Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-07-29

MY FIRST LOVE.
lCoNCLUDED.1

"WeiI, Harry she said. sadly.
'Maria. it is no use my Disgusting the truth
any longer. love you-I love you with all
my heart and soul. Nay. do not Interrupt
me. From the very first evening / came home
my senses have left me. am wild with in
tense, earnest passion.
Mine is no boys fancy. have cast my
whole soul upon this one issue-you or no
thing.-With- you. this earth would be-fhe
most Joyous of earths; without you. dreary
waste. | have not spoken without reflection.
Maria, have said that wish to succeed in
life, hut | begin to fancy that love il worth
all ambition am willing to leave the army
In few months shall be of age: my fortune
is SMALL bnt If dared to hope that you
you-coud but learn to love me, it would be
enough for BOTH
Harry, is it possible" said the lovely girl,
with beaming eyes, THAT you know not of my
wealth-of my fortune?''
"Fortune!' gasped. letting go her arm,
and looking horror stricken.
$50 on,' said Maria, kindly; "has would
make no difference to me-"
Dearest. beloved girl of my heart. pardon
my presumption. | had no suspicion that
you were any other than the portionleSs girl
/ knew a year ago. Had 1 suspected this,''
added proudly. Il should have crushed the
dawning passion within my heart, 'tis now
too late-rich or poor my heart is irrevoca-
have h"sitated-but frared my brother might
speak first. He is Somebody am nobody"
Your brother, Harry, would have been
rejected" said Lady Maria. drily; land
would not willingly offend you, but you must
let me think this but burst of boyish pas
sion''
| staggered she spoke.
mo! | was boy when | came here-a
happy, merry, careless boy-I am now a man,
and You have made me so. 1t remains for
you to decide whether my manhood shall be
one of glorious happiness, or whether | be-
| come desperate and hopeless wretch, whose
career upon earth heaven in its mercy will
| shorten"
."Don'l don't!'' she cried; don't say such
| wicked things.''
"They are not wicked, Maria. 1t is even
| so. Like the gambler. l have unwittingly
| placed my whole existence on the hazard of
| die-death or life upon woman smile. You
may try to deceive yourself, but you must
believe me. When once mans fixed them
| selves in love upon you, it is forever"
Harry Harcourt," said Lady Maria, quick
| w., Il would not believe it true for all the
wealth of the Indies"
"Why?" said l, trembling as with the ague.
Because | can never be yours" she con-
| tinued, with deep sigh.
You do not love Inc" gasped.
Harry Harcourt, why press NE on this
painful subject? l tell You plainly that can
never-nO, never be yours"
'But why?"
81 am engaged to another, and shall be
married in month";
g All! | suspected tiny brother!" |
shrieked.
No; to one you do not know and whose
name, in your present humor, would rather
not MENTION"
'Heaven have mercy on me! Is this reality,
or some horrid dream Can it be true-an-
other S."
am very sorry, Harry!'' she said, in her
softest. ten derste tone. II should not have
come, had | suspected
Sorry, sorry" cried, ''sorry, indeed Why
It's but boys heart broken-nOthing more.
But--but-is this engage ment irrevocable?"
81 have been engaged this twelve month"
faltered poor Maria, who really did feel for
me.
And you love him."
'He is Il man of noble character a man to
respect rather than love. He is much older
than | am--and yet had looked forward with
delight to our union of one wise and dis
Greet promising great happiness until just
now"
Until just now,'' 1 repeated
Eyes. Harry-if that is any satisfaction to
yOu-know that | regret my preciptancy: /
should have seen more of the world ere [
sion takes me by surprise, but had | been
free, gratitude, pride-ior you noble
fellow. Harry-wOuld probably have led me
to return your generous, your dsintert sted
affection 1t is now too late. My word is
irrevOcablygiven, and to talk even of what
might have been is crime. Not another
word Harry, or leave you. Calm yourself,
or everybody will be talking about us. |
shall leave as soon as possible. Would that l
had not cOme!'
WAS stunnod, ovoruhDlnaed and annihiIat-
ed. | felt like some guilty wretch condemned
to die. l knew that hope there was none-
Lady Maria Templeton would not have been
so hard, but to temper her refusal Another's!
1t was fearful to think Oft was maddening
and it nearly drove me mad When Joined
my brother and sister tried to rally 1t was
but faint attempt. 1t was no consolation
for M to know that evening Lady Maria re-
fused him also. pitied him; | pitied any
one who had to endure the torture OF her smile,
and knew it was anOthers.
believe earth has no such other pain as
this. How passed over that Christmas eve.
and how | endured that Christmas day, | know
not | heard the SIRENS voice. but | under
stood it not.
1t was very late, and the merry party was
about to break up. had made my arrange
mcnts to start at day-break
Lady Maria" said | in as stately man.
ner as l could assume-it was very unknd
and very ungenerOus, but could not hold it
- come to wish you goodbye / leave to-
morrow morning to join my regiment
. So .'oon,' she replied, raising her eyes
brimful of tears to mine. " Why go? The
Christmas merry making. are not over and
who knows, ere the new year you may be heart
whole or happy !"
- Never--I must GO" | said, coldly."
e Harry" she replied meekly, do not go.
Your father, brothers. sisters, will all blame
me You were to stay until Twelfth day"
- / cannot endure this torture-it is too
much,' l cried
Harry, Harry, stay for my sake-or rath-
81 will not allow It. My departure is ire
vocably fixed -"
- Infatuated boy ~ she said. and turned
away to hide her tears
Before a week had exchanged into regi-
ment on the verge Of departure to India.
] spare the reader my campaigns in India.
| arrived there in desperate mood. / had
rejected the advances OF the young ladies who
accompanied me on my journey. / hated the
sight of IA woman. 1 landed a misantbrope-
disappointed, and glad to follow career
which promised early death.
can safely say that during the four years
campaign in which | served the image of
Maria Templeton was never absent from my
mind. Despite everything, loved her still.
AT the end of this time | was invalided
home. | was very ill-wounds aud cholera
had laid me as low rs they well could. Dur
ing the whole time | never wrote home once,
and received no letters. | had my income I'M
spent at my bankers. | determined to die
comfortably so travelled overland to Marseilles
and thence To Paris. felt that.I had not
many months to live. so took up my quarters
ut the Hotel DIES Princes. As an invalid.
engaged an apartment on the first floor-ex-
nen.iv,. lint very comfortable