The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1870-03-31
MISCELLANY.
~ WRITTEN, FOR THE JOURNAL.
Helen Gordon's Love-Match.

the rosy month OF May, Whcn the sun
WAS just .barsting from his prison of
-burple clouds. that holy hour when
aman awakes from his sweet repose, and
listens to the little Ministries, warbling
forth their hymns CT praise, that hour
when ali Nature seems to glory in her
emerald robe, the children of "Flora"
still sparkling through the dcwy drops
ofnight, and defying as it were, the
power of "Sol," who before many hours
would cause them to droop their tiny
heads, and close their chrystal Petals !;
until the gentle zephyrs of evening
should re-yiyify them and wait their
sweet aroma through the, air. 1t was
under such circumstances that my he
Troine took leave of her once happy
homestead, a small grove of noble
."ehestnuts" threw its kindly shade over
"a house of modest elegance, sheltered
from the fierce beams that dartcd from
the South; the weary wayfarcr gazcd on
it With longing eye, as! a nest of do.
,mestic comfort, and in that spot, the
dearest household charities had -four.
ished; il was the home of a widow and
an only child, but an awful visitant was
there. Death lad laid his icy hand on
the beloved parent, for Time had
sounded bis last note, The moment SO
much dreaded had arrived, and poor
aHelen" yielded 10 the overwhelming
might of thestroke; it was many months
before she was again able to participate
in the business and cares Of life, longer
still before she could comprehend the
entire change which had taken place
in the circumstances which surrounded
her, the young orphan, awakened at
last firm a long slunbcr which she had
sbss6 Disturbed BY painful dreams. She
Knew that the mother, beyond all earth,
ly things most beloved, was gone forever,
and she cared not to look around upon
a world which she felt must be hence.
forth to her dessert hitherto she had
wept but little, but now the tears fell
freely as she came to comprehend in all
It's details the extent Of the evil which
had overtaken her. She became alive to
the daily Inconvenience resulting from
it and began 10 recall the dying moni
tions of her mother, to reflect deeply on
them, and to shape out for herself, an
existence as they had recommended,
she felt that though she might shrink
from certain annoyanccs which would
inevitably environ her, during a resi-.
dence in her future abode, the house of
her Aunt, Mrs. Claymore, it would be
wise to remain there until she could ell.
dure to return to her old home and find
such companion as her youth would
render desirable. She was now but
"Sixteen," that sweet period Of wo-
mans life. After a long but agreeable
journey during which she Was fortunate
enough to meet with very congenial
purity, consisting Of an elderly gentle.
man, young girl, and knight, whose
appearance and "Savior taire,' clearly
evinced that lie held some prominet po-
sition, and on introduction, one
could at once perceive that he had
at least deposited in his arcana"
such treasures, as to render him an
acquisition to any court, and to im-
prove all who should be favored with
his society. He was not handsome, but
his form was commanding and his pro-
jecting brow suggested superiority over
the generality of men his compressed
lips affirmed that determination ofchar.
.actcr, which intimacy afterwards con-
frmed; he bore the romantic title'of
"Clarcnce Tracy;' his sister Coralie,
was evidently several years his junior;
she was brunette, her features quite
pretty and manners coquettish, yet not
wanting in maidenly reserve, her con-
cucr to her father was beautiful, antici.
cpating as it were, his every desire; the
patriarch of the party possessed noble
mien, but the traces of sad life were
indelibly written on his brow, and
when excited by mirth he appear
ed as sunshine and tears. They
were kind to the young orphan COM
mitted to their care, and their gentle
sympathy wirh her recent grief, enlist.