The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-03-27
THE TORN NEWSPAPER.

will never consent to your marriage
with William Appleton. Ida, said Charles
Redincton, with flushed look and angry
eyes.
IF | love William more than love
you, Charles, why should you be angry
This is not the way to make me love you bet
ter than William If cannot be your wife,
l can be your friend You have paid me a
compliment | shall always be grateful for,
in Offering me your hand. feel deeply
your preference of me over other fairer
maidens of your acquaintance, and who |
know would be made happy BY such an Of
fer Nay do not look displeased Be-
cause | refuse to be your wife is no reason
that cannot esteem you as friend"
Thus calmly, and gently, and sensibly
spoke Ida Boyd, 4 sweet. beautiful girl Of
eIghteen-the daughter Of q poor widow
to a rch young man Of uncomfortable pas
sious, who had loved her long, and would
have made her bis wife; for, though poor,
she was socially his equal, her father hav-
ing been a gentleman Uf fortune, who be
came reduced before his death through the
failure Of bank in which he invested al
he wa worth.
They werc Standing at the ghiou-Z..tc
to which he asked her to accompany him,
after having called to see her, saying that
he wished to say few words to her alone
These few words We're the offer Of his hand
and fortune Her reply was that she had
been month engaged to William apple
ton His angry EXCAVATIONS Of disapont-
ment called from her the words Of remon-
STRANGE and kindness which she addressed
to him at the beginning of cur tale
Love or hatred he replied, almost
fercely '' must either love or hate you,
Ida Boyd, There is no medium with me ,
As for William Appleton, may tic dev-'
Charles Stop where you
are. This conduct is unworthy Of you, and
painful to me" she cried, laying her hand
upon his arm. which he pettishly withdrew
from her touch If cannot love you,
why will you hate me Does this not
show that your love for me was not such as
would stand the tests of life ?'
Ida, talk not thus, My love Tor you
would have made me die for you Yes
terday, If you had bidden me do any deed
involving the risk of my life. would have
marched, with smile upon my lips, to
death, so that felt that you approved.
She looked in his face The moonlight
cleaning through the lattice of leaves above
their heads, fell in soft splendOr upon his
forehead for his forehead was uncovered
as he spoke to the fair object of his wor-
ship. There was a momen'arily silence.
She broke it by saying, Charles, l am
very sorry for you =
Pity me not Your pity adds poison
to the barb you have SO completely faslen-
ed in my heart Hate me, Ida, hate me
That will be the most grateful return you
can make me for robbing me of yourself" "
Charles said the lovely girl, as she
took his reluctant hand in hers, dear
Charles, my friend, how can you blame
me? How can YOU feel 500 Love is a
mystery | do not know why choose
William rather than YOU
lie has known you bat ten months,
while / have known you from a child
Il know it, Charles | have always
liked YOU, Do you not remember how |
have SO often given you flowers, and how
you used 10 love TO carry my heavy satch-
ell of books home for me, and how You gave
me birds and rabbits for pets and | named
them after you and how You used to do
nv hard sums for me, and what good friends
we used to be ?"
Yes, | remember it all. Ida; and W,
were very happy, and when | grew up. and
you grew up and became so beautiful, re-
solved you should be my wife ; but then
came the stranger and--and--
Here the emotion, if not a gush of tears
of the young man choked bis ntterance
and he turned away without finishing the
sentence.
AS said, Charles, love is a mystery
| loved him as soon as | saw him. dom
know how it was, but cur eyes no soone'
met than our hearts seemed to fly together
and embrace like lopg-absent friends
The disappointed lover made no immedi
ate reply. He walked for few moment
to and fro before TIE garden gate Their
was cloud visible upon his brow, and ;
stern fixedness Of the lips, which alarmed
her. She approached him gently an'
said:
Charles -
well, Miss Boyd
DO not speak to me unkindly."
What matters i; Are you anythin,
to me Am | anything to thee ! Ar
you not his ! do well to speak unkindly
But, forgive, Ida. [ am not angry wit
you. Poets say love cannot be helped
Bu. as for him, who, knowing how l love
you, and who has come between me an
happiness"
Say no word in anger, Charles. Fo
my sake, do not be angry with William.
Fer thy sake -
Yes may not ask this >
Ida, what do owe you that lor th
sake | should not hate him ,''
Nothing; but, oh, forgive me )!
knew not you loved me so dearly. Yo
never told me till tonight ~
Because did not deem it necessary |,
tell thee" lie observed bitterly, Il though
you understood the look of my eyes, ii
touch of my hand. the tone Of my voice
.. To tell yon that | lo7ed You would hav
: seemed 10 NE ike paiItinc the rainbow {