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82 Eula-an strut.
annual) n! s T. PICKABD a co,
, nmtii‘
m mg,
Tins-l. 11.50 A run. ll Anvucn .
Irma-I ca (1.5-. '
EDWII in P. was-roar,
onsnnss r. 11.51.21, gum-rats;
‘ ', thriginul Iizlartrq.
Written tor the rortisud Imiectic.
ON ElEARIHo A ROBIN SING.
' Though wiutcr robe decks Nature e brow,
‘ An d hie uknese reigns hcr hills Iloug,
There sit. on yonder withered hough
A warhler heppy in its song. ,
rt thrills s joy nigh uudehued,
Tliat eheruie my ear with rupture dumb-
wmiug me not to other times s, - ,
. But brighter, huppier dsys to come.
It rings or fair and rndinut Eelds-
rhst stand emyed in distuutv
And blooming hours which frugr:nce yield
. ’Nssth trees adorned with riehest hue; .
Whore angel bunds bend o’er the hoIverlL
. And songsters and a pennerul home;
This sings it not departed hours, ,
' But. brighter, happier days to come , I ,
ortiuies when gliding 0 er life s stream
ner trees ofjoy seen. stripped and at,
Whiio nought of earth nnn shod s gleam, '
To light and soothe the present dresr; ‘ .
Sweet nope then rings of bliss that lives ‘
, . 'lilid acids beyond the starry skies, .
In fairer rohes than Nature weaves .
- Within the gates of Paradise.
. , Lien.
. QDl‘lglllLll “gladly.
: Written for the Portl:ri;liolrctlc.
MARION SIDNEY. ' '
, BY JULIA onsa.
“ Marion! Marion. "2h
. The clear, sweet voioo startled the young girl from
her quiet revery, as she sat In her favorite seat be-
ncatn the old elin tree In the girdcn, end letting a
whole lapfull of roses full to the ground, she re-
plied, "Loming in ii moment, mother!” and hastily
obeyed the luminous. .
“Here I iitu," she exclaimed entering the little
parlor, which was made almost glooniyhy the climb
ing roses and honeysuckles which covered the win-
dows. ' , ’ . - p
, “ My daughter, Mr. Stevens,”. said Mrs. Sidney,
rising gracefully from her seat, and presenting the
Isurprised girl to a total stranger.
Marlon blushed ,-nr’sgseeing the reflection In the
mirror of a figure with crimson face and disordered
hair, blushed still more deeply and sank into it low
choir hastily, us if tv avoid observation. But she
needed not to have taken such Ii precaution. The
stronger merely glanced at her, remarking-
“ She resembles you very much.’
Mrs. Sidney smiled for nothing could be greater
than the contrast between the mother and d- :uwhtef,
-then resumed the conversation which Marion's
entrance hiid interrupted
The difference was indeed striking between the
brilliont, sparkling beauty of Mrs. Sidney, and the
gentle loveliness of Marion. Though not tall, Mrs.
Sidney‘ s air and bearing were almost queenly. Her
dark eyes, one felt instinctively, had power to read
[he inmost thoughts, and her small mouth, though
beautiful, had that expression of Iirmness which
spoke of an unconquerabls will. ller spirkling
countenance told of intellect, and a passionate, love
lug nature, to whiclPtlie sunny south seemed more
congenial than the frigid north. While the fair-
haired, blue-eyed Marion, fairyrlike and fragile,
seemed ever asking protection,-in the elegant bear-
isle of the mother, one saw a calm self- reliance. 0f
Ii soft and yieldinu nature, Marion was easily swayed
by those whom she loved or feared, and over her
weaker spirit the resolute soul of her mother held
unlimited control. Mrs Sidney, conscious of her
beauty, gleamed before one like the brilliant meteor,
while Marion more resembled the' calm and holy
shillrlliigghtevens was a tall, dark man, whose bold
features could by no means be called handsome, yet
PoliTLiND. MAINE. SATURDAY Al’RlL8 i854. i.
hearing the' Impress of energy and true milliliness.
Ills voice was deep and powerful, and crs long
Marion was wholly absorbed in his relation of the
eurioue eeeuee through which he‘ hud puesed during
it iorei‘gu‘ tour, rroiu which hekhad just returned.
118 had been in Europe during the revolutionary
movements, and, he he said, he came back like the
Dove to the Ark, from the troubled water, to his
o‘un dear native lurid. ' . , ' ‘
The quiet beauty of Lokeville liiid pleased him,
and finding that the widow of one of his old and
valued friends resided here, he had sought her out.
This Was his first visit, but he remained long in the
pleusuut village,nnd runny and frequent here his
eplls on the beautiful widow. At such times he
scarcely seemed to heed Marion s presence, for the
graceful manners of the mother, her sprightly con-
versotion, and her hue musical tilente, which she
wue‘erer reudy to display, seemed to have more
charms for him than the more simple graces of the
daughter. . , ,
Weeks passed, and still fourid Mr. Steiens II. con-
stant visitor at the cottage. lie was sitting one
evening, as usual, in the quiet parlor of the beauti-
ful widow, who had been singing aswset song. He
satin silence some moments after the sound of her
rich, melodious Ioice had died away, then suddenly
ini u
“I have something to shy to you, Mrs. Sidney,"
‘ and rapidly continued-”Perhaps you may have
' heard that I was once engaged to a very beautiful
girl. It was indeed so.- She was a girl of great
mental powers, hat of imperious avid unbending vi ill.
lloeed her dccply, devotedly, but u short time he-
fore our marriage was to have taken place, she
- sloped with u man every way her inferior, uheni she
had loved long before a. saw me. lwond er at my-
self, that I can speak so calmly ofit now. She was
my first love, and for years I could not hear her
name mentioned without 9. dreadfulzhv-u: 4th‘ti“. and
Ifelt that l ought never to milk 5 till I
could meet law with iudihereue‘etirnrnium has
now come. I have seen her, have spoken to her,
rind my pulse did noteren beat quicker. iler pow-
er is at an end. I have now resolved to marry, and
your daughter pleases me. Will you give her to
use? ’ ller her was the friend of my youth, and
for his child I feel that'yeurning ud‘ectinn which I
once cherished towards him. I cannot od‘or her pas-
sionate love,4tho time for that has passed with me,
but I will cherish her tenderly, and if you are tears
that she has never loved another, and think that in
time she might collie to fuel an attachment to me, I
should he proud and happy to malts her my wife,"
Mrs. Sidney had sat listsninv- to him almost breath-
]essly, and when his voice ceased, replied in her
usual calm manner- t’.
" I am confident that Marion has never loved, and
your proposal to make her your wife does us much
honor. Still, she is but a child, and her'mind even
less mature than that of many girls at her age "
I“Iler very youth, simplicity of character, and, I
any add, her yielding disposition, ‘ returned Mr.
Stevens, “are her chicf attractions for me. I Inn
on old bachelor, and during my single life have
formed many habits which ID cannot change, even if
In 'ould. I wish II Irifc who will fall into my ways,
and after watching her closely, I find that Marion
suits me.’ I, '
“She is very young, as I said before," replied
Mrs. Sidney, “ but I fut-I sure that I can trust her
happiness to your keeping, and I will ascertain my
daughter's feelings soon, though I doubt not that
her surprise will be as great as mine. "
“I trust that the matter will all he settled when
next we meet,” said Mr. Stevens, respectfully raise
ing the wide hand to his lips as he bade her
“ Well, who would have thought it!" ejaculated
Mrs. Sidney, In the sou'nd of his footsteps ceased,
and she sat gazing ubstructedly out of the window,
hcr check resting on her h- and. I‘ I am very glI id
thathis choice full on Marion, lie is not the one
for me,’ ‘lend gaily humming a tune, slis hastened
. : ' e
r , v
to her chamber, rejoicing in the brilliant future Mr. Stevens, too, was vcry kind, and scemcd to take
which she predicted for her daughter, as the young pleasure In her childish delight at the various prere-
und beautiful bride of the wealthy .‘lr. Stevens.
,‘eute he brought her, end she soon lost all rour or
The morning sun wns just peeping into hliriou s ‘hiur
chamber, as her mother entered the room. Shubent
but after the marriage had taken pl ILe and she
over her daughter’s couch, and a proud smile illu- had admired to her heart s content the beautiful
mined her features as she gazed on her child.
lleryrcsidunce of which she was mistress, she lit-gun to
fair hair lay scattered In profusion over the pillow, long for some sign (If lidsrtion from Mr husband.
and Marion was sleeping calmly and peacefully
Truc, he paid her every nttcntion, but she felt that ‘
“ She Is indeed lovely." murmured the lnother- he did not love her as she had ever in her day dreams
“lovely and pure as in the days of her infancy, .hode to he hired, and she was unhappy, fur ”Myst,
and stooping, she pressed her lips fondly upon her I her intellect was that ofa child, her heart II :is that
child's full- brow.
The kiss awoke Marion, and folding her I) a warm
embrace Mrs. Sidney euidu .
' II I here something to tell you, my own little May,
that will surprise you, Ium sure. Mr. Stevens has
oil‘cred you his heart and hand. He wishes you to
marry him.
“Marry him "‘ repeated Marion ,ivi astonishment.
“ Why, mother, I do not love him.
“ What nonsense is this about love. l" exclaimed
the mother “ lVlmt do you know of love‘I Has
any one dared to speak to you of that, uiid have you
ventured to hide it from your mother!"
“but do not look so stern," and tours started tu'her
u
y: Do riot cry. silly child,” said llirs. Sidney sooth-
ingly; "Idid not mean to speak so llnrslily, but
this marriuge will he the best thing for you in ihe
world. Mr. Stevens thinks a. great deal ofyou, rind
you will come to love him very much after you are
married."
‘II He is so much older than i, 'I .uuriuuhed hinriou
“ So much the better,” replied Mrs. Sidney.
“ He Is experienced, and you are inexperienced, lie
ie rich and talented and you are poor. In fact, if
I- had the whole world to choose from, he isjust the
one that I would have selected for you. I]: will he
very kind to you, and every wish of yours, within
reusonnble hounds” will he gratified. lou IIill
marry him of course, Iwish it, and I wish it be-
cause your happiness is very dear to me, and I feel
surgthut this marriage will promote it. You hre
my all, Marion, and I love you, dearest, better than
lifo,” continued her mother, kissing her again and
again, “ and will you not. trust me, and do as I lid-
vise you. I"
. ” Yes, my mother, I nil], 'l replied Marian, “ but
to tell you the truth, I am a little afraid of Mr.
Stevens. "
“ That Is only hechuse you are such a timid little
thing," returned‘her mother, .. for Mr. Stevens is
not very formidable. You will soon laugh atyonr
awe of him; and now, my dear good child, make
yourselflook asi handsome as possible, for I expect
youryimpatientlover will soon be here to hear his
r,
The day passed away, and lllr. Stevens had not
yet come to the cottage, much to Marion s relief.
who dreaded to see him, but to Mrs Sidney' s cvidcnt
annoyance. In the evening he came, however, and
remarked to the widow-
“ I trust al‘ is arranged. " to which she replied,
,“It Is as we could wish. "
He approached Marion, and in a low voice said,
‘ ,“I have to thuulr you for the happiness which
you have given me," and before she could reply,
seating himself as of old, heside the muther, he was
soon engaged' In lively conversation. Ilia voice had
ever a charm for Marion, and she experienced a quiet
happiness to listening to the brilliant salliss and the
eloquent words which passed between her mother
and her alliauccd.
Thus weeks passed on-Mr. Stevens ever treating
her as a child, while he paid to the mother the re-
spect due to n noble-hearted and high-minded vrtr
man. Ile had wished that there should be no un-
necessary delay with regard to the wedding. and
Marion was soon husily engaged in the necessar!
preparations. She was very happy “19'" [0" her
mother lavished upon her all that wealth of affection
which she really i'eit for her daughter. and which
of a true worn: in.
her as he in id dons Iiith her mother' , in f t, Marion
could not hare understood and syulpntilizcd uith
him, but she felt that he use infinitely llEl' superior,
and she grew to love him wiih her uliolc soul. She
strnre, ton, to win his attentions, and began to read
the works of which she had heard him speak, and it
gradual change was soon visible in her. As she
became more thoughtful, she fears-d to elimv her
husband any great amount of fill'octiun lest she should
disgust liini,:ind though she paid crery attention
to Iris wants, her pride forbade hu- show to him
. ’ . that she loved him so fondly, while he win so seein-
“Oh, no. no, indeed!" hastily replied Mariam.
ingly indilI-Ircnt to her. ‘
lie was frequently away from home, and during
Her husband nciertalkud with p .
one of his absences, she IiI Is walking, to pass away ,
tho lonc‘y hours, in the beautiful grounds which
surrounded the house, thinking of her situation-
shc feared, that of an unloved uifc.
over her, and throwing herself into a seat in an
Sadness stole .
urhor, she gave u-uy to her feelings in h gush oI' '
tears. ,Sudceuly she heard iiintrieps, and rising
hastily lest she should show to any one her pninlion,
she was detained by the new comer, who scizcd her
dress, exclaiminh-I .'
II "are I found you ot lust!"
“ Ilcnry Emerson” ejaculated Marion, iii
prise
“ lets, it is I " he rcplicd. '
It was a young and handsome man. and his voice
was choked with emotion.
“ 0h, Marion! Marion. ‘" he excl. iimcd passion-
ately, “ has it come to this!" He groaued bitterly.
and then mastering his feelings s, hc continuou-
“Since I have found you, hear me, for I have much
‘? say to you.” ‘ -
“What then have you to say!‘ ‘ asked the trem-
bling and evidently surprised Marion. .
“ Listen, and I will tell you,” he repented-I “l
ill commence at the first, and you shall know all.
Two years ago l was much at your house. l 31““
you often, and X loved you-yes, loved you with my
whole soul. llut I was poor, and when your moth-
er saw, as she soon did, my devotion to' you, she
spoke to me of it. I told her all, and she exacted
of me a promise not to betray my love to you. She
told rue. and truly, that you nus young, thut I win.
poor, and that she had scan too much of the ills of
poierty to be willing to allow her daughter to ens
counter them. ‘ Gui then, Henry,‘ said she, ‘ and
striie to gain something to support my child, and
if then Marion loves you, she shall be yours. But
do llltl. bind her by any promisEndo at: even let her
ear-
imp.h Vina herself attached toyou, she might after
in bccomingyour betrothed. ' I kept my promise,
and hard as it “was I left you without. declaring my
unch: anger] slihction.‘ I toiled hard to gain that
health which your mother desired, and the hope of
your handwould have suppoited Insin II life of hard
Ind severe toil, but suddenly, hy the death ofs dis-
ton:relative,1 found myself rich. llow my heart
leaped! for now I could at once claim you ‘ I
hastened to your home, and found that you were
another s. To my hitter reproaclies your mother
replied. that mine was but a boyish attachment-J
said that it could not now be helped and that I
should soon forget you.
Never! Iconic to you to tell you all. True, I find
you u ville, but I know too well that yuur'huehsud
docs not love you. He does not know the meaning
the approaching separation seemed to call forth. of the word. You are mine-mine in the sight of
know that you love her, for though she might now .
wards bitterly regret the slop which she had taken .
t
10'3“ 30“. Marion!
