Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1871-04-15


cumstanccs which invested him. in my ro-
mantle eyes, with almost irresistible at
fractions. . .tai..t. .r. -r.'
'Therc was vast amount of mystery,
love-making and romance going on, and
there is little doubt but that it would have
ended, ere long, in runaway marriage,
but that fortunately my Spaniard was sud-
denly summoned to Spain on some urgent
family business.
81 leave our hurried parting to your
imagination. felt like one from whom
the breath of life had been withdrawn after
AntQpio's departure. 0..
Though in a hurry of parting nothing
had been said ON the subject, and had
not even his address, the hope of hearing
from him was the only thing to which I
looked forward with any interest. How l
logged for my first letter, and tried to
fancy all the fond things it would contain.
But l waited and longed in vain. There
came for me no letter. Weeks, months
nay years went by, / never received the
first line. d. .. ....s. .......
'Qf course, began by suspccting my
parents of intercepting my lovers epistles.
What girl who had received even u decent
novel-feading education could have drawn
any other conclusion 2 But, unfortunate
ly, on making such charge to them, it
was so promptly and decidedly denied that,
knowing their uprightness, l could no
longer suspect them. .. /. .H
"Slowly the dreadful idea dawned upon
me that Antonio was dead. L caused a
search to be made among old newspapers
of and subsequent to the date of Antonio's
departure, and at last discovered para
graph noticing the death by drowning of a
passenger, name unknown, on board the
ship in which he sailed.
81 had no longer doubted that my worst
fears were true, and the conviction plunged
me into the most profound grief. | with
drew from society. ! clad myself in the
deepest mourning. l rejected my fathers
friendly counsels, my mothers attempts at
sympathy and consolation.
"a hew and solemn aspect was given to
my already strong affection. Death had
sanctioned my hearts first tender attach
ment, and transformed it into something
pure and sacred.
Il considered il duty as we'll rs q sad
pleasure to mourn in Hopeless fidelity for
The loved and lost. l was cmulous to imi
tate those faithful women who consecrated
their lonely lives to the memory of the be-
loved dead. was emulous to be another
IIeloise-to find in the quiet shades of the
clositer the repose and tranGusEiy WHICH
"Thc idea obtained so strong hold on
my imagination that at last il became q
fixed resolve. In vain my poor parents
alas how many griefs L caused them
sought to dissuade me from this determina-
ton. | persisted, and at last, leaving
them almost heart-broken, l really entered
convent, and assumed tho VOWS and white
veil of q nppice'' -l..-
''Mother ~ exclaimed. were you ever
really nunp How strange! !''
''You did not think the old woman had
such romantic story, did you 7" she said,
laughing, with her Antonios and her
sentimentalitGs and her ppnnerics v We'll,
well, it seems strange to me, too, nov but
| yet, l assure you, it's all true. Well, l
will not weary you, my daughter, with an
account of my convent life-enough, that
with some misgiyings L persisted ia ihy re-
solve, and the time for the assumption OF
the black veil was near at hand, when un-
eXpectedly received q visit from my pa
rents, who themselves brought me the
tidiigS that Antonio was alive and well,
and retgrned to America.
"Of course, 1 hastened to release myself
from VOWS not yet irrevocably taken, and
returned to my fathers house.
81 awaited visit from Antonio in q
state of mind impossible to describe, sc
great were my excitement and agitation.
"What n crowd of emotions throngcd
my heart when | at last heard that he was
come, that he was awaiting me in the
drawing-room Memory recalled the image
of my youthful lover, long mourned as
dead. l thought of the past-our youthful
love-the dreadful suspense as to his fate
the dreary watching for n lctter-the period
OF our lonely Boarning-my Remuneration
of life's joys for his sake. Was my fidelity
about to meet its well-carned reward, OF
was it all dream-a romance?
"All these thoughts, and many more
1 hurried through my MIND as / tried tC
nerve myself for the interview.
''At last L opened the drawing-roon
door, and there stood before me the lover
of my youthful fancy.
"My first glance afforded me the instant
present relief of dispelling all my agitation
1t seemed TO flash back upon me that, il
the presence of the courtly little gentleman
who was advancing with many bows I,
meet me, any display of feeling would b
quite out of place. .
Restored, as il by magic, to periec
self-possession, replied TO his bows by
courtesy, aud waited to see what wOult
happen aext.
"An endless pause ensued, during Whicl
stole critical glance mt Antonio
'llow different he was from my ideal
my hero Could il DO that the haudsom
liDe tsp who sat there ioolishly suckin;
the ivory top OF his cane, was the Sam
Antonio whom my fancy had adorned witt
every attribute of manly perfection 7
: II struggled hard with my first inyolun
tary disappointment, however, and seeini
that the awkward silence was likely 10 las
forever unless broke it, said gently;
81 have mourned for you as dead, An
, tonic. Why did you not write y
Write p he cried, taking the top q
his cane from his mouth with the look of
person who had just received an idea
why, upon my word, Il never occurred h
me y
",Is the man fool y | asked mysel
, impatienily but aloud merely remarked
, III was what had reason 10 expect
"Antonio admitted the fact was amaze
! he hgd not thought OF II, and his tongu
. being by this time loosened, he pToceede'
, yolubly to inform ne that he found m
|, 'dencedly handSOne,' that | would cOn
pare iayorably, ''p0n his hopor,' with eel
lain spanish ladies, Who, he intimated
. had gFeatly admired him whlle abroad
"