The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-02-17

matter by slipping forward and awakening.
She opened her eyes instantly and smiled.
"It's no use for me to try to sleep with my
bonnet on" she said, "for it is very much in
the way for me, 1 am sure it troubles
you" So she removed it, giving me the
pretty little toy, with its graceful ribbons
and flowers, to put on the rack above us. l
preferred to holding it, telling her it would
be safer with me, and after few objections,
she resigned it, being in truth too sleepy to
contest the point and tying the blue silk
vail over her glossy hair, she leaned against
my shoulder and slept again.
This time when the motion began toshake
and annoy her, stided the reproaches of
my conscience, and passing my arm lightly
round her slender vast, drew her head upon
my breast, where it lay all night. She slept
the sleep of innocence, serene and peace and
t is needless to say that l could not close
my eyes, or ease my conscience. l could
only gaze down on the beautiful, still face,
and imagine how it would confront me, if
she knew what was, and how had deceived
her or dreaming more wildly still, repro.
duced it in hundred scenes, which I had
never before paused to imagine as the face of
my wife. had never loved unless the but
terfy loves of Saratoga and Newport might
be so dignifed, and still less had 1 ever
dreamed or thought of marrying, even as
possibility and for contingency. Never be-
fore, solemnly aver, had seen the woman
whom I wished to make my Whenever
before had so longed to call any thing my
own, as I did that lovely face lying on my
heart. No, it was impossible for me to
sleep.
In the morning we reached Buffalo, and
spent the day at Niagara. If had thought
her lovely while sleeping, what was she when
the light of feeling and expression played
over her face, as she eloquently admired the
scene before us, or even more eloquent still.
1 don't think l looked at the cataract as
much as looked at her. or thought the one
creation more beautiful than the other.
She was not quite familiar with me in
her innocent way, calling me cousin
Frank" and seemed to take certain plea
sure in my society and protection. 1t was
delightful to be greeted so gladly by her,
when 1 entered the hotel parlor, to have her
come forward from the lonely seat where
she had been waiting, not unobserved or
unnoticed, to see me to have her hang on
my arm-look up into my face tell me all
her little adventures alone (how long it
seemed to me) while every word, look, and
smile, seemed doubly dear to me, because |
knew the precarious tenure by which held
my right to them. She busted herself, too,
while was gone out, with our joint bag
gage, and rummaging all over her trunks to
find a box which l had expressed desire
to see. She mended my gloves, sewed the
band on my travelling bag, and found my
cigar case whenever had lost it, which
was about twenty times a day, while she
scolded me for the carelessness, which she
declared almost equalled her own.
Long ago she had given over into my pos
session her elegant port monaie, with all
the money in it, which she was sure she
would lose, as she could never keep any
thing )" and as she had ordered me to take
out what she wanted for her travelling
expenses, l opened it with trembling hands
when was alone, and examined the con-
tents. There were, besides the bank bills
with which she had probably been furnished
for her journey, and which with pious care
she had packed into the smallest possible
compass, as much gold as her pretty toy
could carry, a tiny pearl ring, too small
to fit my finger, but not hers-which
] am afraid l kissed-a card with her name
on it, and memorandum in pretty hand
-"No. -, Olive Street, st. Louis
which rightly conjectured was the resi-.
dence of her cousin Jenny, whose husband
was; very fortunate discovery for me-
Indeed thus far had found the way of the
transgressor hard, in external circumstances
at least, and when with her l forgot every
thing but her grace and beauty, and my
firm resolution to be no more to her
than her cousin should be; bit out of that
charmed presence made me miserable.
am afraid l must sometimes have be-
trayed the conflicts of feeling I had, by
my manner (; but when was reserved and
ceremonious with her, she always resented
it, and begged me so bewitchingly not to
treat her so, and to call her by her sweet
name Florence" that had 1 dreamed as
much longed to be, could not have re.
fused her. But the consciousness that ]
was not what she thought me, but an i'm.
poster, of whom, after our connection had
ceased, and she had discovered the deception
practiced upon her, she could think or
remember nothing that would not cause her
much selfreproach or modification, all in.
nocent and trusting as she was, this refec-
ton, more than any other confess, and the
knowledge of the estimation in which she
would forever hold me, after my imposition
was discovered, agonized me, and would
have given all l possessed to own it to her
and leave her sight at once, though the
thought of never seeing her more was dread.
full. But that could not be.
| At last we reached st. Louis. Do I say
at last? When the sight of those spires
and gables warned me that my brief dream
of happiness was over, and that the remorse.