The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-06-08
Love and Revenge.
By PAUL PLUME.

lhe town Ol y WAS once cOHslu
erable trading place, but its commerce
has long ago departed. For delightful
situation, it was not excelled by any Of
our southern ports The blue Atlantic
washed its beach and many white wing.
ed vessel came ard went from the barbor;
but as We said, these things belong to the
past.
Looking from the shore, far Into the
country which rises with low hills at the
back Of the town, one could discern pret.
ty villas, surrounded with odorous shrub.
berry, while graceful palm trees stood like
sentines at different points about Veal.
thy people, cultivated and siseo to hos
pitality, lived in those abodes. Some are
now living, but the times have changed,
and bloody dcsolalion has swept over
the land, aud they live in another style
from that i'll which they formerly indulg.
ed. Bu, far the greater portion of the
male population sleep in soldiers graves,
or else waudur about manned, and shat
tered in health.
When | Was at u was deeply
interested in ,he history Of Il young lady
whose melancholy fate was sincerely de-
plorod by all who knew her.
Constance Woodham was the daughter
of Judge Woodham, very distinguished
iurist Of the south. Born with an ardent
soul, apd an Imagination which the beau
ty of the country contributed still more
to exalt, nothing around bad power sufi
cient to eaptivate her heart. She was
naturally disposed to meditation, and stu.
dy became her avorite pursuit. Hcr
mind was early adorned with those &C.
auiremenis which were calculated to
heirhten its native elevation. So deeE
did ber love of books become, that when
her father las he frequently did, visited
large cities, Constance would remain al
home rather than accompany him happy
to pour over the volumes on the capa
cious book shelves. This habit fnally
1 produced a melancholy on her mind. thai
gave her father much anxiety but us hs
humored her every whim. she was per
mitted to 60 on in her old way. Hel
wishes never seemed to wander beyont
the beautiful house and grounds wher'
she resided This calm, however, wa
too apparent Constance Woodham ha(
too lively an imagination and too arden
a soul, to long retain that tranquiliit.
which generally is. sooner or later, dis
turbed by the passions.
The first new sensation her heart expe
rieuced was in the person OF Gulial
Langford, a young gentleman who wa
travelling for amusement, having just com
pleted his term at college. His fathe
and Judge Woodham were old friend:
and as Gulian bore letter of introduc
ton to the Judge, the latter Insisted upo
) his remaining with him during his sta
in F.. lie had not been domicile
long with the judge, ere he was taken i
with fever which is sometimes prevs
lent in the country, and during his Ion
convalescence, the merits of ConstanC
y made deep impression on his mind.
enchanting did he find the society Of II
amiable girl, that he looked forward
: his complete restoration to health With
sort of regret. The idea Of quitting h
presence made him unhappy. He ha
not as yet declared to her his passion, b.
he could not long postpone it. Constanc
with woman's quick penetration. was n
wholly iguOrant of Gulian Langtord
b feelings, and the strange sensations whit
o often filled her heart, caused her to o
J, knowledge feeling akin to thst Of Il
!. interesting invalid. Before he open
his heart to her, Gulian determined up
a plan which is not land was not the
. customary among lovers, that Of first .
quainting the parents with his passion, /
- fore admitting it to the lady. The Jud
J. was a man who delighted in the diguih
old.time way Of doing business, and "
= fiattered by Gulian's mode Of proceediI
b. He gave his consent for him to addr'
rs his daughter. Constance heard his Il
+, a and promised to wed him, and there We
p. two happy hearts beneath the Woodh'
villa. In the intoxication Of bis lC
Ia Ia Gulian forgot everything but his belo'
n. Constance, and when letter from
for father demanding his instant return ho
m reached him he was filled with grl
Mr.. Langford's letter was eIceedin