St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-06-16

when Horace at length offered his arr
to escort the charming gypsy to I'll
parlor, he wished devoutlv the hou
could have been doubled, or multiple
indefinitely.
=" Mrs. Harrington" said Mr.. Cooke
meeting the hostess in the room
when is the irresistible Mrs. Dayto
expected to honor us ?"
Why" said Mrs. Harrington, "yo
have the irresistible Mrs. Dayton hang
ing on your arm. Has nobody intro
duced you yet? Let me do it. Mrs
Dayton, this is Mr. Cooke, Mr.. Cooke
Mrs. Dayton. Now l hope you know
each other"
Mrs. Dayton's eyes were fixed upol
the carpet, bnt there was world o
mischief lurking in them, if her part
ner could have seen it.
So," she said, at length, al have
it seems, the enviable reputation 0
being irresistible
" A reputation SO we'll deserved al
scarcely to merit repetition" was th'
reply.
A number of other gentlemen wer,
by this time collected round Mrs. Day
ton. Her skill as a fortune teller wa.
again cal'el into requisition, and man,
a hearty laugh rang through the cir
Gle, at the witty turn she gave to eacl
ones cherished Irritation, or, they
thought, silent admiration.
May | see you home ?" said Hor
ace, as the rooms began to thin.
Sorry, but | am already engaged.
May | call tomorrow"
Ah," thought the widow, as she
gave permission, he intends to com
mence his siege in good time"
The next morning, the beautiful aud
witty widow looked even more lovely
than on the previous evening She
received her guest with quiet, easy
grace, and they chatted for some min
utes on Indifferent subjects. Ther
something called forth remark upon
the literature of the day, and from
that they passed on to books. One
author after another was discussed
quotations flew about as thick as hail
stones, and each was really trying tc
lead the other out of their depth. Mrs
Dayton's thought was,
"This man is no fool, in spite of his
impudent vanity" And Mr. Cooke
was thinking,
"What a mind Horace, that wa.
ger must be won. 1t is worth more
than thousand dollars, my boy"
From books they passed to music,
and it was an easy transition to the
grand piano in the corner. Mr.. Cooke
took his seat at the instrument to re-
call her memory to favorite air. His
voice was good, his accompaniment
showed skill and taste, and bent upon
dazzling the widow, he sang with
feeling and power.
Do you remember this ?" he asked,
touching a few chords of duett from
Martha, after finishing his own song
She replied by singing the first
notes. A bold chord supporting her
occasionally, she gradually let her
voice out in all its rich beauty, and
his blended with it. He sang low,
listening intently. All! Mr.. Cooke,
who is dazzled now
At last he rose to take his leave,
asking and receiving permission to
call again and Mrs. Dayton took up
a book, threw it aside, practised few
moments, and stopped when she found
she was singing his song, walked ou:
and returned home, wondering why
she could not get that man" out Of
her mind.
To say that their future intercourse
was pleasant is dull phrase to dc
scribe it. Each being bent upon max.
ing conquest of the other, their best
powers were exerted, their richest
treasures of wit, accomplishment and
thought displayed ; and somehow Mr.
Cooke began to feel ashamed of his
wager, and Mrs. Dayton wished she
had never seen Horace Cooke.
1t was one lovely day in early spring
that he called to take her to ride, and
found her sad and dispirited. For
tunes would not have made her con
fess it, but the gay widow was in love
They were out of town, driving
through an avenue of large, splendid
trees, when Mr.. Cooke began to talk
of love. 1t reused the widow from
her depression, to ward the thrusts
she felt he was making at her secret
Love!" she said scornfully. Bah
A school boys first passion before he
leaves pinatores is digniiied with the
name. An old mans doating is called
love !"
Yet the holiest, highest feeling Of
the heart of man in his prime of pow
er has no higher name" said her com
panion.
Mani" she said, scornfully. Mar
in his prime of power I'll tell you
how it is with men. From the time
they walk to school beside the hoy
denish girl, until they are seventy
they fancy they are in love. Every
pretty face calls forth the protestatioI
of a passion you just tried to dignity
They love fifty times, and to the fifty
first flame is offered the battered, worn
out heart as if it were bran new ant
fresh"
"You wrong us" he said, reused il
his turn by the keen satire in her ton,
and look. Though each admiration
of boyhood and youth may call forti
"a passing feeling, it is evanescent
and passes like ripple on deep wa
ter. But when the depths of these
waters are stirred by the hurricane o
real, earnest, true love, it is no subjec
for jeers but if not calling for re
return, it at least merits sympathy
and comfort" and he let his voice fal
into a low, tender cadence.
Mrs. Dayton felt uncomfortable
The laughing response which rose te
her lips died there. She longed t.
tell him her belief in his doctrine
| They were going slowly, quietly along