The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1869-06-17

L ''~'S' "PF~ssS" ~ vAS" oHu Iedi dS III
present Hopes long crushed rose buoy
ant. Ambition, DIR nant FIR yeas te
meath grinding poverty, wakened to be.
guile him with el;,tering day-dreams Of
the future. ia IL :
A few months since, nothing had
power to fascinate his heart, or aliur'
bis overtasked mind from the dull rlu
tine Of labor and care. Nov, under
the genial influence of dawning pros
perity, every emotion was stimulated
and 'ove-most powerful-sprang int..
life. and soon became s'lord Of alt
For after a short struggle with judy
ment and reason, Papl Reicheim yie,3.
cd, aud surrendered his heart oas;rel,
and forever to Charlotte Hildrcth.
| She had determined to punish bis
presumption IN aspiring to her acquai', +
ance, yet in a few weeks acquaintance
had ipened into intimacy, and, on bis
side at least, friendship into love. Miss
Hildreth must not be censured too Sc.
verely for the accomplishment Of :.
sign which only doated through her
mind as an instrument of retribution.
Fate brought them together, and Char
lotte, cunning fowler spread her net
Of coquetry. Many an ordinary prize
had graced its si,ken meshes. She had
never before Gagged an eagle!
Charlotte was not confident Of. gain
tug victory over the reserved mar, :.
whose inner nature she did not under.
stand, till all Millwood whispered the
romantic tale Of Paul Reichelm's pas;
si"n for Miss Hildreth. Gossips we're
delighted at the opportunity Of linking
her name with some one-even her
brothers manager-and each triain
circumstance convinced them of their
sagacity in making the important di :
covery.
= Not that public opinion acknowledged
great disparity between the parties.
Paul was considered man of honor
and ability, who might in a few years
attain high POSITION in the communs-
ty where he vas already much respect
Cd. But the proud Hildreths! w ha,
a dcnouement there would be when Mr..
Hildreth or his mother discovered the
managers love for the high-Lorn lady!
Mr.. Reichelm would lose his situation,
and leave Mlllwood in despair His
mother-what would become. of her?
And Miss Hildreth! Even Millwood
slander never went far enough to sup
pose she returned the too evident pas
sion Of Paul r, ichelm As usual.
SANDER had slight foundation tor its
highly colored romance.
Paul did not visit Miss H,ldrc,h, but
they frequently met at tie parsy. a-v,
where both were welcome gu, ste.
The Percivals, who fully appreciated
Paups merit, were his only intimate
friends in Millwood. The time spout
there was his sole recreation-wi,h
them he threw off the cares and per-
plexities of business, and gave his geni
al nature full sway.
Sel6shness first tempted Charlotte to
cultivate an intimacy with the Psfci-
ysb. Her mother had taken . long
journey to visit some relatives, and
Charlotte remained at home all sum-
mer-she was weary Of watering places
and seaside gaiety. 1t would be a
month before the two friends who were
to relieve her solitude could come, and
Charlotte was glad to accept Mrs. Per-
civaPs cordial hospitality. Charlotte
became different being when she en-
tered the abode Of love aud peace, and
behcld her welded happiness pictured
in her reveries. A home where affec-
ton and sympathy went hand in hand
with mutual forbearancs and trust, aud
Christian faith and charity sancti6eth
the whole. +
In such society her better nature ex-
banded, and pride and revenge were
ban,shed from her thoughts.
She never appeared to better advan-
tage than at the parsonage; her girlish
merriment .enlivened tho rest, some
times provoking a witty retort from
grave Paul Reichelm. Charlotte ad-
mitted to herself the superiority Of these
three highly cultivated minds, and her
own superficial attainments. Conver-
sations which were often a. 'sealed
book" to her, suggested a new course
Of study; and the young heiress found
that with all her accomplishments she
had much to learn This consciousness
impaired a new charm to her. manner,
and Mr.. and Mrs. Perciva, in a short
time felt increasing friendship for the
young girl whose reputation for haught-
mess had at first prejndiced them: Be-
tore month passed, Paul loved Char
lotte Hildreth. There was no excuse
for the sensible mans weakness, save
the old hackneyed one, "Love laughs
at wisdom" Her beauty and grace be-
witcbed him, and reason fai1>d t, exor-
else the fatal spell. i: lie must have
known how hopeless this passion was
Must have felt Miss HiIdreth to be FIR
beyond his reach as the stars above
him! Yet he loved, her