New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-12-19
Aew 0raus nau apnaa Nne 1ambn 49, 1859

every desire was 10 De EruHleu ualS lolt'tuuo "
witness the interchanges and to shape to rnition,
the love-dreams which he believed mutual to her
self and Alfred
Sincere as was his struggle it made him more
fttGl and variable than ever in his life before.
Sometimes he felt that he would dare and do all
to secure her to himself: he would put an end to
Alfreds visits, he would forbid their familiar inter-
course, he would bear May to distant clmcs some
times he thought lie would throw himself upon her
gratitude, paint his desoate life, and tell her she
had power to make it bloom with spring time
freshness: and yet, from each and every tcmpta-
ton he emerged with the renewed purpose to let
his love lie an unknown sacrifice at her feet if but
over it, she might step to security of bliss.
Finding necessity for continued and active oc-
cnpation. after long years of entire withdrawal
from them, Judge Hawthorne commenced, once
more to interest and busy himself with the politics
and affairs of the county.
He was welcomed cordially on all sides and in Il
short time received nomination, which he was
urged to accept, for the legislature Thinking to
find new distraction in the canvas, and subsequent
duties of the position, if elected, he signifed his
consent and thereafter, plunged i'll preliminary
efforts carry to the goal of his entire party
ticket but even then, unfortunately, could not cN-
cude the heart-grief that had prompted him to this
new phase of life.
In the meantime, how was it with May! She
still made the sunshine of the house, and walked
the smiles and blessings of all the inhabitants OF
River Home Plantation, from Miss Polly to the
decrepid old 'Mammie,' who drew her chair out
each day to the center of the quarter yard and
there sat, dividing her time between quarreling
with the congregation of little darkies, most of
whom were her own descendants, or telling mar
yelous stories of the past
For the first time admitted to the festive world,
May had acknowledged the charms of society, and
with her keen appreciation for the luxurious and
beautiful, had found in the lights the music, the
flowers, the swell and hum of conversation, the
soft crush of satin and lace, the graceful undula.
tons of the dance, and the expressive language OF
admiration that fell on her from manly eyes, a
species of temporary intoNication.
She met at every turn incense and adulation,
and in the knowledge that gradually came to her,
of what it all sgnied, she grew to understand the
secret spring of Alfred Liyingston's devotion.
When the light first dawned upon her, she blush.
ed that her vanity should have suggested such
thought, but when she saw how he constantly how
cred round her in a state of happy unrest, with
what trembling and yet tender pressure her hand
was detained in his, at the meeting and parting
clasp how earnestly he would strive to read in her
eyes what might be buried in her heart, she knew
that myoluptarily she held his fate at her disposal
She knew it, and sighed. Sighed that the gift of a
love and heart, SO pure and noble, could not re-
ceive an interchange of like value; and then won
dered why it could not be, and in wondering,
shrunk away with shame and albright at what she
found hid in her own breast.
After that her lips were less frequently wreathed
with smile, her step lacked somewhat of its
springy lightness, and her eyes took a darker
shade and deeper meaning in their blue depths,
though if in it her girsh gayety seemed to wane,
it was more than compensated for by the womany
sweetness and dignity of her bearing.
She assumed to herself more domestic duties, and
marked out useful course of reading, and in these
occupations found an excuse for less frequently
permitting the long and pleasant hours of almost
uninterrupted meeting between herself and Alfred.
She would not pain him by affecting GOODNESS
she did not feel but she strove by every means in
her power to make him understand that her sent-
ments for him were only of tenderest friendship
and sisterlv love. Alfred, with lovers quick APP
prehension, was not slow to perceive it. and where
as he had been lowering on the brink of declaring
to her his love- he hestated to put his fate to
the touch,' because of the preseience that he
should lose it all"
Judge Hawthorne, too. realized that change of
some some kind had come to May, and to him also
it brought an access Of woe.
Notwithstanding his apparent lack of apprecia-
ton and acceptance of the attentions and girlis
cnresscs, which in the intimacy of their home, and
her position as daughter of the house She had
learned to give him, she had up to this time perse
vered in bcatowing them, but now there were no
more restngs of dimpet elbows on the back of his
chair. or rassings of white hands over his brown
hair, rs she poured out flood of gay and laughter
mingled talk no moro familiar and nnasked clasp
ines of his arm as he walked the long gallery, and
qiestionings and raiiyings, and tender efforts TO
withdraw him from what seemed silent sorrow ;
and often, as he had framed the wish after he had
thrilled almost to madness under their influence,
that She would refrain from them, he found in their
absence they had after all, been to him source Of
painful pleasure.
He attributed that and the tempered flow of
Mays spirits to some shadow that had fallen on
hers and Afred's love- but neither had ever re-
posed their confidence in him. he did not feel that
he could force himself into their council.
And so matters stood.
when the election came off in the fall, Judge
Hawthorne was triumphant by an almost unan
nous vote and when the Legislature convened at
Montgomery in the winter, he transferred his
ward and her companion, Miss Polly, from the
quiet of their country house to an elegant suit of
apartments in the Exchange Hotel
The season was one of unusual gaiety. Theatr
cal entertainments, public balls, concerts, recep.
tons and private parties followed in nightly
stream and as besides his talents and precm-
nently fine looks Judge Hawthorne had the still
further value of having under his tatherly care the
acknowledged beauty and belle of the fashionable
world, and was also considered a most desirable
and unexceptionable match for any fair lady who
could bind him in her sken meshes, they were
ticketed and feted, and sought, until incense and
fattery grew tiresome from constant repetition.
On the whole, their absence from the peace
full tranquility of River Home, where the deep
er emotions of the soul had uninterrupted sway,
was relief to all, and the high-toned hosp-
tality and festive whrl of the gay popu lation of
Montgomery, (Which fair city sits upon her hills
with the grace of young qneen) served to with
draw them from too entire absorption in their own
trouble
In the midst of it all, though, Judge Hawthorne
and May found confirmation of the belief that had
lain hid in their separate hearts for so many months,
that each had met in the other destiny.
When May saw her guardian rise in the Council
4 l,o,,.