New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-07-09

homage, Tor money Is q cOSmetio AAoAo
powerful than all the efforts the most famed
porJumeur could accomplish. 1t gives
beauty to the most hideous and grace to
the most deformed. 1t is a wonderful
elixir, for
I" In dumb gold
What virtue lies
Makes young the OLD,
The crooked straight,
And blockheads WISE"
In INV deliruim of delight, after a while
| forgot the conversation so unwillingly
overheard, and did not pause to attribute
my attractions to my golden charms.
Among the many who did homage to my
wealth, SO called, was the identical Harry
who my aunt so feared 1t was there met
him. There my destiny was decided. Cir
cumstance is a mighty monarch, and few
things in this world are more potent than
chance. But Harry was very graceful and
entertaining, and l confess that his hand
some appearance somewhat fascinated me.
As the evening advanced he became more
affable, owing, as 1 have since learned, to
vinus excitement. He requested permits
sion to call the next day, which readily
granted. Sleep was a stranger to my pale
blue orbs that night, for the coming morn
ing was gilded with such bright anticipa-
lions of that visit. Accordingly he came.
After that l saw him daily. can not say
1 loved him then. was only bewi dered
by his devotion. At last he succeeded.
The citadel to my heart was stormed, and
surrendered. The friendship commenced
in wine and was cemented by love. Party
succeeded party He was my constant cheva-
lier. One evening at brilliant entertain
ment l declined to dance, and with Harry
walked in the conservatory. and found seats
by distance. The fragrance of the flowers,
and the silvery tinkle and plash of the fall
ing water, all combined to make me forget
full of my promise: "That 1 would guard
my heart against Harry" But as l drank
in the delicious air so scented with the
aroma of choicest blossoms, l involuntarily
laid to heart his every word, and believed,
as millions of guileless maidens have i'm
plicitly believed before, in the truth of
every hOneyed compliment he uttered. l
considered him to be "a piece of gold among
the Jumps of masculine dross around"
The next morning 1 sought my aunt and
confessed oil, and urged her consent; she
was memorable; could not move her by
my entreaties. She felt that he was I'M
worthy, and had accused, tried and con-
victed him before the tribunal of her own
but not without some cause.
She felt that he was only endeavoring to
marry me for my possessions, and that love
did not actuate him to propose. As l had
ever yielded to her wishes, acquiesced
with the agreement that we should remain
engaged, and if she discovered that she
Judge him causelessly, and if he could
satisfy her that all was fair and upright in
his character and that he loved me truly,
she might relent-aH of which informed
him. He demurred at frst, and tried to
overcome my scrupies of obedience, but
finding that / would only agree to the
engagement, he soon after took his leave.
l did not see him until a day or two
after when was summoned to the parlor,
quite early. He had called.
Pardon me for coming at this hour" he
said, 81 am only here to bid you farewell;
| leave the city at one o'clock"
"Ah!" said l. almost stupefed, "when
did you decide on this"
"Only within the last day or two did l
mediate it, but it was only last night that
1 brought myself to an irrevocable de-
cision."
could not conceal my agitation. "He
vowed constancy, and that he would soon
return, and produce satisfactory letters
and show my aunt how he loved me, and
in time all would be bright" After
promise to Yrtefaeauently, he left. Though
SO sad at par YET was SO full of con-
idence an, but small cloud OBJ
scured the sky ofslh y life. My dreams by
night and day were happy and full of hope
Eagerly expecting his promised letter, after
many disappointments. one day l became
the possessor of one which struck an arrow
through my heart 1t was not from Harry,
but some unknown person, and ran thus:
81 do not desire to wound you, lady, but
allow me to warn you against the man who
calls himself Harry Somers. He deceived
you he bears dishonored name. He can
never re-establish it, bright and un-
furnished. Besides being a reckless gam
bier, he is already married man! His
wife and child are living in Europe, where
,a I os k,y tbiS +;n,a ;o;nad tba,o To COW
that gazed upon this letter with ill-con-
eealed agitation would be but feeble ex-
Of that look. The fear of something
)minous had seized me when | opened
It. All how soon was l called upon to
drop the rosy, sparkling foam of my cup of
life, and drink its muddy lees. Goethe,
speaking of the Christian religion, says:
Faith in it must be immovable if it would
not be instantly undermined. Every doubt
of it is fatal" 1t is equally applicable to
love. fully believed in his honor. ] had
faith in his integrity. That foundation was
now shaken-that faith dislOdged. l was
in utter despair. The laws of life were not
more visible on the tables of stone than
this was engraven on my heart. wish l
could have shattered that inward table. /
was the sole possessOr Of that fearful secret.
For only short week before, my poor aunt
was seized with paralysis, from which she
did not recover, and again was l left an
orphan. My grief was doubly bitter, as it
was on the succeeding day after my letter
that she yielded up her pune spirit to him
who gave it. So my secret was SO pent up
and pressed down that Thought my heart
must burst.
Truly it seemed as if the reins of my life