The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-08-31

Hagoaieo. he had taught her paint
ing, which Of itself opened exhaustlees
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 and poetry. was rare
treasure to Magdalen, living alone with
her father,-a man who denied all in
tellectnal 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 elias, of culture
was both unnecessary and unfemiuiue.
In that lonely country-place, aud in
that inactive life, Paul, and his beauty,
and his love, assumed power and pro-
portion they would not have had in a
buster life. Want Of contrast lent per-
lection, aud want Of occupation created
an interest which assuredly was not
born Of moral sympathy or titress. But
tho world Of myetery in country places
is always to DO explained by those con-
dltions. T. s~z .s..:.... ~..... 49,. -, i
The result Of all those long walks to-
gether through the woods; and across
the meadows, aud upon the craggy fells
-uf 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 of
poetry and 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 OF
this friendship, which at first was simply
intellectual intercourse, was, as might
have been looked for, that Paul loved
Magdalen, and that Magdalen loved
Paul, or f.ncied 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 a sister might love . broth
er, but scarcely as a 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 in
It's strength and entirencss.
Paul came into tho drawing-room,
where she was sitting In thst,deep cool
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 not
accustomed to criticise, but rather to
regard him as an intellectual giant be-
yond her stature-eYen she was struck
by his extreme youth fulnsss of air and
manner, as he came up timldly but
joyously towards her. i :....-. .;,..
!"Magdaloa, your father hos given biz
consent I've are engaged" ha said, in
q low voice, which trembled 80 that. ii
could scarcely be heard.
Maydalen laid both her hands in his
withea frank smile. II am very glad
Paul." she said, her voice unchanged,
her blue eyes as calm and dreamy Al
ever, and not the faintest tinge .crost
her brow. Her betrothal was name
not the realisation of a vision fact
not a feeling. It was a necessary soclal
ceremony between two persons unmar
ried and unconnected it was no ma
terial ratification OF that dearer betroth
al vowed in secret before. And will
the childlike kiss, given 50 quietly b!
her, received so religiously by him, be
! gan the initial chapter Of their love an,
banded lives. 1t ought to be the 10
itial chapter to . drama Of happines
for no apparent element Of happiness
vas wanting. Youth, beauty, innocence
II - rft ~ . ii 14
and intellect; what more was needle,
j, for the searching orucible Of oxper
fence? One thing only. It might b
read 10 the calm still face Of Magdalen
bending 50 TRANQUILITY over her book
while her lover sat at her feet, bis whole
frame convulssd with the passion Of his
10y. It might be seen in the iimmeas.
urable distance between their feeling,
as he buried his face in her lap, hi.
long hair falling like dasky gold upon
her white gown, and sobs expressing
bis love; while she smoothed back bis
hair with tender but sisterly touch,
wondering at his fervour, aud at the
form which his happiness took. Aud
then, when be Looked up, and with
quiveripg lips called her his life, aud
his lifs's best nigel, and uttered Ill the
wild transports which such 3 lovc Ia