Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-09-24

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Ires of these last moments with Metella.
! The bethrotal of Miss Stewart to CaryI
Winthrop was matter Of notoriety in the
vicinity. In the spring of that year the
young man had arrived in the neighbor-
hood, one of those invalids whom the FASH
| ionable physicians of the Atlantic States
had despatched to hnd vigor and health in
the pure and bracing air of that lofty table
land. grassy ocean, lately traversed by
only the buffalo and the rel man, that lies
| between the great lakes and the Rocky
Mountains. He had derived much benefit j
from even a brief residence In the territory,
and his ailment, heart complaint, had
long since lost all its alarming symptoms.
while he himself seemed daily TO gain
strength. Nothing, now except the deli
cate pallor of his face, could denote that
Caryl had been accounted, before he left
New y ork, as one ofthe hopelessly DOOM
ed of those victims. on whom reluctant
science passes the sentence of an early
| tomb. He was well now, though not ro-
bust; and bright hopes. of which he had
no idea on his first arrival at Troy, spread
| themselves before him. and caused him to
| view his future career through that roseate
haze, which none but the great magician,
Love, can conjure up. for our delighted
vision. From the first, Caryl Wlnthrop's
name had recommended him TO the warm
friendship of the Stewards. 1t had, years
ago. been the fate of the elder Mr. Win
| 4 .f.h a
his native State, which was also that OF
Metella's parents, TO render consider
able service TO the colonel; and this old
act of kindness was gratefully remembered
when first the young invalid showed his
pale face, and bright, but dreamy eyes. on
the threshold of that dwelling where he
was soon TO find himself as in second
home.
1t is an old, old st ory which teaches US
that pity Is akin 10 love. and that the one
sentiment often glides, by gentle and al
most mperceptible graduations. into the
other. Metela had felt much sympathy
with the city-bred youth, whom suffering
had but rendered more gentle and refined,
some of "A coaser nature; aud her father
and mother wished tor nothing better, as
Caryl's health improved, than that the
friendship OF the two young people should
ripen into deep and lasting attachment.
Caryl was high-principled. well educated.
accomplished, amiable, and would one day
be rich. What more would the most watch
ful parents desire in son-in-law? Where
fore II came about that when Caryl told
his love. and was accepted, and Metella
began 10 receive the congratulations of all
her friends. the girl hardly knew whether
she loved Mr.. Winthrop otherwise than as
a sister loves a brother, or whether, in
truth, there was in existence any passion
more ardent than the calm affection which
she entertained towards her future hus-
band. One thing was certain, and that was,
that with the full consent OF both families
she was soon to become Mrs. Winthrop,
and that Caryl was a most excellent yoang
man. and sincerely devoted 10 her, She
had very little doubt but that a life of
quiet happiness lay before her. Very lit.
tie douot, that is 10 say, until she met with
Alberto Parnell, an realized. for the first
time, how very different was the senti-
ment she felt towards him from the So
called love, which was really liking and
esteem, which had been all that poor
Caryl could win from her. Yet, rs she
often told herself, Caryl was by far the
handsomer of the two. better OFF. more
| L..
her smiles. Alberto Parnell was merely
tall, manly young fellow. with a bronzed
face. and dark hair, strong. indeed. and of
dauntless courage, rs was reported, but
not. like Caryl, musician, sketcher and
a poet, to whom foreign languages and
art-talk was familiar. Yet, Miss Stewart
knew. and was not sorry 10 know. that
Alberic's heart was hers. for had she not
seen the love-light shining in his eyes. He
had not said to her one word that could
be construed into courtship, for to have
done SO, considering Metella's engage
men t, and the trustful hospitality which
her father and mother had extended 10
him. would have seemed base indeed TO
one SO honorable as he. But the tell-tale
pressure of a hand rs Ii clasps that of the
loved one, chance intonation, a change
of color. may telegraph the true state of
the feelings on both sidess and SO it was,
that when Alberto and Metella found
themselves alone together for an instant
in the entrance-hall of the colonel's house,
when the time came for the former to take
his leave. both hearts throbbed wildly,
and each felt as if about to part with the
one object most beloved on earth.
You start, then, Tomorrow said Me-
tella, in a voice which trembled as does
the nightingale's song; and Parnell groan-
ed out some hoarsely inarticulate answer.
Neither dared to look into the others face:
"Wben, wonder, shall we meet aganI'
said the girl, rallying all her resolution to
feign tone of Indifference.
Never, perhaps. Safer and better that
it should be So" returned Alberto bitterly.
"Never, at any rate. until Miss Stewart
shall have ceased to be. Possibly, then, l
may find patience enough to come back,
and even to renew my acquaintance with
Mr.. Winthrop's wife. She will be nothing
to me!'
The words were rude, the tone was sui
len, fierce. yet MetelIa's ears drank in the
syllables thrstily, and it seemed to her
that never In her life had she heard so
sweet a compliment.
''Let us be friends, always" she mur-
INJURED softly.
''Friends!" ejucalated the young man.
"Yes, that is the way with you women
you steal the heart, and bewilder the
soul of man, and then, when hope is
dead within him, and he is driven forth,
as by the flaming sword that barred the
gate of Eden. you say to him, let us be