The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1858-08-13


swear to you, | thought she was going
down was so exalted by this passion
ate demonstration, that ! should certainly
have gone over with her, and felt perfect
ly content to die in her arms, at least,
until ! began to realize what very disa.
grecable bath we had chosen to drown in
Il drew her away; walked up and
down with that superb creature painting
and palpitating almost upon on my heart /;
| poured into her ear / know not what
extravagant vows; and before the slow
handed sailors had fastened their cable to
the buoy in the channel, xe had knotted a
more subtitle and difficult moose, not to be
so easily outdone!
Now see what strange, variable fools
we are Months of tender intercourse had
failed to bring about anything like posi-
tive engagement between Margaret and
myself; and here behold me irreyocably
pledged to Flora, after brief ten day s
acquaintance.
"Six mortal hours were exhausted in
making tho steamer fas.,-in sending of
her Maesty's mails, Of which the cockney
speaks with tone of reverence altogether
disgusting to us free-minded Yankees -
and in entertaining the custom-house in
spectors, who paid long anu tedious visit
to the saloon and our luggage. Then we
were suffered to land, aud enter the noisy,
solid streets of Liverpool, amid the don
keys and beggars and quaint scenes which
strike the American so odly upon first
visit. All this delay, the WEAKNESS and
impatience, the contrast between the NOR
ming and the hard, grim reality of MD
day, brought me down from my elevation
| felt alarmed to think of what had
pass ID. | seemed to have been doing
some wild, unadvised fit of intoxiostion. -
Margaret came up before me, sad, silent,
rcproachful; and as gazed upon Flora
bedimmed face, | wondered how / had
been so charmed
owe took the first train for London,
where we arrived at midnight Two
weeks in the vast Babe, then, ho! for
Paris Twelve hours by rail and steamer
carried us out Of John Bulls dominions
into the brilliant metropolis of his French
neighbor Joseph accompanied us, and
wrote letters home, filed with gossip which
knew, or hoped, would make Margaret
writhe. had not found it so easy to for
get her as had supposed it to be. Flo
ra'S pow over me was sovereign bu,
when | was weary Of the dazzle and whirl
of the life she led me-whcn | looked
into the depths of my heart, and saw what
the thin film Of passion and pleasure con
cealcd,-in those serious moments which
would come, and my soul put stern ques-
tons to me,-then, Sir, r,-thcn-Marga-
ret had her revenge.
4" \ month, crowded and glittering with
novelty and incident, preceded our depart
urc for Switzerland. | accompanied Flo
RAJ party Joseph remained behind. We
left Paris about the middle Of June, and
returned in September. | have no word,
to speak Of that era in my life. | saw
enjoyed, suffered, learned 50 much Flo
ra was always glad, magnificent, irresisti-
bic. But, as | knew her longer, my mo-
ments Of misgiying became more frequent
and profound. If had aspirod to moth
ing higher than life of sensuous delights,
she would have been all | could wish
But
We mean to spend the winter in TIA
". Meanwhile, we had another month
in Paris. Here | had found Joseph again,
who troubled me good deal with certain
rumors he had received concerning Mar
garet According to these, she had been
in feeble health ever since we left, and
her increasing dclicaoy was beginning to
to alarm her friends. But added an
other Of Joseph's correspondents, don't
let We5tword fatter himself that he is the
cause, for she is cured of him; and there
is talk OF an engagement between her and
handsome young clergyman, who is both
eloquent and fascinating
"This bit of gossip made me very bit.
ter and angry. Forget me so soon ?: |
said; and receive the attention of anoth.
er man? You see how consistent I was.
to condemn her for the very fault | had
myself been so eager to commit
Well, the round of rides. excursions.
| soirees, visits to the operas and theatres,
walks On the Boulevards, and in the gale.
ries Of the Louvre, ended at last. The
evening before we were to set out for the
South of France, / was at my lodgings,
unpacking and repacking the luggage
which had left in Joscph's care during
my absence among the Alps; was mel.
ancholly, dissatisfied with the dissipa.ions
which had exhausted my time and ener-
gies, and thinking of Margaret. I had
not preserved single msmento of her
and now ! wished | had one,-if only \
withered leaf, or a line of her writing
In this mood Glanced to cast nv eve
upon stray glove, in the bottom Of my
trunk / snatchcd at it eagerly, and, in
the impulse of the moment,-bsfore | re-
fected that was wronging Flora.-press.
ed 1t to my lips Yes, | found the place
where 1t had been mended, the spot Mar
garet,s fingers had touched. and give il .
kiss for every stitch. Then, incensed AT
myself, | flung it from me, and hurried