LITERARY MESSENGER. VOLUME IX. BUFFALO, SATURDAY, AUGUst 7, 1847. For the Western Literary Messenger. On the retirement from office, of Hon. Thomas S. Williams, Chief BY MRS. L. H. SIGOURNEY. When from the post of honor and renown, And lay the Aristidean balance down, For such repose as gathered years require, Not unattended by a people's praise Should they to shades of private life repair, Their blameless course of labor and of care. Thine be a crown of blessing on thy head, For the Westera Literary Moosenger. BY ARIEL. NUMBER I. hall, to remind of the war of the elements which raged without. Enlivening music drowned the roaring of the wind as it moaned along like a troubled spirit, and the sweet strains rose above the dashing of the driven snow upon the windows. Those stirring notes forbade the tripping feet to falter, or weary of their task. "On, on with the dance; No sleep 'till morn, when youth and beauty meet To chase the glowing hours with flying feet." Yet brighter far, than the rays of light thrown from the lamps upon the scene, were the eyes of the lovely women there assembled; more thrilling than the strains from the rousic band, were the happy tones of their sweet voices. All was mirth and merriment. No grief or sorrow had ever touched any of the young hearts in that gay throng; or if they had, the gloomy shadows of the mind were for the time transformed by the mery dance and exciting music, into rays of happiness and of joy. No eye shown brighter, no heart beat happier than Flora's upon that evening. Among the inany lovely women the occasion had called together, she was distinguished for her beauty. Many a fair face, which viewed alone would have received its just homage of admiration, sank into the shade when beneath the influence of her surpas sing lovliness. She was in the freshness and bloom of early youth, for not more than seventeen summers had lent their warmth to tint the delicate coloring of her cheeks. No care had It was in midwinter. The Heavens were shrouded with deep dark clouds, from which fell thick and fast the driving snow. Neither a star, nor the slightest ray from the moon, shone forth to guide the wanderer's way, and even the mantle of white which clad the earth, served not to light-ever dimmed the mild but sparkling eye, no en the impenetrable darkness which reigned thought of sorrow had ever shaded the snowy around. Thicker and faster poured forth those brow. Her stature, rather above the medium clouds of black their deecy contents, which were height, harmonized well with the perfect symuledriven by the fierce gale with irresistible force try of a full voluptous form, abounding in dignity through the now deserted streets, forming deep and grace. Thick dark chesnut hair, so dark furrows and high drifts, through which the unfor-that in the distance it resembled tnore the ravens tunate wayfarer of that night must wade breast-wing-fell back from a brow which told not of a deep. No foot prin's marked the path; for the single grief; while from her bright yet soft dark wind as it surged along, bearing great masses of eyes, there beamed a light whose mild influence snow upon its wings, obliterated every track and penetrated into the inmost soul, leaving upon the effaced every land-mark. It was indeed a terrible heart an enduring and a happy thought. She night; one in which the charitable, and those sur- was plainly dressed,as though conscious that orna ronnied by life's comforts might well exclaim, ment might conceal some charm, and as this "My God have mercy upon the poor!" But bright and beautiful creation moved with enchan sincere indeed was the philanthophy, and heartfelt ting grace through the lively dance, or engaged the charity, which braved the terrors of those icy in the whirling waltz, admiration spoken from blasts, to extend the kind hand of relief to the des-every eye. titute and the needy. It was upon such a night, with the fierce storm howling without, but where all was light and beauty within, that my friend first beheld Fiora There was nothing within that brillisut Such was the impression which the first sight of Flora produced upon my mind, and I was a disinterested observer. had passed that period of youth, when the heart is so keenly sensitive to the attractions of beauty; and viewing her mere ly as the perfection of a master hand, I felt no desire to bring myself within the charm of her sweet clear voice, or nearer to brave the influence of her dark mild eye. They had never found any society so agreeable, or any friendship so replete with happy thoughts as their own. They had kept within the limits of friendly intimacy, for no declarations of mutual But not so my friend. The rays of light which affection had ever yet passed between them; they emanated from that star of lovliness, give warmth were content with their friendship, and satisfied and life to many a picture of ideal beauty which with the happiness it brought them. But Platonic hovered in his fancy. Before the compary separa- love, beautiful indeed in theory, is not adopted to ted, he obtained an introduction to the lovely actual life. Age, it is true, with its cool blood and girl, and thus commenced an acquaintance which sober reasoning, may carry out its sublime pre time and opportunity soon ripened into friendship. | cepts; but the heart in the glad period of youth, and finally into intimacy. Nor was he the only is not content with attachments formed by the one who sought her friendship and her favor.-mind alone; its own warm feelings involuntarily Her beauty had thrown its magic charm over ma- seek to entwine themselves with those of kindred ny others, who acknowledged the influence of heart, until they blend together in the enduring the spell. But upon no one did she bestow so chain of mutual affection, Friendship but opens much of her intimacy as upon my friend, and the way for stronger ties, which advance with her marked preference for his society soon pointed stealthy step, and are not discovered until they him out as the one finding most favor in her sight. have secured a resting place from whence they And well worthy was he of such a preference. cannot be dislodged. Who can say to the inclinaPossessed of a tall, commanding person contain- tions, "Thus far shalt thou go and no farther?" ing much of manly dignity, he had been endow. Vain the thought, vainer still the attempt when ed by nature with talents and an intellect of no j in constant communion with the one whom we ordinary standard. With a refined taste and a esteem; and with woman this is peculiarly the case lively imagination were united au open and a for their affections are the world in which they generous heart, an unsuspicious and affable dis-live and have their being. position. An apparent reserve of manner had given the name of pride to what was but the nature of a retiring disposition, and it was only to intimate friends that the real worth of his character was known. An extreme sensibility to slight or neglect as well as to insult, was a trait in his character which had lost him many friends, for it was carried to that extreme where ceasing to be a virtue, it became a fault. But this same sensibility made him more careful and guarded in his intercourse with others, lest he too might wound feeling as refined and as sensitive as his own. Flora entertained for my friend, feelings of more than friendly intimacy: insensibly to herself, her heart had been drawn into warmer ties.Her eye beamed for him a softer light, her voice contained a sweeter tone. She had never breathed her affection, she scarcely dared whisper it in secret to herself; but the close observer might have perceived a deeper color mantle her cheek, an instant brilliance light her eye at his approach, perhaps a shade of sorrow 'cloud her brow at the slightest attention bestowed upon another. Some there were, who viewed the increasing Time passed on. Winter gave way to the more intimacy of this youthful pair, with an evil eye; genial influences of spring, and with every suc-and who from feelings of personal jealousy would ceeding month the intimacy of Flora and my gladly have seen them divided and their friendfriend increased; all rivals save one, had abandon-ship forever broken. They spared no efforts to el the field, and seemed to award the beautiful accomplish this end. Under the guise of friendly pize to him. One, however, still followed the solicitude, they whispered in her ear many a tale phantom of his hopes, and she in the spirit of of his unworthiness; they maligned his character coquettry innate with Eve's fair daughters, be-and traduced his motives; they misinterpreted his stowed upon him just enough encouragement to conduct, and charged him with actions he had retain him in her train. He was of considerable never committed, and with expressing sentiments personal beauty, yet boasted of few other attrac- which had never passed his lips. These efforts tions, unless it was faith, truth and devotion to the failed. The heart has always an abiding confiobject of his worship. That he was faithful,dence in those it loves, which nothing short of true and devoted, there can be no doubt, for he some act of positive nnworthiness-proved bepersisted in his attentions long after hope of final yond a doubt-can ever shake. A long and inti success had ceased to whisper encouraging words to his reason, and obeyed only the dictates of his heart, whose leading strings were guided at will by another's hand. mate acquaintance had convinced her of the exis tance of virtues irreconcilable with what they charged against him. She knew his to be a heart which beat responsive to every noble sentiAlmost a year, with its chances and its changes, ment, and that dishonorable thoughts were strangsped on, but it wrought no change in Flora anders to his breast. They finally induced her relamy friend. The many pleasant hours they had passed together; their frequent walks in the soft summerve by the bright moonlight, had drawn still closer the chords of intimacy around them. tives to join them in their endeavors; and when countenanced and assisted by these, they told her ne possessed no thoughts in common with her own; that his professions of friendship were 110 meaning words; that he had made their intimacy clond which hovered over their friendship. But the subject of idle jests, and that others were ob- upon the evening to which I refer, he received jects of his greater preference - a preference what his sensitive nature construed into a slight, which he openly avowed--then indeed did the conveying to his mind the impression that his sotrusting confidence of the beautiful Flora begin ciety was less desired than formerly. This was to waiver. They had at least found the right suchcient to aronse all his pride, to awaken all chord upon which to strike, it was the chord con- his resentment. He asked not her reasons, he nected with the heart. They brought forth appa- | sought no explanation. Whispering in her ear a rently convincing proofs of the truth of what they few hurried words which told of his appreciation uttered, and relatives whom she thought her of her actions, he waited for no reply, and bidfriends confirmed the statements and assisted ding her a cold good night, was gone. their endeavors. Conscious that she had bestowWhat changed the color of her cheek that ined upon him all that a woman can, and live, hope stant, from the rose's hue, to the lily's white? He often whispered that it met return; she now had often said good night before; yet the magic felt that she loved him as woman alone can love, power of the voice can convey to words a hidden and as even woman loves but once, and every meaning, which but one aloue can interpret.suspicion that her love met no response, was a Those words, so cold, so distant, fell upon her thought which robbed her of her peace. She heart like the icy hand of death, chilling the warm felt that suspense was even less endurable than a blood as it bounded through the veins, and crumbknowledge of the worst: conviction may breaking into nothing many an airy castle of the fancy. the heart at once, while suspense is a slow linger- How different from the cordial tone of their foring torture which wastes it by degrees. She mer partings, when the lips breathed so much of determined to know the worst, and if he loved friendly feelings, so much of warm solicitude; her to bring him to an avowal of his attachment. aye! her heart had after hoped, so much of true Instigated by such thoughts as these, she chang-affection. Gladly would she have recalled the ed in her demeanor towards my friend. Sweeter events of the past few days, most willingly have smiles than was her wont were bestowed upon had him return for a moment's explanation. But others, and more of her society granted to old he was gone-perhaps anger in his heart. His admirers, who gladly returned to their allegiance, parting words lingering in her ear, drove from it while she affected a satisfaction she could not feel, every pleasant sound, and unable longer to remain in her intercourse with them. She betrayed no among the merry throng with the blaze of light marked or pointed coldness towards my friend; and the joyous notes from the music-band, she but there was an absence of that confiding trust, withdrew from a scene where none but the light of that cordial feeling which had characterized of heart and the careless gay should be, and went their acquaintance; a pretended inability longer to to take communion with her own sad thoughts.participate in those evening rambles, so produc. Hope's soft ray ever and anon fit up a rosy cloud tive of pleasure to them both; in short a thousand which promised a happier dawn, but the first little things, trifles in themselves and noticed only touch of those words "good night" to this bright by him for whom they were designed. She vision, enveloped all in darkness and plunged thought in this way to induce him to seek an ex- her thoughts once more into despondent gloom. planation, which hope promised would be follow- Hope, however, and anticipation, are influences ed by an avowel of his attachment, But the ever more powerful upon the inexperience of beautiful Fiora had not yet learned the disposition eighteen summers than despondency and doubt, of my friend, if she supposed success would and Flora, before she closed her eyes that night, crown such means. She had selected a course had united, in imagination,the broken chords, and of all others the best calculated to destroy his pre-she slept to dream of the happy scenes of their ference, if such he felt, and to extinguish forever acquaintance-dreams bright and beautiful, such the flames of any attachment which may have only as are dreamed by youth, and in the first slumbered in his breast. His was a nature so gush of youthful love. keenly sensitive to slight, that a confirmed suspicion that his society was not agreeable, or his friendship desired, was enough to arouse a pride which would seek no reconcilement, which would ask no explanation. and The morning brought with it a note from my friend; and as she took it from the bearer, her heart beat as though it would burst the narrow limits which confined it. It was long before she could summon courage to break the envelope. On the same spot, within the same brilliant hall, That little package, how pregnant with fate! It upon an occasion similar to the one which was either a confirmation of her dearest hopes, witnesses their acquaintance just one year before, or the announcement that her happiness was did their intimacy cease. My friend had long wrecked and gone forever-11eaven forbid! fell been conscious of a change in her demeanor from her lips as with trembling hand, she broke towards him, but thinking it originated from the seal:— some of the many false tales which daily reached her ears, he gave it no heed, trusting that the It is your wish that the intimacy which has so first beam of truth would instautly dissipate the long existed between us should cease. With M199 FLORA :— such a wish, I must conform. I possessed no claims upon your friendship, except such as you choose to grant, and our intimacy was but the creature of your will; that will which gave it life, has declared it shall exist no longer. impossible. Nor can we, by any power of the will alone, drive from our thoughts an image whose connecting ties are many happy associations, and around which the dearest recollections -linked indeed with the very clouds of lifehave long been centred. The memory reverts with pleasure to every scene which has thrown its rosy hue of gladness over days gone by, keep. ing ever fresh and vivid in the mind the impressious that it once created. I cannot have misunderstood your meaning; if actions are at all a signification of the thoughts, your manner last evening can convey no other conclusion. Although long aware that some of yourrelatives and pretended friends, looking upon our growing intimacy with an evil eye, have put They met again and often in society after this. At first, hope beat high in Flora's breast, that he forth every effort to break it, yet I heeded not their endeavors so long as I knew that your own would again address, again seek her out as was better judgment gave the lie to their false slan-his wont; and she even sought to promote the ders. All this was well, and what friend owes to opportunity by placing herself in his path where find. But a change ensued and a reserve incoin-something must be spoken. But the cold and patible with the friendship you professed,-alleg-distant manner in which he addressed her,and his ing that you were compelled to such a course by relatives whose commands you felt bound to obey. If such was the canse, I was much mis taken in my acquaintance, for the Flora whom I knew, possessed a spirit by far too proud and independent to suffer herself to be guided into a line of conduct at variance with her feel. ings, and with the convictions of her own better judgement. That the voice of calumny has at last effectually whispered in your ear many a fal-ehood, I cannot doubt, but can only wonder that they should have made such an impression upon your mind, as to have influenced your conduct. Whether these were the only reasons which induced you to end our intimacy, it matters not for me to enquire. Such being your wish,so be it. Receive my thanks for the many pleasant hours passed in your society; nor can I doubt but that among your numerons admirers you may find one, who will occasion far happier ones to you Trusting that your future life, wherever cast, may be happy, I ain yours, respectfully, It was the realization of her darkest fears. Her mind could scarcely realize the void created within her heart. To renounce forever one upon whom nearly every thought had long been cen. tred; to forego those hours of pleasant intercourse which she was wont to regard as the happiest of her life; and to cast from her heart an image which it had so long in secret worshipped-all this at once was a blow hard indeed to bear.Cold words cannot describe the burning thoughts which passed with lightening speed across her mind, as she sat for hours meditating upon the past and the future. "Keen were her pangs, but keener far to feel She nursed the pinion which impelled the steel." It was the first trial which had ever fallen upon her young heart, it took from it every desire, save that of death. Bitterly did she now repeut having given the occasion for this breach between them, and that she who had bestowed so much of her affection, had not given with it all her confidence. Could she drive him from her mind and forget that such a one had ever existed; she felt it studied politeness when civility demanded an exchange of speech between them, extinguished forever this last faint glimmering spark of hope. It did more: it aroused all her woman's pride, it awakened her resentment and quickened her anger; it gave birth to thoughts that she who had offered up the richest treasures of her young heart, had received nothing in return; that her affection had been scorned, and her love cast back. While such thoughts reign in woman's breast, all others are subservient, and a keen sense of unmerited injury fills the mind. While in this state of wounded pride and of injured feeling, she accepted the addresses of that one of her admirers who had been so true and faithful, and who, taking advantage of a disunion which he himself had helped to cause, urged his suit with ardor and finally with success. They stood before the alter, ready to unite their hands in that tie which binds until death. Joy beamed from the eyes of the happy bridegroom, and well might he be proud to call his own the treasure which stood beside him. He was tall in person, of a slim elastic build, with regular features, and a well proportioned form, and his light hair and tall figure made a pleasing contrast with the dark locks and full voluptous outline of her who was his partner. A casual observer would have called him decidedly handsome; but the eye which could read the inner virtues from a study of the outward features, distinguished but few of those more sterling qualities which adora the man: good will, generosity and openness of heart, were well developed; but decision of character, energy of purpose and steadfastness of intention-those virtues which sustain under reverses and are quickened by difficulties, and which constitute man's superiority--were wanting. God grant that he may protect and cherish through the storms of life and the griefs and troubles of this cold selfish world, the weak and trembling woman who has chosen him for her protector: guide well her feet that they may not be wounded by the thorns which bestrew the path, and give her up at the end of a happy life, more perfect than when thy hands received her, so that |