St. Mary's gazette., 1863-12-10
For ske Gare9s.
THE BEAUTIFUL MAIDEN,
OR THE BLIaHTED HEART.


One day. not long since. was spend
ing the evening in compas, with several
Young men who we're amusing themselves
ty giving an account of their numerous
I.i.ir-breaith escapes and thrilling sdven-
sures. There was one young man present
wha heened 10 take but little interest in
what was passing. and " no kecuaed to be
.ccupird with his own thoughts. which. I
jr,iged FROM the con;ortion Of his features.
we're not very pleasant When it came to
his turn, We all insisted that ne should
tell love stary. AMI after iiule pcrsua-
sss he answered. "Loys l will tell you y
l.se story, one ia which [ was a,ysclf deep
is interested give she story in his own
N'rjS:
,;here .t,nds upon . high hill, in full
view If the Poiomae River. fBs old hosue-
IL, nd OF Que OF the trst settlers of st. Ma
fv's. n is besIiiful old place. xiih its
! sk,y.sly slaping bill aud level plain. With
stsa=aet yses ssvv ~ she sids
'p.ionar, w,fh lis countless i"eks Of wiM
k.wl swimming gracefully oTrr i,s smooth
suriace, or the never enaing stream Of
v. .s.els with ihrir white sails giitiering in
the sun, with now and thep 8 s,csmbsai
o. ship moving steadily along. forming =
land .ca,- worthy the pen VI sae poet. or
the brush Of the painter. and sse the kind
old hos. never tires Of praisiug- or thr
visitor of ai,siring.
This lovely old place has long-sincs pass
esl from the possession Of il. ancient scun-
der. whos, liHeage is now extincs. aud Of
whose history I have nothing more so say
Ia il of his sueccssor that this story will
treat
This old homestead 10 now in the PCS
session Of grayhsirrd. Venerable locking
old r,an of najcstic sppe srsuc~; the
smows of nearly eighty winter. have p.rscd
lightly over his head, leaving no mark 10
t.il Of ti,ae except the whiscied lucks
lie is still hale aud hesrsy uld a,an. -p-
inying the saciesy Of The young. Nth MI
the ardor Of his youthful days. telling l..rg
siorirs, ard fighting over again thc bal
ties Of his youth. He is Away, cheerful
and kind, rcaay far 8 joke. and peres
seeming happier thsn when sitting az hir
hesfi,ahle b"ard with his visi,"rs. whe,h.
<r stranger, reighbsr or friends. sr.uael
lins.
In his youth. he vas pocr aud une.la.
Gated. bu, believing. TIA, by industry aa,i
economy only, he could gain that posi-.
tien in socie'y tor which be this,.rd. he
early gave all his energies TO the acquire
n,en, If wealth and kno~ledge. and when
ether youths x.re spending their 'ine in
the society of the fair sex. or in visiting
around. he was either lshoring in ,he Geld
or tuinirg the midnight ianp. in srsrch
s[ kpowi.ags. Thus lassed BALI cens,l-
rr- the wealth aud keewels'ge acquired.
tie position in socie.y gained. aud yet he
was no, harry. No ,cAder wife 10 cheer
lis solitude. ne Loving childrrp 10 aea,he
Ills declining yearr, un frisndiy hand IN
aid his weary steps. he was alone sll
alone Nov, at the age when most other
men begin TO prepare for dying. he be-
gan 10 leek around fer &as,.e fair one on
whem se ilacs hir affections snd bestpw
his h&nd srd wealth; she Was soon found,
n heas,tiful girl whehad not vet bid fare-wvh
70 ser teens. He m., her. and econ mxse
h-r sa sesr of bic hand and h.srs. which
Sse Jny1uhy xecfpted-fos strangs % it
nsy appear. sbe had lcarn,d to love ,ais
Fray-hai,sc rld u.an. She vas an sr-
lasn- e'riy left 20 the care ard guardian
shir sf lair os cross and crshhed crra-
tines. rbs efver aiio-ed her 10 join iu
sh" merry. ,nakisgs Of the ysupg or 10 re-
esiv~ their es.n.i.ars: snd wien this old
n.sn eamc xi,h his lnrge heart and Mind
attentions. he soon k;,:dlsd the ires al sf.
f.eirn IN ,hss bss.m xhsre they had ling
,nsu.isrsd fer wsnt nf sa,,.e kinlrrl
spirif IT, fen the latent spsrt irsn . ,.e,s-
ssansise tiame. He sson I'D hrr sa fhs
isHsneai slter. whrrs tho a.ssr;nnislisl
su0 wss lied. making thea. n chs
4 s>rsiwlre srys. ..oDc. There ~-re %
grand Prerssssiena NC rss.is se'