The Lincoln County herald., 1870-04-14

angry that I thought it best 90 interpose
and hazard an explanation.
1.-THE truth is," I said. "that I fancy
my friend Herman Oppenheim was, like
many Other young artists, vesy poor when
in London; and l dare say he roaghed
u, poor fellow, aud came out 10 the force
part Of the steamer and Miss Ficlden
may have chanced to see him"
Mrs. Fieldea's brow ceased to look
angry, and bocame compassionate. She
was lady, and with al her pride, and
her love Of supremacy, she had heart.
"Poor fellow !" she said 81 am sure he
6as talents enough to win success" and
[ noticed that she soon after actually
sought out the young Musician, and was
specially kind and cordial in her maaner
to him.
walked with my friend Herman some
part of the way home that night, and
heard q little Of his history since his
leaving London. He had now been in
New York, and he had already made some
friends, and was beginning to do pretty
we'll, and to have tolerabsy fair pros
pect. About his previous acquaintance
! with Augusta Fieldcn be was less effu.
size, probably, than most of his country
men would have been; but he said
enough. He saw her for the 6rst time
on board the steamer. He had, as
guessed, taken q passage in the emigrants'
part OF the vessel. The emigrauts were
nearly all Germans and he used to be-
guile the time for many Of them, when
the sea was tolerably calm, by playing on
the flute and the corneta piston, on each
Of which instruments he was neafly as
skillful q performer as on the piapo
Drawn that way by tho exquisite music,
Miss Fielden and one q TWO other cabin
passengers had often Joined the circle in
the forep part of the vessetisand Miss
Fiolden very soon found o. that Her.
man was an artist, a schotf, and gen.
tleman, for all his poverty She was q
candid, fearless true-heartcd American
girl aud l fancy they dsmany a walk
along the deck, and manyf hight looked
dowo upon the dark rushing waves and
up to the starry skies. while mamma was
seated calmly and graodly, IN the lighted
saloon below. Then the voyage caiho to
an end, and they parted, each feeling
something which might no. be we'll ex-
rressed-which one would not even ac-
knowledge to hcrseif-Herman was too
poor, too proud, too sadly uncertain OF
his future, to make any at,smpt to keep up
the acquaintance and so they never me,
again until chance brought them together
at the birthday party.
After this Mrs. Ficlden herself took
up the young musician quite enthusiast.
cally. She praised him, putrouized him,
pus ed him cvefywhere.-really was, in
her own magnificent way, extremely kind
to him. She gave brilliant receptions on
Friday evenings throughout the winter
and my friend Herman was quite lion
there always. Indeed, he was now in a
fair way tO make quite good income as
musician; and Mrs. Fieldeu never
thought Of him in any other capacity.
Not SO her daughter, as l at least
could see; and others too, doubtless
Her man tppenheiu aud Augusta Fieldcn
we're as plainly in 1--we with each other
as any two beings l ever saw and indeed
Nature seemed to have made them to be
lovers they we're both SO handsome, so
graceful, so highly gifted with artistic
tastes and syn pathies.
Herman made me his confident, told
me Of his passions, his hopes, his fears,
and asked for my advice. He had no,
yet openly and in words declared his love
to Miss Fielden, although he felt little
doubt as to what her answer would be
and he asked mo whether | thought be
ought to speak to the daughter or the
mother first. As the girl was considcra.
bic under age, | advised hims from the
European point Of view, to appsoach the
mother first, and obtain her consent be
fore seeking any pledge from the daugh.
ter. This, it seemed 10 me, would be the
moro honorable aud manly way aud
seeing the frieedship Mrs. Fielden had
lately shown to him, tho intimacy to
which she admitted him, /, like himself,
was ready 10 believe that bis sait would
be graciously AMI cordially received.
do not know whether it would have
made any difference in the end, if, on the
very day before Heru an resolved to opcr
the subject to Mrs. Fielden, some kind
hearted friend had not told the latter
that somebody in New York society wa,
talking Of Augustus marriage to the
young pianist as quite matter of Ger
tainty. Perhaps this did not subs'an
TALLY change the condition Of things, bu,
it greatly affected Mrs. F;eldeus name.
Of dealing with an anlucky Srieud. His
love for her daughter, which she had
never suspected or dreamed of, seemed
now not merely piece Of unwarrsotabis
audaosty, but an act of downright ingrat
itude and treachery. She did not wait
for any proposal or explanation from him
but weote him bitter, passionate letter
accusing him Of ungratefulness and deceit
charging him with an endeavor 20 deludt
her daughter into marriage for the sake
Of her daughters fortune, and forbiddinl
him ever to enter her house again.
| This ilettar w.a lonr In ,asnh;r,, H.,