American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1858-10-29
FIRST LOVE,

ed her claSSlcally moulded brow upon
the shoulder of her lover.
"No, Leila, you are not my only nor
my first love. have loved another,
and love that other STILL"
"Love that other still, and better
than me, Paul! why do you tell me
that?" asked she, raising her dark,
blue eyes, and gazing steadfastly into
those of her lover, half in astonish.
ment, half in sorrow, while her jewel.
ed fingers tightened conyulsively upon
his arms. - -I-
"You asked me, Leila, and I an
swered with truth and sincerity, you
would not have me deceive you p
"You love her still, then 2"
81 love her still" r
"And better than me 2"
"Not better, but as well.
"And will love her still 2"
"Until death, and even beyond death;
over her last resting place will ] strew
Springs earliest flowers, and bedew
the sacred spot with the purest tears
love ever she'd"
"Handsomer than l, is she not ?"
"Her eyes are as black as night, and
her hair in glossy blackness outyies
the wing of the raven. She hasn't
your sweet blue eyes, nor your soft
brown hair. Yet oh, Leila, her eyes
have been to me the sweetest that ever
looked the look of eternal love-"
"Paul, why DO you wish to break my
heart? Why have you taught me to
love you SO blindly and wildly, and then
in the midst of my happiness tell me
there is an impossible barrier between
US? l would not have believed this,
had another told me, and her eyes
grew dim with tears.
! ''Be not too rash, Leila, hear me to
the end, you love me too dearly to part
with me thus. Think you that you could
not share my heart with one that I so
dearly love Z"
"Never, Paul, ncver!"
I "You shall, Leila, and must. Listen
for moment, while / tell you of my
first love, and l am sure you will be
willing to share with her then"
g. will listen, Paul, but will not
share your love; 1 must have all or
none; | am selfish in that respect, and
who loves as | do that's not? Forget
me Paul, or forget her forever"
"Forget her, Leila Never! I
would net lose one particle of her pure
affection for the fairest face that ever
bloomed; no, not for the girdle of Ve-
nus, nor the love of second Helen"
"Then, Paul, you are lost to me for
ever-we must part. Farewell to our
every dream of a brighter future. l
love you too well and am too proud to
share your love with aught created. -
On, Paul, you have wronged me deep
ly, and her exquisitely- -chiseled lips
curled with indignant sorrow.
"Stop, Leila, or you will deeply
wrong me also. met this loved one
as l have said before, long years ago,
in one of the sweetest and sunniost
wales of our broad Illinois wandered
with her hand in hand for years, beside
the sparkling waters of my childhood's
homo. First by her smile of exquisite
Sweetness, she taught my heart that
she loved me with unutterable fondness
land never have I doubted, my trust
in her has ever been steadfast and fear.
less--nexer has her eye looked colaly
upon me, and never will it, until the
death angel shall dim them for the
long sleep. Oft in the still hours of
night have I been awakened, as if by
the sweep of Gods wing, and beheld
that face whose eyes we're gazing upon
me with all the tenderness ola guardian
angel over a repentant prodigal, and
a KISS would fall upon my brow, more
soothing than the dews of heaven.
! ''The same gentle hand has led me
along life's howery way and beside its
| unruffled waters; and if ever my arm
was raised to do deed of wrong, or
my heart steeled to conceive it, that
i gentle monitory voice camo whispering
in my ear, and stayed the one midway
and drew the iron from the other
And l do remember in my manhoods
ripper years, when deep sorrow fell
upon my soul, and ] would fain have
drank oblivion from the wine cups fie.
ry brim, that same dark-eyed woman
came and bade me, in the name of God,
to shun the fatal snare; and twining
her arms around my neck, while her
eyes beamed with loves deep inspira.
tlon, she poured oil upon the troubled
waters; told me of puror hopes aud Of
brighter aims, and in my ear whisper.
ed a golden word that has outliyed all
sorrow.
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