The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-11-11


sphere, beyond the range of his sympathies,
spoke again
Mr.. Fleming, we have been long acauaint
ed, too long for the peace and quiet of those in
whom we are Interested This house is no
longer open to you, nor my family to your Wis
It's ana inform you of the fact, in accordance
with the just request of one who has reminded
me OF my duty in unmistakable words; and
he handed note to Jasper iffd
The young man took it, glanced at the direc-
ton, and then tossed it from him.
:" There is a duty between this and me, Mr..
Congreve, which l hold sacred. Your grounds
are sufficient, and will no longer burden YOU
with my presence. FAREWELL
he turned to go out, and then and there might
have ended the connection of the Congreves with
this history, then and there this history might
have indeed been rendered unworthy of recount.
ing; but love supreme, divine love- love that new
withes cannot bind, cunningest snares cannot
entangle, hercest foes are futile against; love.
holy love, came to the rescue, in shape of Ruth.
de turned to go out, when Ruth, with quick,
convulsive gasp with sharp cry, as if her heart
was being rent asunder, with a voice of more
than mortal agony, blent with the eager tremu
lousness OF more than mortal love, sprang
lettering to her feet, and said
Jasper Jasper!" F.
That was all, but it was more than enough.
Instantly he was by her side with his arm about
her, with her fevered head against his shoulder,
and her face nearest to his breast while the great
sobs came Historically up from her racked heart
In quick, passionate tone, Jasper spoke:
Mr. Congreve, | demand to take leave of
her,
And, waiting for no reply, he gently lifted her
from the house, still cinging to him. and sob
bing, and half bore, half led her to the trystine
tree, the old beach tree in the garden, with tho
rustic arbOr at its base. .-
Now the stars shone out in their pure and
unlmpassioned beauty, while far down in tho
northeast appeared the black indstinctness of
the receding storm-cloud And through the
garden, tanning those two poor souls, came the
light sOsi6te of a midsummer's night breeze Ian
guild with coursing the sun-fevered earth, vet
dewy and fragrant from kissing the flowers.
Twas night in which young hearts should min
gle their first bushing VOWS to be inseparable,
a night for love and hope, and the murmured
syllabes that lovers delight in; not "a night to
scar young hearts with the hot iron of sunderng
forever. All, God, the smiling of the stars down
from the deep armament the airy fight of the
fire-fies, the glOw-worms sporting in Joyous love
at their feet, the merry wild trlls and cadences
of the mocker to his mate in the neighboring
bush, the hum of busy insect life, the plaintive
cry Of whip-poor will from the garden pales, the
rustic OF the little leaves in the breeze, and the
fragrance of the hOneysuckle that decked the
arbor all these so blissful gifts of nature around
them-all SO calm, holy, bright, and good, and
they so fevered, so wild, SO utterly wretched |!
So they thought, poor, impatient ones. But why
should it not be so? What concern has univer-
sal Pan, tho grand round of nature, with the
swapping of twig or the crushing of flower i?
| IL al.
yon long shadow over the earth. And our in
dividual loves, joys, woes, proclaim we them
never SO loudly, are less in the wide plan of
! Cosmos than the veriest mote that flashes in the
face of the day god.* Ifthere be any sublimty
| In the association of our own grefS with any I'M
| usual demonstration of nature, whether we be
king or beggar, prophet or demi-god, Hyppoli-
tus or Joe Smith, it is naught else than the sub
Unity of egotism that can hedge round the
personality of mite with the attributes of the
Cloud Compeller. 1t is otyectioe, not sutJectiUe
intensity, that creates for US an executive power
| in natare While your grand Rousseau walls
| and murmurs, and your simpletOn Werthcr signs
and groans, one stout-calved Ben Franklin
| stands out boldly, and brings down Gods light
ming from the storm-cloud. For not by the shield
but by the sword, is the warrior established III
his position Of conqueror
To the old, old seat, beneath the trusting
tree, where they two had often discoursed love
thoughts. And this was the end Of 1.-THE
last time Shut out the thought. Crush that
down, at least. Let us live. Dum cieimuS All,
this tears our hearts. This makes our hands
witch This robs our kiss of its sweetness.
The last time. Out with it. Away, thou spec
tire. Tomorrow each of us can say !" Viri!"
But no,o-
Ruth ~
"Dear Jasper!"
What each felt of misery, of most forl0rn DESC
lation, was bodied forth in those two words. The
arm that held her to his breast trembled, the
head that rested on his shoulder throbbed per
cephbly Ay, nestle closely, little trembling
one, nestle closely to his heart and clasp her
tightly, thou, clasp her convulsvely in thy arms
poor wretch, for presently you must part, and
only the Master of you, and of yon calm, calm
stars, overhead, knows when you shall meet
again.
Yet they talk calmly after this, each con-
siderate for the other; for know, oh reader,
that there are moments when love is entirely
unselfsh-rare moments, but divine ones
Are you against me too, Ruth p
"Jasperl"
Nestle closely, he did not mean it, little one
That clasping arm tells thee he did not mean it.
"Nor my father, Jasper. You do not know
III
he thought was asleep, and bent over me, and
kissed me softly, and 50 sadly and sympatheti-
cally, that it gave me new strength. And |
heard him say to himself, as he turned away:
Poor children, must you too be tried in the
fire that hath made your parents hearts SO des-
olate?' No, no, Jasper, he loves you ; but you
know his pride, and the note from your mother
was cruelty bitter and insinuating. Oh, Oh"
cried she, in sudden agony" oh Jasper, are
you going away?"
Eyes, Ruth, until my poor mother awakens
/ must go away" Infinitely compassionate
was his clasping arm, but Ruth needed it not.
Flinging herself upon him, she cried, in a wild
passion of love:
you must not. You are my hfe my SOUL and
| shall die if you leave me-die if Jasper leaves
me-"
The warm blood flushed to his very brow, as
these accents, SO loving so despairing, so full of
hints of what he was losing, came upon his ears.
He caught her to his heart in a wild embrace,
and tremblngly murmured, tremblingly, yet
with mad passion:
"Go with me, Ruth go with me, and live. Be
mine, mine only, forever. Our love is too holy
to wait upon the beck of others. They only
sin who would thwart US. Come with me, and
live, my life, my love, my wife. Oh Ruth,
come, come !"
Passion was at its climax now. With flushed
face, and painting breath, and wildly throbbing
heart, he held her there to his breast, held her
in fierce embrace. For a moment she yield
ed to the wild passion that filled his veins, but
then she gently tried to release herself; and
when he would still have detained her there at
his heart, she murmured, in tone of slight re-
proach-
+" Jasperl"
The word oa l1od hin, 70 b;moolf apd he 70