Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1865-12-07

~, ShS iauidtSd IiittlluitlSSS anu listp-
piness wherever she went. She was
among her companions like the smile
among the. expressions. She moved
in our midst like clothed angel, her
very presence blessing !; her breath
the sweetness of our life. 9'.a
When Walter visited MS, he al
ways saw herr but seemed hardly to
notice her. l. received his attention.
His conversation was mainly address
ed to me and though Grace was usu-
ally an interested listener, she was
habitually y quiet, even to reserve! II
was less than a year that she had been
at home from school, when one morn
ing, as ! was sitting alone in my room,
studying my own heart, my feelings
towards Walter, reviewing his actions
and words, and seeking to divine their
import, there came the softest rap at
my door. i I.opencd it, aud little Grace
stood there, pale at first, then blush
ing as she lifted her eye to mine. "
May | come in, Margaret p she
Certainly, darling,'I answered.
I'm afraid I've disturbed YOU
80 Not in the least; was only mu-
sing @ srv,T .a...'... .
Then I'm sure I've disturbed you.'
NO, child; trust me, and come in.
She entered, and We sat down on
couch side by side.
- l want to tell you something, Mar
garrett ata . #zr
- Well, child p said. .a As#
g'Walter told me of his love as we
walked together last evening"
How my heart throbbed How wild
its leap ! Then he ioraa me. | had
hoped it, Ihad dreamed il before-now
Iknew it. | clasped Grace in my
arms. Darling I'll exclaimed, and
my eyes were full of tears.
She kissed me tenderly, and gather
ing contidence-from my gladness went
on he asked me if i could love him.
.. Could, Oracle !? Could? OF course
| you could Why an angel could love
hint Inever saw another SO noble,
SO lofty a mortal. And what did you
answer, Grace? nsawa faaa. 3n3sfs
She blushed deeper than ever, and
tears began to fall urged her an
swcr. s@@#@F saa'ssfF%ssA A@7 4s
| told him yes she whispered.
'Of course; and what then?'
Then he asked if L would be his
wife, sea gf~ aa-gtsraa al -s.aEs8 +
His ryee Grace his ,esfts could
not speak. My heart was still.
could not speak. Ny heart was still
could not breathe but Grace never
Idreamed of the struggle within me- II
reused me to hear her calmly and
softly repeat - lie asked me to be his
wife, and could only tell lin again
that loved him, and then he held me
to his breast and kissed me- # s
Held her to the breast that thought
my homo my hearts home Kiss
ed her. Ought not his arms to have
embodied me? his lips to have pressed
mine? My birth-right was gone my
blessing was stolen. Stolen No
Grace was innocent, and | was the
more deeply smitten because the stroke
was of God, and could blame no one
But oh, what dcsolation those few
words from that lovely child had made
in my soul The sweeping food, ths
scathing fire, leave not such ruin, sue!
waste. l sat looking fixedly befor,
me. Grace waited. At last she said
Margaret and | started.
Well, child l said measnredly ant
abstractedly. ag t @rFa7= +
4t Margaret, would you have me be
come Walters wife ~ a-s@31
| would Il r...-.-... ~-.7.
And will you tell our father for mc2
Tell him yourself, Grace Ianswer
ed, for my strong nature instinctivel,
shrank from such q trial ofits strength
!, | am SO timid,' said Grace. s
] knew she was SO | said-sI vii
tell him, Grace | will tell father all
She fingered a moment, then rose
and saying, Thank you. dear Marga
ret in her sweetest tones, left me-
Then came the weakest, .sickest mo-
ment of my life. For a time | was
past feeling, past thought or knowl
edge, Then there was a rush through
my frame--my checks warmed, my
head swan. Irose and tottered to my
glass. l would see myself. oh,
thought !, that L could see myself
with ..another's eyes that | coult
Judge of my own charms Alright :
charms SO powerful, SO powerless y
l stood and looked at myself coldly
and without vanity-the eye aeos bril-
liant, the hair golden and luxuriant,
the mouth chiselled, the profile classic
| i was beautiful. But what was
beauty, when it could not win the love
| longed for? Still it was beauty
And what a contrast, to the sickness
and wounding hidden beneath it!
looked at it as thing apart from me
land ID seemed to mock me. L was al
most bitter at the Inockery.a Yet il
my defiant prideI sought to heightcl
lit. l decked, myself in the riches
robes, put on rare jewels, and bound
my hair in folds as regal as a coronet
Proudly, loftily, | swept through th'
rooms till found my father He rails
ed his eyes at my approach. The,
glowed with pride and . smile Of ap
probation oyerspread his face. | seat
ed myself before him. He waited ans
I addressed him. = =.
i will it displease you to know tina
Walter Loring loves your daughter =
He has my favor .t4
lie has declared his love-
Il 1T does him honor
He asks her to be his wife, re
peated, his wife
would feel all the agony tha
could follow such terrible loss, sucl
, overwhelming disappointment as mine
| would not shrink from torture.
courted it, repeated his Wife and a
. ready saw Grace by his side, on hi
, breast, his chosen, his own and my
! self neglected, forlorn. did not ia
ter. | did not tremble. My bloc