Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1858-07-02

for the best. At any rate, he coul
not find it in his heart to cross thei
q love, and so his consent was given, an,
J. Emily and her lover received his bles
sing.
o And nov the old parsonage SCENE,
Q another Eden, in whose garden dwell
0 only happiness. But has not ever,
0 Eden serpent? 1t came in dark, bu
: beautiful and shining guise; it came il
i the shape of Epily's lovely cousin He
lena, who, with her sweet, bewitchins
face, glided in upon the happy lovers
and brought fascination with her.
1t was not that Heleh Wyndham
with her beauty and her pride, caret
for Emily's lover that she left, fol
awhile, the score of suitors at whose
expense she had been amusing herself
coquetting with them all by turns, anC
giving hope to none. But Edward was
handsome, and winning, and elegant
and, above all, he had never knelt al
her shrine-the Unsuitable heart hunter.
And so, for the eclat of anew conquest.
she came daily over from her fathers
magnificent estate to win away with her
bewitching smile the heart Of her cous-
in's lover.
Emily saw her, riding lightly along
on her white steed with her dark locks
braided, and her snowy plume waving
to the breeze, her red lips smiling, and
her dark eyes beaming with the delight
of anticipated triumph. Emily, sitting
with her father and her lover in the old
parsonage study, saw this brilliant cous-
in, and thought, How lovely Helena
is !" But the thought was not mingled
with envy. She had won a heart with
out Helena's destinations ; and her soft
cheek colored, and her clear hazel eyes
beamed with innocent happiness as she
looked at her lover.
A moment more, and the quiet Of
that happy little circle was broken by
the appearance Of this beautiful en-
chantress cousin. Emily and her faith
er both knew Helena's hollow heart, yet
they gave her kindly greeting. She
was their kin. They never dreamed with
what intent she had come. They, in
their charity for others, could not con-
ceive that she had any idea Of evil re-
garding them.
But Helena Wyndham laughed at
their charity. She did not scruple to
abuse it when it served her purpose so
to do, and she glided in, in her elegant
attire, wit hher soft yet brilliant beauty,
her captivating manner, her keen, deli
cate, light flashing wit, and placed her.
self in bewildering, dazzling contrast to
her fair, simple, mworldly, and yet
noble cousin Emily. 1t was not the
first time Edward had seen her; but he
had never viewed her so nearly, never
spoken to her before this evening"
Helena took care that his first impress
ion of her should be only an agreeable
one.
She was peerless in her loneliness,
her grace, and her mental gifts she
would have adorned royal court
Edward was scholar and a gentleman,
cultivated and refined, and passion
ate admirer Of beauty. 1t would have
been a marvel if one like him had res
trained her entertainments, for she was
the very spirit of beauty.
elbow incomparably lovely!." was
his mental exclamation as she sat near
MIN, gayly and carelessly chatting with
her uncle and Emily, and now and then
turning her bright, yet softened glance
upon him, with some smiling word of
remark, or of question, that drew him
ere long from silent admiration into
animated converse with the rest.
He did not mentally compare her
with Emily. He was not thinking of
Emily when he said to himself that the
world could contain no face more en-
chanting than that Of this charming
guest but during the hour that Hele-
ma stayed, he experienced pleasure,
the nature of which he could hardly have
defined, had he tried, and the depth of
which he never sought to fathom.-
He only knew that he admired Miss
Wyndham very much,
And so the heartless beauty fingered
as long as it suited her, seeing plainly,
and with secret delight, how Edward
Vane was attracted, until she was fully
satisfied with her first attempt, and bid
ding the party a graceful adieu, van
ished like some brilliant star, that,
while we are eagerly, delightedly watch
ing it, hides itself behind the Clouds
And Emily never dreamed whose eyes
that star had dazzled.
When next day she met her beauti-
full cousin, it was after service at the
little village church and as Emily lin
gered near the door, awaiting her faith
er, Helena, in passing, slightly tapped
the young girls cheek with her gloved
hand.
How came you ever to attract so
elegant, SO distingue q lover as Ed
ward Vane?" she asked. "Do you
know that am quite pleased with him?
and that is dangerous for you, you
know. Take care my pretty cousin
that l do not win,him away from you.
By the way, dear, my brother Freder-
lex has also become acquainted with
him, and, [ believe, cultivatcs his ac-
ouaintance most sedulously. At any
rate, he has invited him to spend a day
or two with us this week. You can at
ford to lose him for that time-can't
you, Emily dear!!"
/ Finishing her heartless speech with
a soft laugh, ami kiss on her cousins
lips, she passed on to her carriage, and
Emily looked after her an instant, with
a Sraflno t,amor at HOY heart q startled