Columbia democrat and star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1867, 1866-09-05
Only a Filtration.
BY MARY E. CLARKE.

| you
Engagement Ishould think not. Why,
Joe, am only eighteen, shan't be enga.
ged for the next FIVE years. l am not going
to tie myself down to domestic life yet, as
sure you.
But, Nettie you are wandering from the
subject. | cannot think you utterly heart
less, yet frankly ownyou pain me by this
dreedful spirit of coquetry you display.
am sure Graham Curtis
snow, Joe, don't be tiresome. 1t is only
a Irritation. We dance, chat, ride together,
sively with dozen other gentlemen"
but, Nettie, and very grave look came
over Joseph Lawson's face, Graham loves
! you.
so they all do, if 1 am to believe their
protestations.
$50 my friend, the man l honor and love
above all other men, is to be the plaything
of woman's caprice. Sister, be careful
you are playing dangerous game.
The crimson blood dyed the cheek of the
little beauty, as she ran lau,ghingy away
from her brother, saying.
Il will come for the rest of hesermon, to-
morrow"
One long stride the brother took, and pris-
oning the little brunette in lis strong arms be
took her to the sofa, and drew her down to
seat beside him.
mo" and his face grew sad, very sad,
you shall hear my sermon to-day. Do you
know, Nettie, why | am now, at thirty-ive
years of age, bachelor with a lonely aching
heart?''
LONELY, Joe?" And Nettie, now grave
as himself, laid her head on her brother s
broad breast.
Eyes, Nettiel Even my little sister, dearly
as | love her, cannot fill my heart. -
Tel me about it ~
''It was twelve years ago, when / came
home from college, that l first met Laura
Lee"
Mrs. Holmes?"
eyes; don't interrupt me- I viii not tell
you how slowly my heart woke to the sense
of love, of the gradual growth Of her image
in it till it filed it entirely. Parents, home,
sister, all became second to the one hope of
my life met her often. We moved in the
same circles IN society, and at every party |
trequented could dance and chat with her.
Her beauty attracted; her intellect interest
ed +; her sweet, gracious manners fascinated
me. / was young then, and trustful, and
when she let her little hand linger in mine,
and turned from others to converse with me
when she let her large, dark eyes, full of
soft light, dwell thoughtfully on my face, L
believed that the devotion | lavished upon
her was understood, appreciated, returned.
l on know that L am not an impulsive man,
but l cannot forget easily, nor recover readily
from severe blows. Day after day the love,
the one love of my life, grew into my heart,
absorbing me to the exclusion of all else. l
felt so secure, looking into her lovely face,
hearing her winning tones soften for my ear,
feeling the answering pressure her hand gave
mine, that 1t was long before | spoke my
love. One evening, deep inspirations
heaved the strong man S. chest, and Nettie
could hear the rapid blood as it coursed
through his veins, and made his heart beat
under her ear,-''one evening we were alone
in the parlor. She had been singing, and
the rich, full notes seemed to hang lovingly
around me, and | spoke my love-
She drew away from the arm that would
have caressed her, and said with lightlaugh,
why, Mr.. Lawson, did you not know was
engagedY 'Engaged?' | cried, Yes, she
replied. Mr.. Holmes has. been away since
| knew you, bat l thought you knew Of the
engagement.
II knew this was false. Fearful of losing
the attentions she had been accustomed to,
she kept her engagement secret, that in So
ciety she might still reign as one free to be
won. | said to hei, Forgive me that have
annoyed you, oh no, not at all. L
shall always be glad to see you. am sorry
there was any mistake, but | thought you
were, like myself, only flirting
So We parted. Icame home maddened,
sickened. i, and here his voice sank to
whisper, drank deeply, Nettie, to Try to for
get, but my nature revolted at this degrada-
ton and tried study My father death just
woke me from the delirious agony of thought;
and when my mother followed him, leaving
you, child, to my charge, sternly faced
life, trying to forget the Paradise | had
dreamed of and lost. Lost Never can |
trust again as | trusted then. Where do
mestic happiness should have blessed my
life, she has thrown bitter memories to take
its place. She has made me stern, cynical,
distrJs tfhl, and excuses it to herself on the
ground that it was only Irritation. Do
not let me see my little sister following in
her footsteps, or shall learn to hate and
despise all women.
/ Il am sorr+P' ~.
''Nettie, Graham loves you, would make
you his wife; he has spoken of it to me.
Yet, if you cannot love him, let him see now
that his suit viii be vain one. Do not lead
him on, till you are his one hope, to drive
him to despair at last He is rash and inn
pulsive, and may not live down such
blow
.'yoe-'' in low tone.
eyes, dear"
:. Tell him Love him-and- -am-not
flirting
-Joe-don t-hate-me
A tender, loving kiss was pressed upon
her forehead, and a low voice blessed her for
her decision
THE DIFFERENCE. difference be-
tween the two parties may be briefly stated
thus:
The Democratic party sustain Union
President in his efforts to restore the old
Unien-to place all the States in their proper
position under the constitution.
> The abolition party oppose Union Presl-
dent In his endeavOrs to restore the country.
This party opposes the Constitutional Union
policy of Unon President. The tyrant
policy is theirs they wish to treat eleven
States as conquered provinces-as Russia