The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-08-31
Magdalen. He had taught her paint.
iog, which Of itself opened .exhsustless
mines OF intellectual wealth befnra her I.

"agualen' he mad taught her paint
ing, which Of itself opened exhsustless
mines Of intellectual wealth before her {;
and he had led her to think for herself
on many points which hitherto she had
either never touched at all, or else
thought on by rote. His gifted mind,
full of beauty aud poetry. was a rare
treasure to Magdalen, living alone with
her father,-a man who denied all in
tellectual power and action to women :;
who would give them 50 much educa-
ton as would enable them to read a
cookery-book and the Bible, but who
thought that a higher class of culture
was both unnecessary and unf:minine.
In that lonely country.place, and in
that inactive life, Paul, aud his beauty,
and his love, assumed power and pro-
portion they would not have had in a
buster life. Want Of contrast lent per.
fection, and want of occupation created
an interest which assuredly was not
born Of moral sympathy or ftress. But
tho world Of myetery iu country places
is always to bo explained by those con.
dltions.
The result Of all those long walks to.
gether through the woods; and across
the meadows, and upon the craggy fells
l-of all those lessons on beauty by the
piano and the easel, when art made an.
other language between them, and in.
terpreted mysteries which words could
not reach, ,-of those mutual studies o1
poetry aud history, when the extreme
limits of human thought and human
emotion were reached, and the echoes
OF the noble chords struck then vibrated
in their young hearts,-the result O
this friendship, which at first was simply
intellectual intercourse, was, as nigh
have been looked for, that Paul loved
Magdalen, anl that Magdalen loved
Paul, or fancied that she loved him
in kind. If there had been some one
else whom she could have loved-some
other standard by which to measure
the requirements Of her nature and the
needs of her heart 1t would then have
been choice as it was, it was only an
acceptance. She accepted as likeness
what was simply ignorance of diversity
and took that for understanding which
was want Of opportunity of judgment
She loved Paul from gratitude for his
love of her, from admiration of his
beauty, and delight in his intellect; she
loved him as sister might love broth
er, but scarcely as q woman of her
strong nature would love the husband
of her own free intelligent choice. But
as she knew no other love, this content
ed her, and she believed implicitly 10
its strength and eutireucss.
Paul came into tho drawing-room
where she was sitting in that deep COO
shadow which is so pleasant when the
outside world lies in such burning
glare. Rushing in from the sunshine,
he could scarcely see her at first, sitting
by the open window, behind the green
blind, reading reading one OF his fav-
orite authors, marked and PACED by
him. He came to her hurriedly, his
face lighted up with Joy and burning
with bushes. Though he had never
looked more beautiful, he had never
looked more boyish than at this mo.
ment. Even Magdalen, who was no.
accustomed to criticise, but rather to
regard him as an intellectual giant be.
you'd her stature-e7en she Was struck
by his extreme youth fulnsss of air and
manner, as he came up timldly but
joyously towards her.
"Magdalca, your father hos given his
consent we are engaged" ha said, in
a low voice, which trembled so that i,
could scarcely be heard.
Magdalen laid both her hands in bis
with'a frank smile. II am very glad
Paul." she said, her voice unchanged,
her blue eyes as calm and dreamy as
ever, and not the faintest tinge scross
her brow. Her betrothal was name
not the realization of vision: fact
not feeling. It was necessary social
ceremony between two persons unmar'
ried aud unconnected it was no ma
terial ratification OF that dearer betroth
al vowed in secret before. And with
the childlike kiss, given SO quietly BY
her, received so religiously by him, be-
gan the initial chapter of their love ani
banded lives. 1t ought to be the 10
itial chapter 10 drama Of happiness
for no apparent element Of happiness
vas wanting. Youth, beauty, innocence
and intellect; what more was needed
for tho searching crucible of exper.
ience? One thing only. It might be
read 10 the calm still face of Magdalen,
bending so TRANQUILITY over her book,
| while her lover sat at her feet, bis whole
frame convuIs d with the passion of his
joy. 1t might be seen in the immeas-
urable distance between their feelings
as he buried his face in her lap, bis
long hair falling like dusky gold upon
her white gown, and sobs expressing
his love; while she smoothed back his
hair with tender but sisterly touch,
wondering at his fervour, aud at the
form which his happiness took. Aud
then, when he looked up, and with
quivering lips called her his life, and
his life's best angel, and uttered all the
Wild .ransnorts which such a lnvo in