FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68  
69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   >>   >|  
he moved. The difficulties of life were softened--its rewards and joys coloured and enhanced. I thought of her as a wife, and the tone of my existence was from the moment changed. If you could have seen her, sir--the angel of that quiet house--gliding about, ministering happiness--her innocent expression--her lovely form--her golden hair falling to her swelling bosom--her truthfulness and cultivated mind--you would, like me, have blessed the fortune which had brought her to your side, and revealed the treasure to your youthful heart. I told her that I loved, and her tears and maiden blushes made her own affection manifest. Her father spoke to me, bade me reflect, take counsel, and be cautious. He gave at last no opposition to our wishes--but requested that time might be allowed for trial, and my settlement in life. And so it was agreed. I prosecuted my studies more diligently than ever, and looked with impatience for the hour when my profession (for I had gone to the university with a view to the church) and my little income would justify me in offering to my darling one a home. Did I now mourn over the inequality of my fortune? Did I upbraid the dead--accuse the living? I did not, sir. Too pleased to labour for the girl whom I had chosen--I rejoiced to owe my bread to my exertion. She then, as now--for it was her--my Anna, sir--the wreck whom you have seen--cruelly misused by poverty and grief--robbed of her beauty and her strength--the miserable outline of her former self--she then, even as now, was in all things actuated by the highest motives--a serious and religious maid. She cheered me with her smiles--her perfect patience and tranquil hope. It was to her a privilege to be united to a clergyman, and to find her earthly joy combined with usefulness and good. In our walks, I have painted the future which was never to be--the bliss we were never to experience. I have spoken of the parsonage, and its little lawn and many flowers--pictured myself at work--visiting the poor--comforting the sick--herself my dear attendant at the cottage doors, with hosts of little ones about her, whom she might call her children, and for whom she might exercise more than a mother's care. She could not listen to such promises, and not grow happier in her inexperience than reality could ever render her; and yet sighs, sighs, ominous sighs, would from the first escape her. Still for a twelvemonth our nook of earth was Paradise, and sorrow, th
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68  
69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

fortune

 

united

 

motives

 

highest

 

smiles

 

perfect

 

patience

 

tranquil

 

cheered

 

religious


privilege
 

robbed

 

cruelly

 
misused
 

exertion

 

chosen

 

rejoiced

 

poverty

 
things
 

outline


clergyman

 

beauty

 
strength
 

miserable

 

actuated

 
parsonage
 

listen

 

promises

 

happier

 

mother


children
 

exercise

 
inexperience
 
reality
 

Paradise

 

sorrow

 

twelvemonth

 

render

 

ominous

 

escape


cottage
 

future

 

painted

 

spoken

 
experience
 

earthly

 

combined

 

usefulness

 

labour

 
comforting