Year: 1868

. O.. THURSDA7


tdous tastes could have permitted her to admit tt


the intimate relations of married life and to bt
beloved, one must show heart capable of loving


She seemed to the mass Of those with whom sht
came in contact, being, pleasant amiable, accom-


pGshed and intellectual, but with heart steeled
against those softer passions that belong to hel
sex.


Such creatures love but once, butitis love that
lives through lifetime.


| Poor Isolette On her homeward way from the
North, it had been her fate-perhaps it was an
evil one-to receive much attention and assistance
from lieutenant in the Federal navy he was an
eminently handsome and accomplished man, and
during her voyage, he had devoted himself to her.
Lieut.. Hardwyek-as we shall call him-had seen
much of the world. His polished manner, his
shrewd intellect, and his socalpowers had pointed
him out to the government as suitable person to
be employed in many. semi-diplomatic missions q.
broad He had dined at the foot of the Pyramid
of Cheops, swan in gondols, yoyaged down the
Amazon, travelled nearly across the Great Desert,
explored the Jordan and foated upon the Dead
Sea was familiar with the sacred scenes of Pales-
tine, and had loitered observantly in Germany,
Italy, France and England. There was scarcely a
building or spot of which Isolette had read, that
he had not seen with his own eyes, and of which
he could not tell some interesting story. During
the moonlight walks on deck, which were some
times prolonged until late hour Of the night,
Lieutenant Hardwyck was ever at her side, an uI-
obtrusive but attentive and most entertaining COM
panion. 1t was a dangerous eompanionship, es-
pecialy for Isolettc; as for Lieutenant Hardwyck,
he had seen much of the world and had fingered
by the side of the most attractive women that
Europe could furnish, and had at last parted with
them, and such partings had occurred so often,
that they were now almost matter OF course; and
if his heart ever felt momentary pang, the next
charming woman with whom he met consoled it:
Lieutenant Hardwyck was man of the world and
philosopher, but Isolette had neither an indura-
ted heart, nor that philosophic training which ena-
bled her to discard an affection once ndulged in.
He had reached and touched her heart through
the medium of the intellect, an inverted order. OF
sentiment, but it was none the ess securely won.
They reached the feet off Charleston harbor, and,
by the influence of Lieutenant Hardwyck, lsolette
was promptly sent in under flag of truce, with all
her baggage, and Lieutenant Hardwyck repaired
to his ship in the feet.


He might have forgotten his fair friend in the
pressure of his official duties, but one day, by q
flag of truce boat, which brought out letters, and
prisoners for exchange he received letter-slm-
ply charming letter of thanks from his late fel-
low-voyager. The lieutenant found quite soon an
opportunity of sending in, privately, long letter
entreating correspondence and then soon after
another letter reached Isolette evidently this time
through the hands Of some one who had made his
way through the lines without the knowledge OF
the authorities The Union sentiments of Isolette
were appealed to in this letter and, insensiby, lit
tie by little, her correspondence with Lieutenant
Hardwyck assumed the character of that OF an
informer. She had been raised at the North from
childhood and was almost entirely ignorant OF the
causes of complaint on the part of her country
men. She had been taught to regard them as an
ignorant and unreasoning people, melted to rebel


lion BY interested party leaders, desrous Of break
ing up the best government in the world, that
they might gain place and power. She knew moth
ing of the trampling under foot, by the numerical
majorites of the North of that constitution which
limited the powers of the government, and saw
not that the people of the South, year by year,
were driven backwards nearer and nearer to o
frightfu abyss, from which there was no hope Of
escape, except by drawing the sword and making
a gallant stand in defence-not Of slavery-but OF
the constitutional rights handed down by their fore
fathers. She knew not that, on the part Of the
defend the constitution. From childhood, love
for the country, and the whole country, had been
instilled into her mind, and the Union was repre-
sented as something holy and sacred. No wonder
that, under the training Of Northern teachers, and
under the influence of Northern Society, she had
been taught to look upon the people am ong whom
she had been born, as race Of brutalized, demi:
barbarians- coarse, uneducated, and demoralized
by the institution of slavery. 1t was no wonder
that she loved the old flag. Men continue to Wor-
ship the symbol, long after all that it symbolizes
has passed away.


There was cruel trial in store for Isolette, the
shadow of which loomed up vaguely and indistinct-
ly before her, like the faint remembrance of pain
full dream that cannot be altogether recalled, but
leaves its shadow--we know not how-upon the
treasured-up letters, the cloud deepened on her
brow. Her heart told her that the heart of the
writer did not respond to her own in its ardor and
sincerity Lieutenant Hardwycks letters had al
most as much reference to business as to those top
les that engage ardent and dsinterested lovers
Had not 1solette been so ardent lover OF the
old fag," her eyes would have been opened to the
selfshness of the man who professed to love her
so ardently and who made her attachment to him
the means of involving her in the shame and guilt
of being an informer against her countrymen;
Had she not loved him so dcvotedly, she could
never have been induced to play the part OF the
spy upon those among whom she lived. She
cloaked her guilt under the specious name OF pat
riotism; yet at times, it must be confessed, her
mind revolted at the strange part she had been In
duced to play. Misled by her heart, as most wo-
men may be, she would not doubt the sincerity
and high sense of honor of her lover. All his
sentiments were sacred in her eyes, and she only
felt and feared that, blinded by patriotism and,
sense of duty, he had asked more OF her than ne
would have done, had love for her occupied the
chief place in his heart. Having once been in
duced at his earnest request, to forward lntorma-
ton of most valuable character, the rest was
easy. The first step having been made, she was
more ready to apologize for her conduct than to
engage in that scrutiny of self which only could
have saved her; and when, at last, to warn her
lover of fleet of blockade runners that was daily
expected in port, with heavy supplies of arms and
munitions of war, she had recourse to the service
of secret traitors, an air of mystery and romance
was thrown around her correspondence, which gave
the part she was playing charm IN her eyes no
longer to be resisted She began to labor indefat-
igably to gain valuable and early information from
every source, for the benefit of her lover, whose
interests and that of ''the old flag" were thus in
her ewes, equally served She sought information
from eyery source. The movements Of the troops,
the sailing from port of blockade.runners, and the
times at which others might be looked for off the
bar were subjects with her Of shrewd and diligent
inquiry She spared no pains to gain information
on ali these points, and in Walsh and Brack she
had found two diligent emissares who were kept
continually in motion to give the fleet timely warn
ing, and enable them to profit by the information
More than once, the officer in command of the
al 80, IL, o,ohIad m thwart tho n1ons of the