The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-05-05

Perhaps there coulo not nave peeu
p passion, between the sexes, more pure
, than this innocent girls. The gallani
figure of her youthful admirer, and the
? splendor of his military attire, might at
} first have charmed her eye; but it was mol
these that had captivated her heart
, Her attachment had something in it o.
idolatry she looked up to him as to a
, being of superior order. She felt in
his society the enthusiasm of a mind
naturally delicate and poetical, and now
first awakened to keen perception of
the beautiful and grand. Of the sordid
distinctions of rank and fortune, she
thought nothing it was the differences
of intellect of demeaner, of manners,
from those of the rustic society to which
she had been accustomed, that elevated
him in her opinion. She would listen
to him with charmed ear and downeast
look of mute delight, and her check
would mantle with enthusiasm or if
ever she ventured a shy glance of timia
admiration, it was as quickly withdrawn,
and she would sigh and blush at the
idea of her comparative unworthiness.
Her lover was equally impassioned; |;
but his passion was mingled with feel
ings of coarser nature. He bad begun
the connexion in levity; for he had of
ten heard his brother officers boast of
their village coDquests, and thought
some triumph of the kind necessary to
his reputation as man of spirit. But
he was too full of youthful fervor. His
heart had not yet been rendered sufi-
ciently cold and selfish by wandering
and dissipated life: it caught fire
from the very fame it sought to kindle |;
and before he was aware of the nature
of his situation, be became really in
love.
What was he to DO? There were
the old obstacles which so necessarily
occur in these needless attachments
His rank in life-the prejudices of titled
conuexions-his dependence upon a
proud aud unyieIding father-ait for.
bade him to think of matrimony; but
when he looked down upon this innocent
being, so tender and con6ding, there was
purity in her manners, blamelessness
in her life, and bewitching modesty in
her looks, that awed down every l;cen-
tious feeling. In vain did he try to fort.
ify himself, by thousand he1rtless ex-
amples of men of fashion, and to chill
the glow of generous sentiment. with
that cold derisive levity with which he
had heard them talk of female virtue !;
whenever he came into her presence, she
was still surrounded by that mysterious,
but impassive charm of virgin purity,
in whose hallowed sphere no guilty
thought can live.
The sudden arrival of orders for the
regiment to repair to the continent, COM
pleted the confusion of his mind He
remained for short time in state of
the most painful irresolution he hest
tated to communicate the tidings, until
the day for marching was at hand; wien
he gave her the intelligence in the
course of an evening ramble.
The idea of parting had never before
occurred to her. 1t broke in at once
upon her dream of felicity she looked
upon it ass sudden and insurmountable
evil, and wept with the guileless sim
plicity of child He drew her to his
bosom and kissed the tears from her soft
cheek: nor did he meet with repulse,
for there are moments of mingled sorrow
and tenderness, which hallow the car
resses of affection. He was naturally
impetuous, and the sight of beauty ap.
parently yielding in his arms, the con-
ideuce of his power over her, and the
dread of losing her forever, all conspired
to overwhelm his better feeliDgs-he
ventured to propose that she should
leave her home, and be the companion
of his fortunes.
He was quite novice in seduction,
and blushed and faltered at his own
baseness but, so innocent of mind was
his intended victim, that she was at first
at loss to comprehend his meaning =
, and why she should leave her native
| village, and the humble roof of her pa
rents? When at last the nature of the
proposal flashed upon her pure mind,
the effect was withering. She did not
weep--she did not break forth into re-
proaches-@she said not word-but she
shruuk back aghast as from a viper,
gave him look of anguish that pierced
to his very soul, and clasping her hands
in agony, fed, as if for refuge, to her
, fathers cottage.
The officer retired, confounded,. hui
/ inflated, and repentant. 1t is uucer'
tain what might have been the result o
: the conflict of his feelings, had not his
, thoughts been diverted by the hustle Of
departure. New scenes, new pleasures
and new companions, soon dissipated hil
t self-reproach, and stified his tenderness
: Yet, amidst the stir of camps, the rev
4 elries of garrisons, the array of armies
. and even the din of battles, his thoughts
' would sometimes steal back to thu
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