American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-04-06

but straight at the sky.
"Doubts?" said l, affecting confident
tone; not one"
"Then am satisfied" replied Friend
Edward, solemnly; but his face was so
pale that it startled me, and there was a
look in it that thrilled my heart strangely.
| was never in my life less sure of any
thing than | was just then of my love for
Adam Mott
We had unconsciously strayed to some
distance, and on our return | saw that
Adam was displeased. As we walked
home he undertook to chide me for being
too trifling in my manners. His words
We're very gentle, but they reused me to
anger.
'Adam Mott" said I, ''thee may as
well know first as last that l am not a
saint. Thee need not attempt to control
me : l shall never ask thy leave to talk
with an old friend. Moreover, while
was talking with the doctor what was
thee doing 2"
Reading poetry with Miriam, for she
had told me 50.
Adam FASTENED to apologize, and tried
to soothe me with tender words; but all
he said only irritated me; his affection re-
| PEELED me more than his anger.
Another week passed. l was growing
wretched. Father thought my sobrety
very eommendable, and Adam liked me
| all the better Tor IT,
| He and father still talked of trade; but
fancied father was not as well satisfied
as at first with Adams business capacity;
he told me he thought the young man was
! too fond of speculation; he didn't know
but he "took after the Motifs"
Adam was going home to Philadelphia
to enlist with the young men of his own
city. Why didn't he start? When he
was fairly gone, at last, 1 drew sigh of
relief. 1t was downright wicked of me,
but | could not help il!
go, Cousin Sophia" said 1, one day, in
an irrepressible burst of confidence, 81
begin to be afraid l don't love Adam as
well as 1 ought to-"
''Well, dear" replied my experienced
cousin, cit will be very different after you
are married"
Reader does thee perceive the sophistry
of her views?
l could not but observe it with pain. One
evening he came to say good-by. He was
going into the army as surgeon. Friend
Edward All, this struck home! tried
to conceal my distress. l had begun, be-
fore this, to suspect the true state of my
heart, and the bitter consciousness made
me wary. Words l had no right to speak
rose to my tongue; emotions / had no
right TO feel were throbbing at my heart !;
tears, which would not have started if
Adam had been dying, gushed up and |
choked me while Edward held my hand |
to say good-by.
So many years as 1 had known him
Such pleasant talks as we had had togeth- |
er! How could l spare him? Perhaps |
he might not live to come back Never |
had / known such friend before, never
should find such another 1t was dread
full that he was going. and dared not tell |
him | was sorry.
Not one word for me?" said he, SADLY |
"Only say 'God-speed,' my friend,"
Ny lips moved. He must have seen l |
could not speak. tore my hands from
his and rushed out of the room that was
our parting.
The summer passed on-or they called
it summer. tried to do my duty, and
hoped that sometime my mind would ''set-
tie down into quietness." I worked in
the kitchen and l worked for the soldiers.
Miriam's mother held me up as model
But always underlying everything else
was the thought, why can't dies''
They said DR.. Hathaway was engaged
to Miriam. 1t was no concern of NINE
but she was too shallow for Friend Ed
ward. l had my own private thoughts
as to what might have been, but / dared
not think even. And as for the chain
which bound me to Adam, never dream
ed of starting one of its iron links. Hadn't
my word been passed? My acord!
Adam had not enlisted yet was wait
ing for his company. His letters to me
were well enough, but had no patience
to read them. Yet all the while listen
ed greedily to every stray word from DIR.
Hathaway. He was throwing his whole
soul into the work. Everybody in town
missed the good doctor-Cousin Sophia
by no means least
One evening, as walked home from
sewing circle, whom should meet in my
very path but Adam Mott? ''Why, where
in the world did thee come from?" cried,
with more surprise than delight.
He seemed so glad to see me that my
heart smote me for MY GOODNESS.
when is thy company to start?"
'They started two weeks ago. Thee
will be the last to blame me, Eve. hadn't
the courage to leave theer'
What does thee say, ADAM"
I've been longing SO for another sight
Of thy sweet face, Eve"
= "a, Adam" ,,s said !; coldly, ''thee hasn't
well, yes, Eve, the truth is, my love
for thee stands in the way"
Indeed" cried 1, :" it shall be so
40 longer! Where is thy patriotism,
Adam ~
Don't be hard on me, Eve :"
Thee might know, ADAM" cried /,
liked in thee was thy patriotism! If thee
hasn't that, thee has very little to recon-
mend thee r'
Adam WINGED.
Perhaps, Eve, I may have obtained
clearer views of duty"
Don't talk nonsense, Adam! Thee
Knows what my temper is"
Why, Eve, man may change his
mind, hope!''
eyes so may a woman. I've changed
nine, Adam. I'll never marry thee"
The words flew out without any will of
nine.
'Why, Eve, thee is jokingr'
No, Friend Adam. / am in downright
earnest. Our engagement has been a mis-
axe. 1t has bounded upon me to say so,
wish thee well, Adam, but there's not
me spark of love for thee in my heart
lot one spark !"
"Oh, Eve, Eve! ~
Il have deceived thee, Adam. / beg ]
ny pardon. If thee had enlisted as thee
'aid thee would, should have kept my
word if it had killed me. Now, as long
IS thee breaks thy own promise, how can
.hee hold me TO miner
Adam gazed at me in stupor. What
had said was not to be cOmprehended
in a minute.
But Eve, you wouldn't break your
friends hcart?''
He looked as if the blow had crushed
him. | wanted to sink into the earth.
leeply pitied the man l had wronged.
But what was spoken was spoken, and
even if l could I would not have taken it
back
on tf,11 Tot IF; . l. | ,