Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-07-16
CLARKSVILlE, TENN, FRIDAY, JULY IS, 1855.


would nOtlike your conversion to be over
heard.H fH9
"That was true, Ned and / must thanl
you, even now, for having been so con
siderate."
81 deserve no thanks, George, for it waI
mere stroke of policy--I wanted nc
witnesses of what might say to Jane
"Then you actually courted her |" Ex
claimed Mr.. Eskridge.
"No, I did not; though it might hay,
resulted in that under ordinary circum
stances. But Jane shrewdly suspected
that such was my intention, and had toe
much candor and good feeling to suffer
me to cherish an affection that she coult
not reciprocate, and l wish you had beer
dealing with one as honest, at that time.
"Would that it had been y said Mr.
Eskridge, with sigh. "a little plain
dealing then, would have saved me many
heart-ache since. But tell me how Jane
managed to discard you before you courted
herr" m
"She never discarded me. sir, and foi
the simple reason that never courted her
as l told you before. Suffice it say, how.
ever, that at the close of our evenings
walk, / knew that Jane was in love but
alas not with me"
"And did you not learn the name Of
your favored rival2" Asked Mr.. Eskridge
~ did. His name is George Eskridge.
"Me!"
eyes you And after this manifesto
ton of her taste, you may be sure felt
complimented by her indifference to me-
"You are easily fattered, Ned; but ]
have vanity enough to believe that have
nothing to fear from a comparison of per-
sonal appearance with you. But let us
get back to our original subject. Dur
ing the walk, of which we have been
speaking, Helen promised to marry me as
soon as she left school, and to seal the con
tract, | gave her gold ring, and she gave
me lock of her hair, with the request
that I should return it whenever might
cease to love her. And now Ned, will
take it as an especial favor, if you will
hand it to her, with note explaining the
reason why it has not been returned sooner,
for it is now about year since our engage
ment was broken off. I had sealed up the
lock in the letter, preparatory to sending
it by mail but since she is here, I'd
rather you would deliver it with your own
hand--will you do it ?"
'With pleasure, George, and as soon as
possible; and will also report to you how
she bears this remuneration of allegience
by one whom she has so long held in
bondage-that is, if I can contrive to see
her break the seal, want an opportunity
any how, to give her piece of my mind,
and this business will afford it,
"You have already given her many
pieces of your mind, Ned; but it has done
no good Then what is the use of trying
it again p M 49,
off it does her no good, George, it does
me good to see her proud lip curl, her
brilliant eye almost blaze, and her magni-
fcent bust rise and fall, as she rebukes my
impertinence. 1t is study for genius,
and were | a painter or sculptor, she
would immortalize me; but, though neither
the one nor the other, it thrills me with a
strange sensation to contemplate such per-
feet outward beauty rejecting an inward
being in such striking contrast.-But /
am soaring above your comprehension, so
let US drop the subject and see what is
going on in the ballroom"