Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-07-16
cHApTER VII.

LEAVING father and daughter, for awhile,
let us follow Mr.. Lee. Onquitting Helen,
be returned towards his boarding house,
in that state of feverish excitement which
SO many have experienced on finding that
they loved in vain; for it never occurred
to him that his passion was reciprocated
with all the fervor ofwoman's love. How
changed were his feelings and prospects
in few short moments. The ray Of hope
which had SO lately shown, with uncloud-
ed brightness, upon his future, was now
extinguished in gloom. All nature SEEM
ed to wear an aspect in unison with his
ownfeelings To him, the sky was less
blue, the air less balmy; and even the notes
of the wood -robin-his favorite of the
feathered songsters-smote harshly upon
his ear, as it would its parting salutation
to the setting sun. Harmony becomes
discord, and beauty looses its charm when
they awaken painful associations.
Submitting himself, unresistingly, to
this current of thought, Mr.. Lee, instead
Of retiring to his own room, as he had
intended, found himself in a corner of the
sitting GROOM Of the Hotel, where crowd
was assembled, awaiting the call to supper.
But feeling alone, even there, he gave free
scope to those bitter reflections which owed
their origin,-not, as be thought, to unre-
Quilted love, but to his ignorance those
symptoms which infallibly disclose the in
most feelings of woman's heart. 1t was
nothing, however, before he was aroused
from his reverio, and became painfully
Interested in the following dialogue, be-
tween too young gentlemen. who stood
near him, but apart from the crowd.
"There is an old acquaintance of ours
here, George; = said Edward Motley, in an
excited toney "Guess who it is ~
"Why, | presume, Ned, it must be some
very important parsonage, or you would
not have forgotten your favorite maxim
never be surprised at anything" Was the
reply OF Mr. Eskrldge
"You are very prone, Of late, sir, said
Mr.. Motley, "to indulge your wit at the
expense of my philosophy, as you are
pleased to term it, and to punish your
impertincncc, I've great mind not to tell
YOU that the individual, in question, once
led you by the nose until your friends be-
gan to fear that you would never use your
eyes again. And if you had then practc-
ed upon my maxim, you would not have
been so much surprised when, in answer
to your request that she would fix the
wedding day, she said she had only been
jesting with you, and that you were fool
not to have known it,
"You might have told me, Edward,
Mr.. Eskridge replied, in tone of gentle
robukc, "that Helen Berne is here, with
out recurring with such minute precision
TO the past. 1t is unkind to irritate a
wound which, though healed is still tender
to the touch ,r-
81 beg pardon, George; it was not my
intention to give you pain, for | had sup
posed that all other feelings had given
place to the most sovereign contempt for
the heartless hirt, and that you would
freely join me in the most unqualified con
demnation Of her unfeeling conduct"
81 have but little cause, as you know,
= Ned, for appreciation of her conduct to-
wards myself aud others equally unfortu-
nate; but have known Helen from child
hood she is, by nature, candid, benevolent
and amiable, can not, therefore, speak
harshly of her, because know she has
been spoiled by an injudicious education,
aided, no doubt by the ill,timed admira.
ton and indiscreet Aattery of our own sex,
When school girls, scarcely in their teens,
are allowed to have beaux, no good can
come of IL and if motherless-liko Helen
the consequences may be most serious,
But tell me how long she has been
here, and whether she is acting the same
part which made her so unpopular at
homo
."I was told BY her father, whom saw
few minutes since, that she has been
here nearly a month. learned further,
that, under the influence of some strange
freak-eoncoale under plea of i'll,
health-sho has never appeared in public,
Now, she either intends to assume new
character or is playing some deep game
whichtime will develrpeiiistLc lattaar. she had
better play it ont soon, or I'll break itup,
Our old friend, Tom, the carriage driver,
told me that young man, by the name of
Lee, whom they overlook ON the road, and
travelled with several days, seems very