Middletown transcript., 1868-05-23

pe'ch peioW onem, Iell me your gflev-
ances, my dear, tell them without one
fear that cannot feel for your sufferings
as you would wish me to do, 1 may seem
calm, cold, Nellie but it is the rest which
has come to me only after many sorrows !;
and dead as my heart may now appear,
once it was as full of hope as yours
now is" H.-... -.. :"
The tone, the manner, so soft and win
ming, soon drew from Nellie recital of
her fancied wrongs-of little indications of
a waning love ON the part of Hugh; and
finally reluctant confession that all these
had been shown only after many wayward
acts of her own, against which Hugh had
in vain protested. r.
"And now, Nellie" replied Mrs.
Walthall, when the confession was ended,
"tell me candidly and honestly, if you
do not think this state of things has all
been brought about by your desire to
" fiirt" little before resigning heart and
hand exclusively to him to whom you
have promised it; and tell me too, wheth-
er in your estimation the pleasant trifing
compensates for the heart-aches of the
past few days"
trying to turn the remarks off lightly,
chow seriously you take things! My
own heart, | can assure you, is not at all
involved in my game of hearts;' and
when the season is over will return to
my home quite unscathed"
Oh Nellie, Nellie, take care! I have
so warned you against all this and you
cannot tell how it gricves me to hear you
so lightly speak of what may affect all of
your future life. | know it is the custom
now for young ladies to act in this way,
to treat as light matter the plighting of
their love, and cannot blame you as
would; but if you will be patient and
listen to recalling of my past, will
show you why l grieve SO, when see the
young and thoughtless act as you do.
" was not so young as you are now
by two years, when 1 gave my heart truly
and wholly to Eugene Benton All was
bright and happy before us-no cloud for
months overshadowed our joyous lives,
and before us in imagination lay years of
untold happiness and love. What would
/ not have done for Eugene then--no
doubts Of his love--no doubts of his per-
fcctions ever crossed my trusting heart,
until brought about by some little incl
dents, which, by one. calling herself my
friend, were used as foundation upon
which to build a framework of deception
aud fraud. All was told so cleverly that
was easily deceived, and prepared to
seize upon any tangible fact as a, cause for
showing Eugene that my heart, could easi,
ly be freed from its fetters4 4r,4 t,s.7 !
l. l"7Ah me i can, look back and smile
at what I then thought soN very, spirited.
Poor, silly child that was, thinking to-
prove a callousness, which, my aching
heart SO plainly told me did not exist.
Eugene often rallied me on my coldness,
| and accused me of wavering in my love !;
but when | heard his loving words, and
looked into the depths of his clear, honest
eyes, | always repented OF, my late suspi-
cions; and my heart returned to its alle-
glance, So things went ON for some weeks,
and gradually had been instilled into my
unsophisticated heart, that Eugene was
not faithful in his love; and to marry the
first one that had ever asked you, was very
tame and commonplace. That married
life would only be the happier for few
fiirtations previous to marriage, which
would only make the wife better apprecia-
ted. 6 For you know, Annie" said my
tempter in conclusion, g that man must
love more when he knows that his wife
was treasure sought for by others, and
hardly won by himself. " ~ 81
"Just at this time / first met Mr.. Wal
thall, who was then on visit to his, sister,
and soon his attentions were received by
me with an encouragement which it was
very plain, quite elated him. To ask if |
had then any intention of ever marrying
him, or any other than Eugene, is quite
useless.
| "There was to be lecture in our vil-'
lage bya popular lecturer, and early in
the day Eugene called to engage me. to at
tend with him. For the past few days all
had been serene between us, and the even
ing was anticipated with much pleasure on
my part. Eugene had promised to come
early and take tea with us, but after wait
ing long beyond the appointed time, we
finally concluded that something had ne
cessarily prevented his coming at SO carly
an hour, and that he probably would come
only in time to take. me to the lecture.
Tea was taken, the hour for the lecture
arrived, and still no tidings of Eugene.
Surely, i thought, something very serious
must have detained him and my heart
beat anxiously as the minutes passed away,
seeming in their tardy progress like so
many hours. AT last a sUep was heard
upon the gravel walk, but it proved to be
taat of Mr.. Walthall, who had called to-
ask permission to escort me to the lecture.
did not answer at first, but to my great
relief Eugene now came in. AS he quietly
apologized for having SO long delayed
coming for me, what "a lireyulsionl took
liplaee IN my heart Where was now the
anxious tenderness with which 1 Il had so
dreaded some catasthropheg 3iMithout one
word of explanation to either gentleman
aAose,T saying 2Iiwould prepare myself for
my walk, and left the room neither gem
tleman knowing that each had come on ~. Y.