The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-02-15


the condition Of her health to him who had
so inadvertently occasioned her indispositiOn
and withdra wal the evening before.
81 am glad you are recovered" he suid
upon rising to take his leave, "for have
just received letter from my friend, Ralph
Howard, who will reach here to-day, on his
way to his native city, toward which, if /
mistake not from the tenor of his communi
cation, some powerful magnet is attracting
him. But you are ill again, Miss Bertrand
sit down in this easy chair-you are trem
bling violently-et me ring for your sister!"
"No, no, shall be better soon-a sudden
faintness-there, Pm quite recovered-you
we're speaking of your friend, you"
"Howard-oh, yes-he's singular gen
ius, this Ralp ph ; never admits any one to his
confidence, not even myself, and l have
known him for years; but haUe heard that
-ome years ago he became attached to very
lovely girl, somewhere in New England-in
fact, his native city, Boston, il mistake not
but that his fortune being unequal to hers,
he would neither sue her hand nor seek to
bind her by any promise till he had acquired
the means to maintain her in the position to
which her beauty, wealth and requirements
, excited her. Noble generosity, certainly.
and worthy of the man but he does not need
, wealth to recommend him the fairest lady
t in the land might be proud Of such distinc-
tion us his love cpn give, setting aside all the
accessories OF fortune. To this end he has
, bent all his energies, as am more and more
convinced, when recall certain sentence
in his letter and so great is his desire to
l reach home that he is even reluctant to be.
, stow few hours upon his friends here
t And am half inclined TO believe that it i:
only out OF desire to see my fair companion
here that he consents to stop at all, for hi
/. says, at the close of his missive "Tht
e gifted aUthoress, about whom you are so en-
thu-as,ic in your admiration, is not unknown
a to me, (thOugh her real name have sough
e in vain to discovery and am indebted Il
e her for many hours of refreshing, delightful
v companionshp Through the fl lIshing o
= her wit as throegh the graceful touches o
q her sndder moments, have traced picture
q of living beauty-pctures that have beel
sunshine and dew t' my aching, yenrnin
heart, and, before IhasIen to one who, an
If sure, would prove henelf a kindred spirit
At the twain could meet, l must render tn
te tribute of my gratitude aad respect"
GAS you have never met. trust you wi
e have no objection to be introduced by you
: popular nomme de plume, the only name
has learned to call you?'
,r "Certainly, if it will afford you any graf
fication."
II "Thank you. Happy to see you SO full
le recovered your eyes wear their own bri
ID liancy again-don't failto reserve yourse
'e for new pleasure this evening""
With these words the visitor took his d.
" parture, and Agnes was alone with the gre
- gladness of her overhowine heart. How vi
le consciously had her visitor reiterated the a
le surance of her own soul, that, through a
lg that painful separation, Ralph Howard ht
10 been faithful to his early choice. In tran
III port of wild delight she few to her sist
ed with the blessed tidings, and in the tearf
es bliss which that sister imprinted upon b.
ed glowing cheek, received such sympathy
only they have felt whose patient loving h
st ended in perfect bliss.
nd Evening me, and they who looked upc
d Agnes Bertrand as she glded in and took
al seOt where the mellow light fell like ne
p glory upon her beautiful head, never felt
Nv fully the spell oI her wondrous loveline
be and grace. There was gentleness abo
I'd her, subdued vivacity, strikingly at v
he rance with her usual sparkling animatio
We II came not from the utter absence of gl
nd tening ornament, from the spoLless purity
e. her frecy robe, falling like snow. wrea
around her, from that single white ro
lurking in the masses OF her dark hair
Tor came from a spirit that rarely turned it's
ng most beauty to the worlds gaze, a spi
lot strengthened and ennobled by suffering, o
20. frightened by rewarded endurance.
|th There was a stir, rustic in the an
ire room, an approach Of footsteps, end. wi
ses out looking up, Agnes was conscious of
ap added presence. .....- .
nd "Miss -, allow me thehappiness Of pl
m sentng my friend, Ralph Howsrd."
ite She had nerved herself to meet his ga:
mid but she had not prepared herself to mt
40 that perfected and glorious manhood. H
regally be stood before her, with that 10
no of wonder merging into the light OF RECT
lad milton, and flooding eye and lip and brow,
rus Then the strong arms were lifted, and
,as unforgotten music Of other years swell
ith forth in the loving cadence r....
1ot "Agnes, Agnes /" ... ......., .,...., -.
nd For a moment only her slender figure v
he pressed to his manly heart, then with c
er, hand he pushed the tresses back from
lie. cleaning forehead, in the old way, and sa
ich "Agnes Bertrand still?" e... ....
OIL "The same Agnes Bertrand"
did "Thank God !" r.. .t.# bees "
the There was but one Interpretation to tn
me who witnessed this unusual scene, and th
did with delicate consideration, gradually
ent creased the space around them till the ro
tn. was deserted by all save the two whose