The Van Buren press., 1871-08-29
MISCELLANY.
For the Van Bures Press.
The Two Devotions.

| III was pOHueTouS HHe Oiu Housc,
quilt something after the Gothic style
majestic trees struck their roots in virgin
soil, and adown the long winding avenue,
large old elms reached forth their branch
es, Intervening and making an archway
Ger the avenue. Huge honeysuckles
covered the poriico and running over an
entire wing of the house, dropping down
in rich festoons from the decayed roof.
| At one of the windows in this quain,
old house sat solitary figure. quiet and
motionless and as The solemn gray dusk
stole on and on, and the gentle rustin2
of the leaves outside. moved sy yas3-
ing zephyr Birdie Del stu sat gazing
ont on the soft twilight,
This was tde last CHI Other sirIhood
-to-morrow size woGld te bride. No
wonder sae sat 50 qaiet and moiionlsss.
What gr does not y-when she for the
last tms. drelins her giHsh dream
when all those Old memories of the pas,
come thron.ing up. those youthful days,
chose rrolicsome DAYS, when her greatest
pleasure was to tease mamma, or sister,
play prants on aunty, chase the COWS,
etc Then come, the more sober time,
when the girlish form is just buddihg in
to womanhuod then comes beaux with
out number, and numerous girl friends
-ah that is the hardest after all break.
ing those giIlish ties Of friendship, being
almost entirely deprived Of their society
for where's the young girl who cares
for visiting married folks!
| But Birdie Dell had none Of these har
rowing thoughts; hers were more Sc
rious. To her. others thought, life wal
unfolding its diamond doors, in a COLDER
vista of JOY and happiness. All, if they
could bat ace her this last night strug
Cling to conquer her girlish dreams anc
tances.
The one who would lead her to the al
tar on the morrow was good, noble, ant
true nearly twice her age though, ant
still she did not love him, only as 9
daughter might a father And why
Because, away back in the bright never
to.be.foigottcn past, when she was just
budding from trulicsome girl into 9
dark eyed handsome woman, she learned
to love Frank Stuart; she loved him II.
only young girls can love their beo,
ideals Those happy days arose vividly
before her. then, with shudder, she
thought of the awakening, when by {
foolish lovers quarrel they were parted
she in a tit Of jealousy refused to listel
to reason ana let her stubborn pride rule
All, how bitterly had she repented. Thai
had been two wears ago and she had moi
heard Of him bnt once, and that was onl J
y mention Of such a person sailing fol
Europe in one of the New York papers
A few months after his departure a terri
bic calamity betell Birdie her father, or
hearing OF the failure OF q bank in whicl
he had invested nearly his all, was taker
with tit of apoplexy and died, leaving
Birdie and her mamma in almosta starv
| ing condition, when Arthur Leyton, ont
of the firm, arrived in few months atte
his death. TO him VAS she indebted TO
this dear old home and other necessary
comforts for her Invalid mpt.er a
though Arthur Lettun had great jra
| invested IN that taBt, be .Ny no mean
hal his all tor he wasag wealthy ol,
bachelor aud had ,uoney in 'iiheren
banks. lie i, was, when her mamma u
a FEW months followed her papa 10 tha
spirit land offered her home, ard t.
care FOR her through life An1 now thos
| ul memories crowlclodt f,r while III
new sorrow--she rovellcd only in til
past.
"Oh," she thought, "if could bn
see Frank once more and ask lis forgive
ness for my foolish pride. f"
But those thoughts she must dispcl
The man to whom she was 10 give be
hand on the morrow. must never know
but what she loved him alone. for he WA
good. noble aud true. and he was rathe
| iliirm. AMI she would nurse him and r.
! pay him for all bis kinhess. But whel
two Young hearts have | cen wound up t
AN exaltation that 8 arcely any parable
in life can equ ,l---even the ast vision
ar, the union which has taken place he
tween those two the sentiment whicl
has concentrated all beauty and lovlnes
in one beng an make that their idol. i
something too supreme to fall in mo
mrnl into the light of common day.
Twilight was fast gathering into tn
deepest shadows, nn'i stll she sat-a
last. with n powerful effort. she arose
and fell on her knees to ask that wh'
God never torsakes in time OF trouble Il
aid, guide aud direct her. ,'-
"Arc you going to Madame Lcnard''
ball this evening. Birdie ?" ...f
~ do not know, Arthur; do you wisi
to attend 7"
Not unless you do, darling Blu
there's going to he great &c al at this bal
IN honor OF a foreign gent who 10 10 ap
4 H. - - <ky<>A