The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1861-03-20

natural dellcacy snfanK from lnqulrlng about
q perfect rtrangert
The next day, % soon as etiquette allow.
ed, Mr.. Mowbrsy was seen driving up to the
farm. Nelly appeared, beautifully attired
in neat morning dress. and looking 80
bright and sparkling, il spite of the late
hours Of the night before, that It could hardly
be considered fa,terY, when her visitor os.
sured her that she looked lovelier than her
loveiest roses. Mr.. Mowbray was full Of
regrets at cruel fate, which, he ssid, com
PEELED him to return to the city. He could
not conceal his joy when Nelly's aunt, in.
adverten,ly, and to NeIly's secret annoy
nnce, let out the fact, that In the fall. Nelly
was to pay visitto an old school mate in
Philadelphia, Miss Mary Stanley.
'Ah! indeed eti ME visitor. and his face
flushed with pleaslsfe. lam SO delighted.
have the honor to know Miss Stanley. You
will be quite at home in her SET" he added
bowing to Nelly, for it il, by common con
sent, the most cultivated in the city,
Nelly bowed coldly back. Her old dis.
trust in the speakerrevived again. Through
all the polish OF his msnner, and in spite o.
his deferential admiration, she recogniz
the same sneering spirit, which believed in
nothing true or good, from which she had
sbrunk nstinctiVely when child. During
the interview, she was civil, but no more
Sac could not help being beautiful; nor
could she help speaking the intelligence and
spirit which always characterized her con
versution: aud so Mr.. Mowbray went away,
more In love than ever.
few mon,hssleter found Nelly domiciled,
for the winter 10 PhIodeIpbia. Hardly
had she changed her travelling dress when
her friend came into her chamber.
Il want you u look your prettiest to
night seid Miss Stanley, 'for expect o
crowd o. beaux, abd among them, Mowbray,
the brilliant young lawyer, and Mr.. Harvard
The former claims TO have met you, and
raves everywhere about your beauty. The
latter, who is the great artist, and ve-y crit
ic1l, laughs at his irierds enthusiasm. and
says he'd bet you're only q common rustic,
with cheeks like peon:es. So wish you to
convert the heretic.'
Only a common rustic said Nelly to
herself, henrtiys and she resolved to be as
beautiful as possible. Perhaps, TOO, there
was half formed resolve to bring the OF.
fender ihas.tssi sip sven es.l..r----.------
A crest tsurprise eawoited her. When she
entered the drawing room thpt evening, The
first stranger she saw was the identical Clar.
ence, who had painted her as the bare. 'oote
little girl; and then, for the first time, il
flashed upon her TINT this was the great ort
i$t who hid spoken SO contemptuous Of hei
charms. Hr notion proved correct, fol
Miss Stanley, mediateIy advancing, pre-
sented the stranger to her as Mr.. Harvard
A glance into his face reassored her that he
had not recosnized,her; and then she turned
away after ughty courtesy, to receive
the eoger fluctuations of Mr.. Mowbray.
There were conflicting feelings at war in
her bosom. All her old romance abou,
Clarence was warred upon her by indgna.
tion, as belle, Of his sighting remarks and
at his present indifisrence. For he hnd
mode no a.temptto improve his introduction
but lett her to the crowd of other beoux
prominent among whom was Mr.. M3wbroy
PiGucd aud excited. Nelly was even more
beautiful and witty than usual. Late in the
evening she consented, at Miss Stanley
request, to play and sing. She first dashed
off some. brilliant waltzes; then played bits
of few operas; and, at last, ot Mr. Now
bray's solicitation, sang several ballads
Few persons had such sympathetic voice
and Clarence, who was passionately fond o
music, drew near fascinated. Alter singing
'And are ye sure the news Is true 2 Bon
ME Dundee and others which had beer
asked for, CLARENCE said:
'And may I. too, ask for my favorite =
Certainly she answered, with the leas
bit OF hauteur. WHIST is it9'
'Oh! too d. perhaps, for SO gay com
pany! 'The Land III the LeaI.' Ihardly
dare hope you'll consent
It was her favorlte also, and her voic'
slightly trembled, as she began. From thi
or some other cause she sang then es evel
she had never sung before; and, when sht
had finished, her eyes were full of tears.
She would have given much to have seer
Clnrence's face, but she could not trust her
self to look up; and psrtly TO conceal emo
tion, and partly by . sudden impulse, sit
| struck into the miSsrere Of .sIl TroVstore. :
Nobody there had ever before realized The
full tragedy OF that soddsh yet more beau
2tiful dirge. Even the selfish heart of Mr.
Mowbray was affected. When the las
chord had died oway, he was the first tc
speak, and be was prOfuse in bis admiration
and thanks. But Clarence said nothing
Nelly at last looking towards him, saw tha
his eyes had been di6 as we'll as her own
She felt that his silence was the most elo
puent Of compliments, Ond from that hou
forgave him for calling her common rustic.
Clarence soon became n constant visito
at Mr.. Stanley's. Buthe always found MI
Mowbrsy there before him, who endeavore
in every way to rnonopolize Nellys a,ten'
/ linn. Resepved. II not absolntelv hanuh,u