Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-05-29


her to the Virginia Springs.
look back now to that brief ca
son, spent in a gay valley of the Blue
/ Ridge, as to a sweet end tranquil
[ dream enjoyed before the ehills and
/ tempests of winter day. Owing to
my uncle's habit of eschewing world
/ ly society, we lived apart from the
| fashionable throng that composed the
company at the springs, but Charlotte
and | were society enough for each
other. We walked, rode, and bathed
together, and upon every subject but
the one we thought and felt IN com
mon. had never appreciated her
lovely and delicate mind, but now
that ] was always with her, no sub
ject to distract or intervene, | entered
more fully its inner nature, and oh,
how blest I thought that man who
should enjoy her life-companionship,
while / wondered that he had not
tried to retain her purity, and thus
have rendered himself worthy ner
fathers appreciation.
We returned to Baltimore. Char
lotte's health was much improved /;
and / was DESTROYS to return, as a let
ter from Mr.. Kinlock had Informed
me that his vessel was now at Nor
folk, and he would get leave Of alb
sence for a few days to visit me.
lie came, and my poor erring heart
rejoiced that my mother or her hus-
band were not too pious to counter
anse my gallant sailor. | knew that,
had my father lived, my choice would
not have been sanctioned, but my re-
bellious spirit was no. going to yield
TO dead parents wishes; nay, | even
felt that, were he living, l should
have spurned his wise control and
rushed on in my own wild course
The days quickly sped, though each
one was an age Of happiness; and
when the parting hour arrived it seem
ed as if my very life was to be torn
away and only my trembling, aching
frame left behind.
1t was uncertain when we should
next meet, and some dark forebodlng
was mingled with the parting pain.
stood beside my lover, and the stream
ia my veins seemed frozen. | scarce
ly felt as he placed ring on the
finger of my cold, passive hand, and
then, folding his arms around me,
pressed kiss after kiss upon my brow,
cheek and lips, murmurlng: Mine
own-forever,
lie was gone. The boat which was
to take him to Norfolk would start in
two hours and the interim he must
spend in Business connected with the
service. Restless and wretched, |
knew not what to do. Icould not yet
meet the inquiries of my mother, so,
putting on bonnet and shawl, | went
round to Charlotte.
| entered, as usual, without cere-
mony, and ran up to her own room.
She was not there but, knowing that
she would soon come, | took seat to
await her. A few moments | sat, lis
tening to the beating of my heart,
then raised my eyes, and looked
around for something to divert nay at
tenton. Her bird was singing in the
lopen wiunOw; her pretty paintings
hung on the wall; her work lay on a
table near; every thing spoke Of a
calm life, and a sweet, soft love, so
different from the wild passion now
throbbing within my bosom.
But, what do | see2 a note half
hidden beneath a piece of embroidery
in her work basket, the superscriptisn
of which is in q well-knOWn hand.
know not why, for | was always
punctilious in points of honor, ]
seized the note, opened and read it.
1t was brief. l can repeat it; 1t ran
thus:
| DEAR CHARLOTTE: may hear of my being
in town, and wonder at not seeing me- but
have come ON an admiralty errand, have only a
( a few hours to stay, and cannot possibly spare
/ time for a meeting know your gentle heart
viii excuse your faithful r. n
Like flood of lightning on mid
night darkness. as sudden aud as vivid,
came the rush of understanding to
my startled mind. | saw my love,
my idol, my betrothed, the alliance of
another, and that other, my dearest
| friend, the sister of my soul. | re-
member with anguish that upon this
subject we had exchanged no conf
dence. She had never breathed the
name of her lover, | had never utter
ed that Of mine We had assisted IA
our own deception, in his fickleness
and perjury; and now came the fear
full termination, fraught with horror
and despair to us both.
A volcano ragged with me; yet
neither shrieked nor tainted, but, re
placing the note where ! found it,,
left the room. On the stairs | met
Charlotte, and passively submitted to
her embrace. The recent parting, OF
which she was instinctivelv aware, ac-
counted to her for my agitation and
caprice; and when / hurredly said /
could not stay now, but would come
again to morrow, she asked no ques-
tions, but pressed her cold lips again
to mine, which burned like live
embers, and, with a whispered bless
ing, let me go.
fled home. her soft caress clnging
to my lips, her sweet voice Ginning
in my car, while within me was an IN
sane tumult. | reached my own
room, snatched pencil and piece of
paper and wrote
Come to me- l must see you for a
moment! Do not leave without