The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-08-22
ONLY FOR ONE WEEK.
lCONCLUDED.J

by this name he signed himself What
a strange request 1t was, however,
ouite true that he was half-engaged to
nv cousin, for had heard in letter
from Canada about month before that
she was likely to be engaged to Mr..
Ashford, young man of good prospects.
What should do-what did do? Ibid
what many o girl who loved excitement
and a little adventure, placed in such
peculiar circumstances might have done
/ consented to to lend my aid in this TO
mantle affair, which anyhow, was at all
events family one. l rcceived CRATE
fnl answer from Henry and wrote to my
cousins who lived nea,, Dideford to nc
ccpt the oft-repeated in itation hey had
given me to visit them, fixing the time
in accordance with the plan in which l
was engaged. So there was betroth'd,
MS it were, but without lover, or pros
pect of marriage. Was ever a girl so
curiously placed before Nothing s"rv.
cd to remind me of my unprecedented
predicament, till the arrival of lockci,
with Mr.. Ashford's photograph in it.
The day after the fancy ball met in So
ciety q gentleman, whose manners and
conversation were very pleasing to me.
had frequent opportunities OF seeing him,
for he visited at orr house, after a while,
constantly. l was flattered by his atten-
tons, and he appeared to take an increas-
lug interest in me- Our pursuits were
the same; he would sing to my accom-.
paniment, criticise my drawings, and
lend me some of his own, which had real
merit, to copy He would read aloud
nv favorite poems to my mother and my
self, and things were becoming serious.
Nv parents hardly knowing whether his
attentions should be encouraged or not,
Oh 80 short an acquaintance, were not
sorry to know thrt they would soon acc
essarilly be put stop to my departure
Tor my proposed visit to my relations.
H., was reading the palace of Art" 10
me the afternoon following that on which
had let ont that was going away my
H. other had been called ont ofthe roont
. when be made me declaration o. his
love. hardly can describe what felt,
when he did so, and begged me to tel
him if he might hope. He would not
have intruded his feelings upon ne so
soon, had be not known of my intended
absence but he could not bear the Sis
pense be must endure, he said, if went
away without his assuring ME of his at
tachment had seen so much OF him iii
the three pleasant weeks that I had
known him. and had liked him so much,
and felt such happy futteriug 1T my
heart when he told me of his own feel
ings, that began to understand little
the Joy of being loved, which is imposSi.
BILE unless to one who can love in return,
though could not at the moment ana
lyse my sensations. told him that had
known him for too short time to en-
courage him to hope, but that I was
grateful for his interest in me What
Gould I say moreR Howeverit might he,
another time, I could not engage myself
until the extraordinary farce had ended
in which ! was to take SO prominent
part.
In the momentary embarrassment the
occasion caused, Inadvertently dropped
the locket which was fastened TO the
chain of my watch, and usual lay con
cealed in my dress for / had been play
idp with the chain, and had accidentally
drawn out this token of Henry's He
stopped to pick it mp, and must have
seen the portrait on one side of it, turn.
ing pale, he returned it to mo with the
remark, Il fear have no chance This
is y sign, doubtless. that am doomed to
disappointment" and seizing my hand.
ha pressed it convulsively, and looking
at me with an expression of pain and re
greet that shall never forget, he sudden
" Quilted the room knew that / loved
him after he was gone, when ] felt the
sorrow which the fear of never perhaps
seeing him again caused me i would
have given much to recall those five or
six minutes which had given me Sd much
pleasure. yet had perhaps robbed me of
greater JOY. AL why had not tnld
him all II was always better to be
perfectly open in these kind of affairs,
particularly where theIheart was engaged
as mine was. Had been 80, hsw much
suffering would have been spared me -
but it was of no use to wish that had
acted differently. and the next day was
the one fixed for my journey. ] must
go on with this miserable business--there
was no drawing back now. for the day
subsequent to my arrival at my cousins
house would be that of my introduction
to Harry's uncle. must keep up my
courage, for there was much to be done.
Iwished heartily that I had never under
taken Whist had probably lost me true
heart. In gratifying the within of the |
moment, ] had shipwrecked my life's