The constitutional union., 1860-12-07
ARMY BUTTONS vs. HAZEL EYES

WAS in a delirium of love The dark hazel eyes and still darker hair sublueu me more than ever a trowning bJttlc- meut awcj a foriolm-hope of fifty brave hearted soldiers l had faced murdorou, Indians on their own hunting grounds; their tiendiah yells had aroused me from my mid night siumbers to action. had marched uudmchn4iy forward. leading uy men. while arrows auJ bullets fell like hail around mc All this had met with comparative c4uau- unity and returned to the metropolis o our nation only to be -ubdacl by woman,
 Yet Helen Sparrow was fair and beautiful as an Italian sAy. Conscious of her 1y-c'ua- ton, she made mo effort to cntrap me but 1 sailed a, quietly into her ne, as the wild swan into the snare of the huna.man There the simiIc ends ior ] fu.tercd not the least b.t but yielded heart and soul to her bcwtyhu- influence.
 Army buttons are proycrbt4!s. iucon- -tant, and l Was no exception to the general rule. On Jhi, occasion l Was fairly cau-h, ia my own net, SD carefully woven for Helen. Ny filtration assumed serious a-rc.,-L loved her, yet knew she mistra,teI lHc.
 1t Was in the summer of '5S that the War Department granted me a turlou2h of two months. and then it Was met her. But three weeks had passed. and l would have thrown up my commission had Helen even huteI that such a sacrifice would gratity her.
 At the expiration of Uni, tune. a party, consisting of Helen Gertrude >t Clair. Cap- tain Care,-a former >matc-the old folks and myself was formed for a trip to Niagara The old folks took care of themselves, the Captain took charge of Gcrtie, and Helen fell under my especial pretections
 At Niagara, the International was filed to its utmost capacity. North and South had poured their tarcst daughters into this caul- dron of fashionable excitement, and handsome sons had followed the wandcrings of their fair inamoratas. Amonea alI HeIen-to me Was the tairest With her eyes viewed the mighty torrent as itpitched hcadlong into the seethng abyss; when she was sad was de- spondent; when she smiled | was all yiyacity We walked, rode, talked, laughed and went together, until my love amounted to frenzy, and my frenzy to madness.
 But this state of things could not last long for l was even then a fit candidate for luna- tic asylum. l would have given worlds, had they been Iafne, to recall the first week or so of our acquaintance, when had made a boast of my many firtations, and scoticd at the very existence of such thing as pure and lasting love- l had ridiculed it, one evening, as a maudlin sentiment, and denounced 1t the next as the moonshine of juvenile precocty. For all which was soon to reap my reward and a bitter one 1t proved to be.
 It was a calm and beautiful night, such a one as is designed especially for lovers Helen and | left the frivolous dance and strolled away, ostcnsibly to view the Falls by moon light We had reached the bank of the river, and seated ourselves on a convenient rock, in sight of the mighty cataract. The final week of my furlough was drawing to a close. We had been conversing about constancy, and though my sentiments were materially chang ed since our first acquaintance, | was afraid to betray my inconsistency by expressing them. My views of love were somewhat moli- fed, and as that subject naturally followed the other, the spirit prompted me to try the virtue of action. With a sudden impulse fell upon my knees and poured into her attentive ears my tale of love. Half doubtingly but with becoming gravity, she listened; occasionally at some unusual outbreak of sentiment, faint smile played over her face, but only for an in- stant My vanity whispered that it was the excess of joy which filled her. At length l reached the momentous questionable imagi- nary turning point in my existence. She placed her soft hand in mine and while kissed 1t enthusiastically circulating in the interim, Mine, mine, forever !" with the other she raised her handkerchief to her eyes and turned her head, as l supposed to concea the joyful tears which would naturally dim her vision. 1 did not learn until several day: subsequently,, that it was simply to smother ; laugh at my ridiculous actions.
 1 returned to the hotel iubilant, and in the very extreme of happiness. Happy had i been for me had l, by accident, fallen ovel ] the prccipice, for the dizzy night from whlcl