Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1871-07-01
Disappointed Affection.
A THRILLING SKETCH.

Some forty yeas since, in the interior
OF New York, lived the father of my he.
rOine, an honest aud respectable farmer.
lie had two children-Lucy noble girl
of nineteen, and Ellen, year or two
younger. The first named was winning
~ rather than s,rkingly beautiful. I'm
der manner observable for its serious.
ness and nun-liKe serenity, were conceal
ed an impassioned nature and heart for
Of the deepest capacity for loving. She
was remarkable from her earliest child
hood for voice OF thrilling and haunt
ing sweetness.
Ellen. Dutton was the brilliant anti
podc of her sister, "born beauty"
whose perogalive OF beauty was to have
her own way in all things and at all
times. An iDdulgent father, a weak
mother, and ali idolizing sister, uncon-
sciously contributed to the ruin of a
n ,ture not remarkable for strength or
generosity.
Where, in all Gods creatures is heart
lessness so detestable as in beautiful wo-
man?
Lucy possessed fine intellect, aud as
her parents were well read New Eng
anders, she and her sister were far bet
ter educated than other girls of their
station in that part of the country. In
those days many engaged in school
teaching from the honor aal the pleas
ure il afforded rather than from neccssi-
ty. Thus, few months previous TO the
commencement of our story, Lucy Dut-
ton left for the first time her fireside cir
Gle, to take charge OF school some
twenty miles distant from her native
town.
For some time her letters home were
expressive only Of happy con,entment,
which sprang from the consciousness Of
active usefulness, f receiving while i'm
parting good. But anon there came a
change. Then were those records for
home characterized by f,ful gayety or
dreamy sadness; undefinable hopes and
fears seemed struggling for supremacy
in the writer's troubled little heart. Lu.
cy loved, but scarcely acknowledged il
to herself, while she knew not that she
was loved. So tor lime. that second
birth of woman's nature was IKE warm
sunrise struggling with the cold mists of
the morning.
But one day brought letter which
could not be forgotten in The home OF
the absent, a letter traced wilha hand
trembling with happiness. Lucy had
| been woed and won, and she but waited
her parents approval OF her choice, TO
become the betrothed of Edwin w., a
man of excellent family and standing in
the town where she had been teaching.
The father and mother accorded their
sanction with many blessings, and Lucy's
next e ter p 'omlsed IA speedy visit from
from the lovers. To such natures as Lu.
cy's, what an obsorbing one, yet what Il
revealing of self is first passion-what
a prodigalityof giving-what incalcula-
BILE wealth of receividg-what a break
ing up of the deep waters OF the soul,
and how heaven descends in sudden
star shower upon life. If there is a sea-
son when an angel may look with inter
est upon her mortal sister, it is W hen she
beholds her heart rass from its bud like
innocence and girhood, and taking to
i,s very core the fervid light of love,
glow and crimson into perfect woman
hood.
AT last the plighted lovers came, and
welcomes and festivities awaited them.
Mr.. w. gave entire satisfaction to father
and mother, and even the exacting beau
| ". He was handsome man, with some
pretension TO fashion, but in manner,
and apparently in character, the oppo.
site of his betrothed.
1t was declared that Lucy should not
leave home again until after marriage,
which, at the request of her ardent lover,
and on the birthday of the bride. 1t was
therefore arranged that Ellen should re-
turn with Mr.. w. to take charge of her
sisters school for the remainder Of the
term.
The bridal day has come. 1t was ush-
cred in by May morning of surprising
loveliness the busy hours had worn
away, ard now it was nigh sunset aud
neither the bridegroom nor Ellen, the
first bridesmaid, had appeared. Yet III
her neat little chamber sat Lucy, moth
ing doubling, nothing fearing. She was
arrayed in simple white muslin, and
her few bridal ornaments lay on n table
by her side. Miss Allen, her second
bridesmaid, a bright-eyed, affectionate
girl, her chosen friend from clesdhood
was arranging TO more graceful fall tn,
wealth of bright ringlets which swept
her snowy neck. To the anxious inqni
ries of her companion respecting the alb
sent ones, Lucy smiled quietly, ard re
Piled:
'Oh, something has happened to dc
tain them awhile; we heard from hin
the 1ther day, and all was well. They
will be here bye and bye, never fear
I, Evening came, the guests were Assem-
bled and yet the bridegroom tarried.---
There were whispers, snrmises and won
iderings, and a shadow OF. anxiety pass
4 ed over tbe face Of the bride elect. Al
4 Hast carriage drove siowlyto the door