Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-09-24

WAS glad she had come, tor her face Interested
me. -
There was a general laugh, and no one be-
ieved what I said; bur, for all that, am sure
L felt it even then.
The next morning. after breakfast. ii was |
too warm to leave the house; the ladies sat |
and worked in the cool, dark library, and |
Francis Sheldon road-aloud to=them. II
member what it was; and first yawned, and |
presently 1 nearly fell asleep. and wished |
heartily that / had gone out shooting, and |
felt too inert to start then. Miss Ashton |
aroused me with the gratuitous information
that my features were not sufficiently classic |
to warrant their public display in such COM
plete repose; and / then perceived, by glance
around, that the guest was absent. Through
the open door j saw her in the adjoining
drawing-room-at least I saw some dark OBJ
ject gathered together upon the sofa. 1 went
in pursuit.
1t was shedding notwithstanding her
forehead on her clasped hands The hands
were very small. and very white, and very
beautiful. This discovery was pleasant and
encouraging. Not so was her tone when |
addressed her. She looked up YEARLY, with
slight frown; but hoped that was not in
| truding, or some such commonplace begin
ming, and presently she listened to me.
had to speak very low, not to interrupt the
reader in the library, and a half-whispered
|
| l tried my best wanted to please-I
| wished to amuse and interest, if could,
| fOrlOrn stranger in a strange place.
Miss RawdOn recognized and requited my
| efforts-not by gayety, not with smiles; but
| her replies grew longer, and she questioned as
well as answered. We got on very well. 1
found her more than intelligent-she was
clever, brilliant, pointed. She had travelled,
she had read she had profited by both. Her
| language was exquisitely chosen, her slight
| gestures perfectly graceful; 1 never saw a
woman who moved her hands like that one.
No, am wrong; years afterward. RACHEL's
hands reminded me of Frederick Rawdon's.
Il wish j could make you smile-I wish
could light up your sad face,". 1 thought.
| GLOW could you look, l wonderp'
This conversation lasted great whileewTsithitg
sahhSt .Paahh{fHIePp. Caroline Ashton was amused
and annoyed. "You here all this time - she
said to me. ''Bavoi you are eccentricr'
did you not give me over to Miss Raw
| don?''
"Model of obediencei' she exclaimed.
ironically. OF course Miss Rawdon had gone
off before these words were uttered.
l sat next her at dinner. / walked with
her that afternoon--all the evening | was
near her. Not that Mrs. or Miss Ashton will
| fully neglected her; but she showed plainly
that she wished to be let alone. She would
take part in nothing, speak voluntarily to no
| one. She said more than once-not Grossly
nor peevishly, but decidedly am such
poor company don't let me interfere with
| you. feel so grateful to be here and to be
| quiet. Pray don't notice me''
By tacit consent in twenty-four hours Miss
| Rawdon became my charge, and nobody else's.
| They let us both alone. Caroline sneered
little, and Laura pOuted a good deal; for
| they had not even the satisfaction of honestly
saying or thinking that Miss Rawdon sought
| oh
ISOLATION. For days she received these atten-
tions listlessly, Indiferently; never raising her
eyes when i approached her, scarcely making
room for me when Joined her.
verrly believe that had | suddenly disap-
peared during the first week of our singular
acquaintance she would never have missed
me to the extent of wondering where l was,
or caring to see me again.
And II thought of her at every moment
of my life /! What was that woman's charm?
! The God that made her alone could tell.
Her GOODNESS fretted me; her eternal sad
ness distressed me. If she would only say
what allied her -.
At length the icy chain melted. 1t was the
day week of her arrival in our midst. We
were idly walking home after long stroll
| and, by one of those condolences which,
slight or strong. are constantly recurring,
| Frederick took the same path through which
| l had walked with Caroline Ashton, and she
paused to rest halfway up the ascent, just
| where Caroline had stood when accusing me
| of earring my vocabulary" of Irritation
phrases for her benefit. remember this; and
| also remember the mocking laugh with
which she sprang away, saving, &" Your fate
awaits you in yOnder mansion ~ She allud-
I'd, jestingly to Laura Hamilton; but had my
fate really met me at Ashton Hall in the
shape of this grave stranger, of whom l lit
| orally knew nothing?
The moon, which then was young had now
grown rounder and full. Frederick remark
ed on its beauty, on the lovely stiffness of the
night.
IL think it was even more beautiful ten
days ago" said, forcing myself to say some
thing. ''The new moon shOne in the purest
sky | ever looked upon, and the atmosphere
left nothing to desire. l should think the
most fiery spirit would have felt its holy in
fuence. Did you notice its Where were you
on that eveningf -
where was ?" she said, turning upon me;
''where was L? What makes you ask that
question p
Her eyes glittered-how bright they were
her color rose, her figure dilated her flexible
brows bent into a frown.
"What makes you ask that question p she
repeated.
pray forgive me-" l said. if have start
led you by thOughtless speech. / had no
covert meaning in a simple question. Do not
think of it again." -
She sat down on rustic bench behind us;
she covered her face with her beautiful hands
trembling, shudderng, weeping.
threw myself at her feet. Heaven knows
what / said, what incoherent words or wishes
uttered. i don't think she heard me at first;
but presently she gave me her bandit was
the first time had held tits touched thrill
ed me.
'How kind you are!'' she said; show kind!
you have been to me all these weary days
Oh that others were like you'll"
Are we both different from other people,
or are We both just imprudent alike have
closed my lips and refused my confidence to
Mrs. Ashton, to her daughter, and feel strong
desire to open my heart to you. You show
deep interest in a total stranger without in
the least accounting to yourself for the feel
ing; and | believe in this interest. although
Heaven knows | have cause enough to doubt |
all human kind. But l have faith in that |
nameless attraction which draws us 10 some |
and repels us from Others. Have you?
But why give her bare words They never |
will convey, especially through my dull pen. !
the exquisite charm of her tone, her manner. |
AT last she was natural, herself She put |
aside the mask she had forced herself to wear; |
she gave the reins to her suave tongue she |
no longer imprisoned the light of her radiant /
eyes, nor checked the play OF her eveI-vary |
ing smile. BY the rules of compass and art |
her lips were not perfect: by the Judgment of |
those who studied them they were the heaven
liest opponents, silent or speaking, of deli
cious woman.
All me! to be twenty-three again, and TO
have again the wild, surging thoughts which,
after deluging my heart with love, passion.
frenzy, came yelling, bursting to nay lips, and
lay there, too fierce 10 be beaten back and |
too timil to pass that barrieri am nearly
fifty now. That love gave me infinite pain.
and yet