St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-05-26

years IN parIS, WaltZeu, pOikacu, Sa!-
loped, ma2urkacd inimitably, per
formed on the guitar, in short, the adj
miraI Crichton could scarcely have
couallcd him, and as finishing stroke
to complete my mothers constcrna-
ton. Mrs. Stanley had run Miss Len
nox and himself together, and thought |
there was no doubt he would be the |
happy man at last.
NV mother could scarcely conceal
her vcxation at this intelligence, and
it certainly caused strange and very
painful revulsion Of sentiment towards
Ida could not endure the idea OF
having such prize snatched from me,
nor to be vanquished by a rival. The
next evening we received cards of in
vitation TO party at Lennox Hall,
which was expected to be the most
elegant entertainment that had ever
been seen in our little world. Little
did then forebode that this evening
would seal my fate. II
Ida was the star of the night. All
lesser luminaries faded before her.
Her dress was bright as herself, and
the jewels which sparkled in her head
and bosom, heightened the queen-like
splendor of her beauty. All eyes
were bent on her, all pressed around
her to do her homage, while Helen, in
her white robes and simple ornaments,
bloomed unnoticed, like wild flower
in some shady nook. She was only
poor cousin of the Lorimers. Sudden
business had called James from home
in the morning, or she would have had
at least one faithful knight. Mr.. Riv-
ers was almost continually at 1da's
side, and my jealousy and anger were
more and more excited by the smiles
she lavished on him | longed to re-
proach Ida with coquetry, but my feel
ings were suddenly changed when
Mr.. Rivers left the room to get some
ice for her l received Geographic
message from her eyes, which drew
me Immediately to her side +; it was a
complete love letter, and obeyed the
summons with renewed hope. Ida
began to reproach me with the most
bewitching sweetness for my neglect
of her during the night, and by her
coquetry and my own vanity l was
led to take the irrevocablc plunge and
declare my love. left her an ac-
ccpted lover, intoxicated with my tri-
umph, and q variety of mixed emo
tions beating at my heart | could
scarcely tell whether pleasure or pain
prcdominated, until felt Helen's hand
gently laid upon my arm as we were
outing the room, and her voice thrilled
through me, as she said, won't you
help me through the crowd, cousin Al
gernon James is not here"
A pang like cold iron piercing my
heart shot through my frame. The
being dearest to me upon earth was
now hanging upon my arm, divided
from me, forever, by my own act our
paths in life now parted forever more
to me. A maddening conviction came
over me then that she might have been
mine, if my own folly and ambition
had not separated us.
think | should have been less mis-
cradle if could ever have ascertaincd
whether Helen loved me or not the
thought haunted me that she might
have been mine, but no word or look
of hers betrayed any tcndcrer feelings
towards me than sister might have
entertained. Yet | would have given
worlds to know the truth, though sucl
knowledge would have been vain.
1t is now more than twenty years
since | was married to Ida Lennox
and in that dreary time | could no
count so many happy days as Seged
king of Ethiopia, did during his reign
] knew that ! did not love Ida, wher
we exchanged vows at the altar, ant
she made the same discovery with re
gard to her own feelings soon after
wards. Ambition had always been
my ruling passion, and | gave myself
up to the pursuit of fame. But the
phantom fed before me | would not
submit to the drudgery of law, and as
was rich man after my marriage
with Ida, l did not care to pursue this
profession, which had only regarded
as a stepping-stone to political pre-
terment f.; but patience, adaptation t.
others, attending to little things, arc
necessary to ensure success in every
pursuit of life, and / failed both il
literature and politics.
But | might still have seen my cr-
rors, and have secured domestic hap
piness, had | yielded to the dictates
of my own heart, instead of the prompt
ings of vanity, after my marriage.
For when recalled the change in Hell
EMS spirits after my engagement to
Ida, the undelinablc, yet perceptible
alteration in her manner towards me,
her sudden determination to pay q
long visit to her Aunt Wharton i'm
mediately after my marriage, and va.
rious little circumstances which Oc-
Cured about that time, | cannot but
believe might have made her mine,
and she might have saved me from
myself.
But Helen is now the wife Of my
brother, and no one could see James
and herself at home together, and
doubt that they loved each other with
all their true hearts. Uncle Godfrey,
and Aunt Ruth, arc inmates of their
happy mansion, and Uncle Godfrey
has declared his intention of making
James his principal heir, yet this cir
cumstance does not appear to affect
their relations towards each other all.
James has had that sort of success in
life which good temper, good sense,
and perseverance, seldom fail to Sc
cure Helen and James are to me the
kindest of brothers and sisters, and
whatever of happiness remains for
me, is to be found at their fireside. ]
rejoice that we have no children, for !
am sure that neither Ida nor l could
have trained them in the right way
but | should at least have attempted
to point out to them the rocks upon
which my happiness and usefulness
We're wrecked.
Ny poor mother did not live long
after my marriage, and died in. the
happy delusion that should live to
be one of the first men Of the age.
She loved me vel, but not wisely,and |
am thankful that she was shared the