The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-12-02

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pose than to play accomplishments or sing sec
onds to me- | bewailed my loneliness but
believe it was more than half my own fault for
1 dad like to keep everybody at bay with my
haughtness A brother, sister, father, or
mother, might be made picturesque accessory
to the grand central figure of heroine A
kind, indulgent, attentive aunt, was quite too
tame and homely a.character to be held under
consideration for a moment and Con
stances long curled eyelashes dropped till they
overriding her bushes" know that did not
esteem or appreciate Aunt Cor. at all as |
ought. despised her because she had less
taste and time for Idle accomplishments and
day-dreams than / and thought her common
place, because she was so absorbed in her little
household and social cares-in triAes, / thought
then-in her duty and promoting the welfare
and happiness of others, l see now. Oh, it
seems all 80 long ago-as if i was talking of
what was in some pre-existent state, or of
some other person !; and indeed l must have
changed very much, or | could never have
humbled myself to acknowledge such ingrati-
tude and folly! Don't you think so?" asked
she, with the eager, pleading look of a contrite,
docile. infant, who, after repented fit of
naughtiness, begs to know, Gam good now ?''
81 do" he returned, with fond and not very
credulous smile, elf you ever were such per
son As you describe. think further, that you
have learned to turn the satire, with which you
used to make me laugh at others, against your
self. | could rather weep at it now Spare
her whom l love best"
"Truth is the truest satire for some persons. ~
said Constance, vengefully, but looking well
pleased, Notwithstanding she deserves mercy
through your intercession, who had so much on
you. You shall hear the worst of her before
YOU rive Yourself to her -" o. 40
Excuse me-" cried he, playfully. "The
information comes too late. She has me already
beyond recall. In pity, don't make me discon-
tented The best that can do is to make the
best of my bad bargain" -ia
ave have talked enough of 80 unfortunate a
subject, at any rate, for once" said Constance ;
and there is Uncle Henry's step on the stairs /
They will make us go to tea presently; and oh,
Herman, have not seen you yet nor heard
anything about you. Let me have one look
now, to see if you have really got your aoeU face
back again, before run up stairs to battle my
eyes. No, now | cannot. You must not look
at me. Look at that sweet Saint Agnes over
my head. Yes, you do not look as YOU did in
Kansas. am sure you are we'll but you do
not look as you did usually in Boston. You are
older, Herman = graver stronger, grander.
Strength is born of suffering Herman; you have
suffered, too 2"
His brows knit themselves slightly together
at the memories raised by the question but
they relaxed, and he smiled-such smile with
the very strong essence and elixir of mastered
pain i'll it--as he said, " Too much to recall
enough to give zest to an hour like this"
What have you suffered, Hermann" Con-
stance would have boon more or less than
woman, had she not felt that her confession
demanded one in return.
Need | say? Unhappy love the tears
welled up again in her deep, plying eyes, and
he hurried on: r" SANDER insult, numberless
hndrances, in striving to save the liberties and
honor of our country -
And you allowed yourself for a moment to
regard things like those? 2" criod She But that
could have been only because you were lonely.
because l forsook youi Herman. it is 20
glorious, so noble, to suffer in a great cause
Conner IXeDroea'ei' .Eou--Sh,, IL nnt- he over
of the church! The hearts blood of patriots is
the seed Of the common veal! If the whole
country, man by man, we're to turn against You
now for a time, you would no more heed it nOp,
the now meant, with me by your side, except
for the country's sakel" 1t was true girls
speech, moro enthusiastic than logical; but, az
it rippled through her beautiful lips, she looked
at him, as q queen might upon her champion !;
and conviction flashed on him through the
exquisite dark eyes, which, with kind of
kinding tenderness, beamed inspiration on him
through their modest lashes. He cast down his
own, abashed in his turn before that blaze of
tender and regal beauty, and answered, with
docility like her own " believe that L could
not"
Sympathizing Mrs Ronaldson, who had
scarcely waited to superintend the first stage of
her infants immersion, before she returned to
keep watch in the hall, and guard against any
untimely intrusion, was now forced to tap at
the door. Her husband wanted to see Con
stance, and wanted his tea. She found her
niece smiling, composed, and radiant with gen
tie happiness. All was plainly as it should be.
Herman seized her hand with grasp, which
said, in natural language" understood all
the world over, Congratulate me. Constance
slipped her arm within hers, and whispered, as
they crossed the hall together, "Dear, dear, sly
Aunt Cora. You thought it would refresh lpe
to walk into the parlor, did you? So you are
a matchmaker, after all. :
Herman spent half the following night in
writing to Clara Constance, in reviewing the
events of the day. Herman had done wisely
in checking the first outpourings of her long
pent feelings. He had done so partly because
he could never bear to see any woman cry
that one particularly but also because he un
many tears of repentant tenderness soever she
might shed in the first overwhelming transports
Of their reunion, she would shed more after
wards by herself of modification and remOrse,
| if she thought that she had shed too many be
fore him, or been by hairs breadth too de
mOnstrative. Besides, balm as each word o
her passionate contritiOn was to the wound.
which her pride and anger had inflicted upor
him, he thought it unfair to take advantage o
the emotion into which he had surprised her
| to win one from her. He did not consider, tina
| il in calmer moment she had remembered
| that he had drawn her on to say too much, he
| enthusiasm might have reacted, and become
aversion. This was true, Notwithstanding. III
/ had his reward for his forbearance. In he
vigils it came up in review.
"What could he have thought of me?
thought she. Kneeling, and sobbing, and al
most throwing myself at his feet, as it were, t.
take q cast-off at his pleasure What a TRACE
/ dyqueen behaved like Clara never does SO
When can 1 learn to be calm and rational, an,
like other people? Il hope he will recollec
how completely 1 was taken off my guard
| But he docs he did at the time. He said, il
those mellow, soothing tones of his, 80 full G
! protection and manly tenderness which are tn
sweetest in his voice-of all the tones of all tn
voices that ever heard-just SOL have take
you by surprised you are tired! No, not so
cannot say it as he did nobody else could
And he tried to stop me again and again, a
we'll as he could, without appearing to see tha
L was making a fool of myself. He could nc
enjoy his triumph, because it was my humilla
ton. How generous how mortifyingi Wei
it was bad enough, to be sure but it Nigh
have been worse. kept some things to ny
SCH, j thank the santsl / did not say that
} could not work, for want of him to hold IN
! worsteds for me to wind; nor sing, because tn