Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1857-03-19

: tor, if he should feel any value for i
: either as family picture, or as som
pledge of affection; but have not ye
had the opportunity of meeting wit
t him. .
"What an insultr said Sir Oliyer..
"What an escape,...- elafmed AE:sta
da, after the Office. had finished his =
a latioR. -
-. sseed not say that Sir Oliver imme
diately repurchased the picture, and tina
he had no further thought of marrying
his daughter to gamester.
HTalking of miniatures" resumed the
officer, very extraordinary occurrence
had just took place. n miniature has
actually saved the life of gallant
young officer of the same regiment as
Horace, fine fellow as ever bestrode a
a charge"
"His name?' exclaimed Matilda and
Sir Oliver together.
''Is Albert, and he is second in COM
mand, high spirited fellow that same
Albert %
"Pray, sir, do me the favor to relate
the particulars said Sir Oliver, and
Matilda looking gratefully at l.er father
for the request.
80, do not know them minutcly," said
he, ''but believe it was simply that the
picture served his bos5 5m as a sort of
breast plate, and broke the force of a
musket ball, but it did not, however,
prevent him tromsreceiving a very smart
wound. The things was much talked of
for day or two, and some joking took
place on the subject but when it was
fh,+
pain than the wound, the subject was
dropped, and soCn seemed to have been
forgotten.
Shortly after the officer took his leave.
The reflections Of Matilda were bit
ter. Her miniature had been lost, whilst
the mistress Of Albert, of that Albert
whom she felt might, but for family
pride, been her lover, was even in effigy,
the guardian angel OF Il liic she loved too
we'll.
Months elapsed, and Horace did not
appear. Sir Oliver wrote him ali inIig-
nant letter, and badc him consider all
intercourse hr9l-cn o-f-far~ 4t,-ftttt.fe--tt
lie returned 4 melancholy answer, in
which he plead guilty to the charge
spoke Of madness, of intoxication, con
feascd he vas hopeless, and that he de-
served to be so; in 4 word, he Was SO
humble, so dcsponding, SO dispirited,
that even the insuitcd Matilda was soft
eneI, and shed tears over his bligIited
hopes. And here we must do Horace
the justice to say, that the miniature was
merely left i'll the hands Of the winner,
he being u stranger, as a deposit until
the next morning, but which the next
lil Of How Ii, 10 rNIno,,,
though rent from him limb, and left
him as enc dead upon the field. Had
he not gained his miniature would not
have been lost to 4 sharper, the sum-
mons to march would have found him
at his quarters, his harrasaed stecd would
not have failed in the charge, and in all
his limb would have been
saved, and his love have been preserved.
Y year had now elapsed, and at length
Albert was announced. lie had heard
hat all intimacy was broken off between
Horace and Matilda, but nothing more.
The story of the lost miniature was
confined to the few whom it conserved,
md those few wished all memory Of it
o be buried in oblivion. Something
ike a hope had returned to Albcrt's bo-
on. lie was graciousty received by the
athcr, and dfiidently by Matilda. She |
the ''broken miniature" and {
him to have been long and az |
lently attached to another.
Il was On summer evening, there
:as no other company, the sun was sit
ing in glorious splcndor. After dinner " '"
Matilda had retired only to the window,
o enjoy she said, that prospect the draw =, i
ng room could not afford. She spoke
ruly, for Albert was not there. Her
yes were upon the declining sun, but =!
Ter soul was still in the dining room.
At length Sir Oliver and Albert arose {
rom the table, ana came and seated v
near Matilda. I
''Comc Albert the story OF the nina l.
ure, sa;i Sir Oliver. I
'.What! fully, truly, and unreserved- a
y?'' said Albert, looking at Matilda.
'.Of course" =
"O4cnce c. no offence" said Albert :
'ith look Of arch meaning.
"Whom could the tale possibly Of I
cnd?" said Sir Oliver ;,
THAT [ am yet to learn. Listen" !,
AS far as regarded Matilda, the last /
yord was wholly superfuous. She seem II
u ~ nave J )ttl Iictti
Albert in low but yet hurried tone II II
hus co2mcncGd:- v
Il loved, but was not loved. I had a Z,
ival that was seductive. [ say that he
'as preferred by the father, and not in Il
iiTerent to the daughter, My love 1 y
ould not, [ could not attempt to CON .,
uer; but my actions, honor, babe me r.
ontrol, aud L obeyed. The friend was {,
Omitted where the lover would have -,
cen banished. My successful rival OBJ ~ ~
aimed the miniature Of his mistress.- ;"
N, then, then l cnyied him, and i'm
clled by unconqaerable passions, OBJ Il
lined clandestinely from an artist,a fac II
imile of that which So much cnvied p
i'm. 1t was my hearts silent compan- cl
IN, an |, when at last duty called me HI
way from the original, not often did Il
enture to gaze on the resemblance st
q prevent my secret from being dis Il