The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-03-07

y euaue oL melancnoiy, the last charm OF g
e expressive female face; I was piquant an
: full of talent; under my highbred manner Ia
warm heart. All these, and many MOI
compliments were buzzsd into my ears nigf
after night. The more open admiration of m
: beauty disguised me; felt it an insult TIL
|. more delicate fattery moved me not, excep
: 1 ing when ! saw Lord Eveshan's pride in b
daughter. Everywhere my eyes sought forr
they found not; everywhere my mind aske
for the companion, the friend, the tutor ha
lost. Cruel Montague! Aud yet perhaps b
knew not how much loved him. At on
last meeting we had had little skirmish O
words. | never dreamed that my impeftinenc
might offend him irrevocably. But as tn,
months rolled on, | began to believe that
should never see him again. I made up m,
mind that only death could have severed hin
so wholly from me; and after a time l begar
to think of him with TIL at softened regret whicI
we feel for those who have left US forever.
had many offars. In refusing most o
which, met with little or no opposition from
Lord Eyesham, whose increasing fou,iness fo
me made him think scarcely any match gooc
enough Bat when at last came the Duke o
G--; the greatest parti of England, with 8
monatrons rent troll-a princely pedigree
handsome person, and stately manners-T wa:
no longer 10 refuse at discretion. Lord Eve
sham insisted en- reason. could give none
He settled the matter; was engaged to the
Duke Of G.. 7 had not arranged the mat
ter, but so it was; and / could no more refuse
my consent than the sovereign of constitu
Etiona'ly governed country can refuse assent to
bill for which nine tenths of his subjects are
clamoring. The Duke was, believe, the
proudest man who ever lived. Myrfather eau
toned me never to mention to my affianced
what had been told me of my history; and in
deed the Dukes manner little invited such
confidence. He loved me think next to his
family grandeur; he spent much time with me ;
long mornings, when was often weary as
Mariana mast have heen in her moated
grange He told me of the magni6cence of
his ancestors, of his vast possessions, of the
immense antiquity of the family diamonds,
which should have the inestimabIe honor to
wear. In the evenings we were always out,
He wore me onhis arm as an appendix to his
mighty magui6cence. He expected all to ad.
mire and honor where he had deigned to throw
the handkerchief The loveliest woman, the
aeetest horse, the richest furniture, the most
sumptuous table, we're his by incontestibIe
right. He was the Duke of C. In say.
ing that, one said all that was necessary to
establish his right to the best the world af
fords. He adored his rank and title, his con
sequence of name and position, so much tha t
| think he would never have respected himself
again had he been proved changeling, and
no Duke. This man was my betrothed NY
evident coldLess did not yex him He was
cold himself Ny respectful and distant man
ners were complimentary to his high BIRTH
Even his wife must not be too familiar with
him. He was too grand and too proud to
display the knowledge he might have; a dig.
nihed silence was his most frequent behavior.
To me he unbent, and told me of the former
Dukes OF C.. | submitted to my fate;
resigned myself to dim, moonlight kind of
life, into which happiness was softened into
absence of suffering, and love into federation
A strong favor my existence was not to have
was TO be Duchess of G.; could any
woman expect more? Alas an hoar with
Lorely and the flower sprites an hour of sweet
quarreling and sweeter reconciliation, was bet.
Ter than year of this tame, purposeless ex.
istence. Bat Montague was dead, there was
no hope 10 the contrary. might as we'll be
Duchess of G.. and please my f.ther; for in
that case-and he must be dead-I had no
personal hope in life. Thus debated, and
submitted. and wore the golden letters of the
Duke OF G-- He escorted me everywhere;
he liked to have his yassal near him. Hefor
bade me to dance but with himself. 1 was
for him only, and all the world must see that
be was master of the acknowledged beauty.
Lady Helena, who had refused SO mary excel.
lent matches. The period of our return to
England was appointed, and the marriage day
was fixed. Ii
One morning he came to me, pale, and for
al nim' unusually moved. I asked him gently
what allied him. He said that he had heard
SANDER which vexed him beyond measure-it
myself did not for the moment
think OF Montague; and expressed surprise.
know it is false he said, your father
has told me in what strict retirement Won were
But this fellow, IA roue of the first
water declares that you have clandestinely
accepted bis addresses-that he has your own
to prove your love for him 81
Good God, it is Montague r s'
These words were wrung from me in a mn.
nent, and almost without my consent. felt
ny blood recede from cheek and lips; I was
ieadly cold, and. having started from NV seat
tood like statue. The Duke of c. was
'etrlhed into moments silence. Then he
reclaimed in voice whose accent of wounded
'rloe shall never forget You know him.
hen, madame; and I am the victim of a base
leceptioni' -
recalled my scattered senses, and asked
ne name OF the person who had thus openly
mentioned me. 1t was he and my exclama.
ion saved me the trouble of owning that I
lad known him. told, in simple and truth
III way, the exact story of my childhood and
low had met with Montague; how ignorant
u the world was; how be had won NV girl.
ah heart; how suddenly he had left Audley
end; how had concluded him dead. Butt
onid be-, did he add, to the cruelty of leaving
ne time &ba r,aan..s. ,sD-. ~ - r