last
Of it. All the young men admire, but they
are afraid Of you. You chill them to death.
heard one young man say that he thought
you beautiful and interesting creature;
but then he would as soon undertake to
warm into love an iceberg as yourself-even
if he had courage enough to make the at
Tempt
A skeptical smile had been the only
answer to such questions. ..
How could Mary believe that she was ca
pable of inspiring affection in others when
those who knew her best were so lightly
touched by it. :,
Rossiter had been for three or four years
absent, and had newly returned when the
above conversation took place. He was a
comfortable Old bachelor, happy in dispose
ton; happy in possessing an independent
fortune; and happy in his sisters home
not to say happy in the companionship Of
May, whom he honestly believed to be about
the best and most lovely girl in the world.
He had once dearly loved and suddenly lost
fair, charming bride; and never since had
he allowed himself to think Of loving. And
besides, he did not know as he wished to
marry. He was well satisfied with his sstate
and condltion'-when he was at home. To
be sure he did feel uneasy and dissatisfied
all the while he was abroad. Nobody's
company scanned to fill the void in his heart.
He did not miss his sister so-and May
oh! how glad he was to see them when he
returned-and how strange he thought it
was that May diden't rush at him in the
hall and hug and kiss him just as his sister
did; but he took full satisfaction of the
contrary creature when she did come to
welcome him. s-~~@
'And so May isn't married yeti said he,
well it is rather to bad; but lam glad of it
May came very near sighing, but she
didn'nt-at least not audibly. How many
still born sighs there are in the world. Ii
is well it is no crime to smother them in
their birth.
Well, Rossiter sat studying that still, stern
face before him; and he thought new
thoughts--new as to their present relations.
May he said at length-sMay, was ever
there man that you could have loved had
he asked it?.' IS 0
Like CRIMSON dye, uh rose the hot blood
Of that bowed face, and the hard look was
Iput on the instant-but she only said, moi
lifting her head or eyes
That you have no right to ask
& have no need to ask, dear May. For.
give me, if mistake; but feel as if had
been favored by a revelation of-of-that
have been blind and stupid fellow as eve,