The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-01-06
WASHINGTON. d. C..
TCopV-tghi sscaTed according 10 laic.l
For the National Era.
HERMAN;
CIR
YOUNG KNIGHTH00D.
EY r. FOXTON,
.4ufL0r Of" Premicss."
EY r. FOXTON,
.4ufLor Of" Premicss.
CHAPTER Xv-Conclnded.

CHAPTER Xv-Conclnded.
d. What dad the woman mean? How dared
sl.,e cried our excitable young friend, start
in, Is his feet, and looking puritanically ready
f, agnih.late the Scarlet Woman with all her
ds,eidants bat one.
What did she mean?'" repeated Con-
stance. laughing. as she laid her hand upon his
arm. and
oahed The raven of byoadelO,h I'LL he smiled ~
40 make me as cold and stiff and unkind to
goa as possible, and keep me from giving you
q single chance to speak to me or correspond
With me- as if We had not been honorable peO-
DE-. and upon honor; but to set it all right with
me afterwards, as she did yesterday, at the last
moment, Just before she set me down safely
here. though then it came very near being all
wong for You; for, until she told me some
piieous despairing nonsense that you talked to
h.r. sir, had great mind to run off again, and
hide no matter where; and after all, did not
know whether TO believe her or not How
dd she dare? She did not know how your
ewes could flash, | suppose nor did till this
moment She does tell fibs now and then-it
Is her only iault-but always, she says, with a
good intention; and she keeps a little paper
book in which she sets them all down, so as to
b. sure not to forget one at confession / fear
she would not find that the soothing sacrament
fhat She calls it, if Won were her director; and
yol are right. OF all things, | detest and des
p.e ialsehood!"
And of all things, love truth" said Her
man pressing her hand Truth and Constan-ce
one and inseparable!" And so they were. Her
man ought not to have made puns, especially
bad ones but this one was founded on fact
and On a good fact.
But what had become of his supernal and
unapproachable heroine, his sovereign queen
his seventh heavenly saint She was gone
and he did not miss her. His tragic muse had
put her buskins off because the place whereor
she stood was holy ground but she stood for
that only the nearer to his heart. 1t is not
every child, who chooses his book for the sake
OF its pretty covers, that is so well pleased when
he comes TO read it. or with so good reason
ConStance's heart--not quite what he had ex-
pected, 1t was true. but In nursery parlance a
pleasant surprise, surprise so pleasant, that
it never occurred to him to go back to ask wha,
his expectation had been, or to compare it with
the reality. He had been but boy when he
fell in love, and gentle, versatile, dreamy boy
who sought to find without him the stimulus
guidance. and steadfastnesS, which hehad not YET
found within. He was a man now, and a strong
AMI resoiute, man, though tenderhearted still
and found it as sweet to lead his lady-love, as
she did to be led by him. He had changed sc
much, that # she had not been much changed
100, she might not, she could not, have suited
him SO well. fnot altogether guide for him
she was eager to be guided. and would, he fore
saw. soon permit him ID be her guide in al
respects where she needed one he hoped so
al least; and If he was not quite sure, his doubt
was little grain of pepper, which gave piquan
cy 10 his hope. If capable of being deceived, II
was through thoughtessness and artessness
not dulmess; and she herself was incapable o
deceit. If not faultless, she was most candid
and open in owning her faults, most nobll
eager TO repair them, and most winning IL
seeking forgiyeness. Happy is the man or wo
man who can pour ont all MS or her failings
and feelings before the soul that loves him o.
her the best, and be only the dearer for The
revelation.
It is not to be imagined, however, that Her
man analyzed and anatomized Constance aftel
this cool fashion himself. for our satisfaction
far from ii. tits only |, who do it for the
satisfaction Of bay less enthusiastic readers
Without deignillg to pry INTO the premises, h'
jumped al once to the con clusionI that she wa.
precisely what he wanted, 10 make him tn,
harpiest Of men and as this was precisely thu
same conclusion to which ne had jumped about
three years before, any little alteration in the
premises over which he jumped was quite dis
regarded.