Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-03-16

trusted 70 his own heart Rad succeeded.-
Have said that be was not handsome
Atordinary times he was not but aotbj a
bis eyes lighted up with the excitement o
bis music, there was q Wild beauty Rbou
them, which, to q romantic girl, would have
far more charm than ordinary combines
When he ended, asked Mary TO sing-anC
behold Mary was crying.
{" Il is the old story. What was 10 hn
Hamlyu, plain and bluff, 10 this Willy Bas.
set, 70 gifted and 50 paSsionRleP Mary Bked
herself this question often for her first love
TO last. Il died out. John saw the change,
but would not believe t. A year passed BY,
Willy Bassot's bed-ridden mother died
proud Of her son, and loving him wildly to
the last. The poor sould cried out as she lay
dying, in her wretched cottage, on rough
December day, He viii be the pride Of the
country yet my Willy wonderful boy,
sirs wonderful bOyr But the neighbors
said that little good would even come Of one
who had been fddling to please himself,
when be should have been fishing to help his
mother and could but feel that what they
said was true.
"And now, sir, came q time which to
Mary, think, was one of the purest hRppi-
ness but which brought pleasure less pure to
| Willy Basset and absolute torture TO the brave
John. Willy-let me not be unjust 70 him
WAS thoroughly sincere in all professions
Of love; but there mingled with them always,
fear, base sense Of triumph over his richer,
stronger, handsomer, manlier, rival. And
as for John, though the poor fellow blundered
about in his big, uncouth, righteous way,
still sang at bis work, and never left duty
undone yet was he as assuredIy smitlen with
deep and terrible griefas if he had testified
thereto by jumping over the clifs--which
often he was very much inclined 70 do-ior
struggle against the conviction as he might,
he could not but see that Mary Lee. though
she had ever a kindly word and bright
smile for him, no more intended 70 marry him
than she intended, say, TO marry me- Thus
went down all the poor fellows card castles,
shattered by 8 fddle-stick. BE was not
imaginative, this big John; but smoking his
honest pipe Of an evening in the ssnded kitchen
OF bis old homestead, he had kislittle visions
of happiness and ease, the central figure in
every such vision being Mary Lee Well,
that was over now, / don't pity him the less
because he could not write sonnet about his
'bliehted hopes
"Il the April after his mothers death.
Willy Basset with his violin and with ten
pounds in pOoket-my savings were very
small, and could give him no more-sailed
awey in a ship that was bound TO Naples
He went as q common sailor but knew
that what be chiefly wanted, was 70 reach
som land where be might obtain reality
good musical teaching; and for my own
part, ! encouraged him in this scheme, wild
Is it might appear. An old friend of my own
lived at Naples, and recommended Willy to
him as a youth of rare and brilliant promise.
For, whether it was through his love for
Mary Lee, or whether II was through a mere
ambitious desire to show his kinsfolk and
bis townsfOlk, that, if be was humble ish-
erman, he was Jet something superior to
that, certain It is that his genius had taken a
rapid and sudden start, and that he would
often times play with really wonderful eI-
preston aud power Ere be went, Mary
Lee, with little urging, had promised that if
in q few years he came back in a position to
maintain wife, she would be his.
al remember well the morning on which
his vessel sailed driEzly, uncertain, April
day, with now and then some faint and ftful
CLEANS Of sunshine over the sea. His friends,
Mary amongst them, stood upon the pier
head as the ship went slowly away 10 the
West. Soon they could no longer see the
waving Of his rod kshRrrnsn's cap; the vessel
went on, growing fainter and fainter to the
sight a cold, cherries rain began total; at
last the ship could be seen no more, and
Mary Lee, as the Good Eudeavor went fairly
out of sight, sank back iaintine in John
Hamlyns arms. He was not far from faint
ing himself, think, the big, brave man, as
be led her home; and if found SON tears in
my own eyes that day, l do not think | was
the worse for them.
Letters came from Willy in dus time
hopeful, eloquent letters. My friend at
Naples was very kind 10 him; procured him
a master and, at last, plain Willy Basset,
ex-fsher-boy, had a seat in the orchestra Of
an Italian opera. Mary was proud enough
of this, to be sure; but when three years
passed by, and be snll said nothing Of re-
turning, she became uneasy. His letters
grew less frequent. he has new friends,
thought she, and forEets old CoOmbetOwn
folks Indeed, indeed sir, if she was sOrsly
tried, yet was he as sorely tempted. Ilearn-
ed afterwards that be had progressed in his
art with startling rapidity a. last be be-
came celebrity and you know doubtless,
far better than l, TO what seductious an artist
is exposed in the South.
"SiX years after his departure, there came
letter from. him, which made Mary'S face
flush and glow again. He was coming home,
successful, famous rich. Home to his little
Mary, whom he loved far better than any
signora of them all Home to his dear old
friend, naming mo with words far more fat
tering than liked. Home 70 old Coombe-
town, where perhaps, be would be rather
more valued than formerly And 80 on
vain, egotistical letter, as ] see nov, but which
made Mary's heart as lightas birds. She had
waited long, waited faithfully, but abe had
not waited in vain, it seemed. Was she not
right in her choice
"John Hamlyn2 John Hamlyn was doing
very well in the coasting trade between
CoombetoRn and Bristol.
"WiIly Basset2 BE was a famous artist
and she would be an artist wife.
1.-THE artist reached home. He landed at
Bristol, where he lodged almost all his
money with wsll-knoWn banker, and thence
posted on to tie little Devonshire village
with what speei be might You viii par
don me If do not attempt TO describe his
meeting with Mary Lee. could tell you
of its gladness, Of its vehement passion, but
even as speak, the sad memory is with me
Of all those trials, all those Affections, which
so speedily followed this hour of intense de-
light found him changed--not altogether
for the better. His face, though he came
from the South, was very pale his eyes bril-
liant as ever, had now light in them which
was not that of cheerfulness and health
and in his whole bearing there was somewhat
OF ostentstion, somewhat OF Rhectation
which it panied me bitterly 10 see. Despite al
this, be could be very fascinating when b.
choose, and the faults which /, grave book
man, saw, were doubtless invisible to the glF
who loved. John Hamlyn coueeiVsda an ute
loathing for him; but John had very strong
provocatiou; for Willy now took It into hi
head to be jealous Of John-jealous of Ii,
man whose liie-happiness be had ruined anl
gradually Johns relations With Mary Le,
grew to be formal and constrained. IL wa
hard To- John to kesp quiet Hpdsr this: bu