Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1858-10-07
@rlrtt MigtrlIunrl.
LOVE AND IsEvENG GE

Oh, how 1 hated him-how hated
Richard Vinely-kneeling by my side
with that sort of mocking triumph light
ing up his deep blue eyes, and his thin
lips, half parted, as if in expectation
that would say something that he
might wish to check And who would
hot hate him as 1 did? Let me tell you
how it was.
had loved him more than year
loved him, Heaven only knows how
pnssionatelJ. Not more biindly nor
entirely does the silk worm weave itself
NTH its own shroud, than l wrapped
myself up in his pleasure, his admira-
ton, his love. Not more trustingly
turns the fearless eagle to its mountain
cyrie that 1, foolish and confding, turn
ed to the bright and beautiful castles of
hope which had built on the rotten
foundation of his faith. And yet q
never thought of it till that day; and oh,
with what humiliating weight the knowl-
edge came to me y he had never asked
me for my love asked me for it
openly, save by tender giances and pres
sure of the hand, and those thousand
delicate attentions which are most pre-
cious to the jealous eyes and ears OF af
fectiou. But had not dreamed that
such passion as mine could be poured
forth and bring me no return. | did
not e7en imagine that his apparent de-
.votion could be wrongly UNDERSTOOD
and SO blindfolded myself, and bewil-
dered. content, happy, rushed forward
to despair.
That afternoon We had been sitting in
1.-THE garden talking to each other, as we
had many times before, of our past lives.
The dreamy music which the wind
made as it stirred the trees above US,
and the fresh sweet smell of early flow
ers with which the spring air was load
ed, seemed just the outward influence
needed to soften our hearts, and draw
them most nearly into sympathy; and
when in bis quiet, manly way he told
me the story of his life-of the father
= who died before his remembrance and
the sweet mother who had closed he's
eyes in eternal sleep ere the grass had
/. twice grown green over her husband S
coffin; and this dcsolase, friendless,
struggling boyhood, showing me one
by one the weary steps he had climbed
telling me SO gratefully how my hands
y
the close saying with such serene
smile:
"Helen, I would suffer my life ever
again thousand times, rather than give
back this day." my heart was filed tc
overaowing. /, too, was an orphan
and knew better than any one,
thought, how cruelty and grudgingly
the world had laid its hands on him a:
he toiled onward in its service.
How glad was that I had alwayt
been kind to him, that I had kept IN,
heart free, unsullied and womanly a
the crowning gift of his success ant
joy:
I wept, moved deeply by his clo
qucnce, and leaning towards him, will
aquick, impetuous movement, drew hi
head forward with my hands, presse
my lips to his white forehead, kisse
him not lightly and coquettishly-
reverently and tearfully For a momen
he bowed his head, and could not Sc
his face, but when he looked up its ex
preston startled me, the change ha
been so sudden.
'.Do. you know" said he, slowly drop
ping his eyes before my look of wan
,dering inquiry, s:'that 1 think the woma
who bestows the tokens of her love 'un
sought, lowers herself beneath the re
'spect Of him who become their recir
ieht7' 30 =
"a i am shure I should not have under
stood him, but for the meaning, sarcas
tic smile with which he spoke. l sa