The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-05-06
for the firesiae Gllair,
ERNEST NEWTON:
CooUETRY AND IT'S CONSEQUENCES
BY D. CONNOLLY.

Reader am about to relate narrative of
the elevation, the trials, and the sufferings of
noble heart--a heart as true, as fond, as no
BILE and as devoted as ever throbbed within
the breast of man.
Perhaps you will say or think that the
truthfulness of tales, such as am about lay
ing before you, cannot be relied on-that they
are very often mere creation of the imagi-
nation, or, at best. an over-wrought web OF
romantic improbabilities, containing proper
ton of about one thread of fact to nine of fic-
ton; but such is not the case in this instance.
What I am am about to state l know to be
strictly true. Why should 1 come before yoa
with statement, unsupported by the evil
dence of others, if / did not feel satisfied of
its truthfulness? What object can have in
view in doing so? what wish to be gratifed?
Will my acquaintances think better of me?
will my friends become more friendly2 VIII
acquire wealth, happiness, station, or infu-
ence by it? No. Then why should spend
my time in writing these pages, to be Rad by
few, and then perhaps forgotten?
TO be plain, my only motive in writing
what follows, is the hope that it may be read
and remembered by one-I hope many-of
those who, sometimes innocently, oftentimes
Intentionally, trife with the purest and holi-
est passion that animates the human soul;
the hope that it may be effectual in bringing
to the minds of my fair readers a true appre-
citation of the evils arising from trifiing and
coquetry; the hope that by its perusal they
may learn that there are noblerob in life
than the conquering of confding hearts, mere
| ly for conquest's sake.
Having thus promised, l will now proceed
with the story, hoping that you, dear reader,
will favor me with your close attention.
Ernest Newton, the subject of this nara
tive. and the writer, were natives of village
in one of the Eastern States. We became
acquainted when boys at the village school,
and as we advanced on the~highway of life
our acquaintance ripened into friendship, true
and sacred In our school-boy days, wher
others were quarreling about trifling matters
-school-boys always quarrel about 'rifine
matters-Ernest and | We're planning an af-
ternoon ramble through the fields, or assisting
each other to solve some intricate problem
/ that persistently puzzled our youthful brain
! In all our associations we were true to each
I other and as we advanced in years and be.
came more eonversant with the realities o
life, its trials and struggles its hopes and fears
only served to strengthen the golden chair
that bound us so closely together
At the time when this tale commences, we
were both employed in mercantile establish
ment in this city. In all the rivalries of bu
] siness-and be it known that business rival
ries exist even among clerks-the page OIL
1 which our vows-vows to be true to eacl
other till death did us part-were mental,
! written, remained pure and unsuliled. Gu
mutual efforts were to preserve the friendship
8 and regard we entertained for each other, an,
further, as best we could, the interests of ou
employer.
Ernest's age was at this time about two
and-twenty; Twas by one year his junior
We lived in a respectable clearinghouse in
quiet part Of the city, seldom, if ever, takin
part in the democratic gossip that was regular
ly served up with our meals, and spendin
our evenings in our own roc m, or in visitin
our few friends and acquaintances in the city
!, Among the persons with whom we beoam
incidentally acquainted, was the family {
Mr.. George Northrop, consisting of Mr.. an
Mrs. N, a son, named after his father, an
1.-TWO daughters, Lucy and Fanny. Youn
Northrop was one of our fellow Clerks and
was through him that we became acquainte
with the family.
Not deening it necessary to enter into
/ lengthy description of the beauty and accom-
!. plishments of Mr.. Northrop's daughters,
II will merely state that Lucy, the oldest, was
tall, graceful girl of about eighteen, with ligh
almost auburn hair, that fell, in rich prof
II sion, over her spowy neck and shoulders
bright eyes, and a pleasant, though someGim
thoughtful countenance. Fanny, whose yea
could not have numbered more than sxtee
was the very oppositeof her sister. She W
At rather below the medium height; around b
se broad, marble forehead clustered masses
=. glossy black hair; eyes of piercing blackne
Of were shaded with beautifully arched brow
and curtained by long, si.ken lashes; no
rs of beautiful formation. and small, fine
y ehiseled mouth, surroundee by dlmples, su
{. gestive of disposition ever on the alert
y, mirth and mischief This description will,
ns hope, suffice to make the reader sufficient
", acquainted with the young lady for the pr
to pose of what follows.
NJ On the occasion of our first visit, after t
ceremony of the introduction was ever, a
we had chatted on various commonplace m;
ters, noticed that Ernests attention seem
81 almost wholly centered in Fanny. He sat
. her during the evening; always replying d
! ferentaliy to her remerks, but rarely origiI
. ting subject for conversation His mind "
! so completely engrossed with her presen
that he appeared to be utterly unaware of t
IS. fact that he was closely observed, and
thoughts partly OWNED by Others.
"a u When we reached our room, as chare
him directly with being in love, he laughir
ly passed it off, saying that it was all nc