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Show 492 The Bachelor-A.. Tale. [AuGUST, ~============ ~============ 'Vhich, as in the hours of dreaming, The sad soul of man absorbs; Feeling that the light descending Is a benison of love, Springing from a hcarL befriending, Falling dew-like from above. As a flower, faint, parched and fading, Smiles beneath the vernal shower, So new strength, the soul pervading, llails the spirit light of power. As a beacon, guiding haven ward, 'Yarning from a rocky coast; So above us e\'er heavenward, Point the glory crowned host. Is thy path a path of sorrow 1 Dash uot down life's crimson cup; Strength from stars of glory borrow,Thuugh 'twere wormwood, drink it up. They full oft, with hearts grief-broken, Wept o'er ills they dared defy, Till the word of life was spoken, Ere they joined the lights on high. Art des1•ised by the scorning Suns of arrogance and pride 1 Stars the brightest, heaven adorniug, Thus have Jived, thus too have died. } .. eel )'C oft a loathing springing }'or the bonds of fleshy birth! Stars abo\'e, in glory singing, 'Vhisper-" Perish they with earth." Art thou friendless and a stranger 1 He to whom all others bend, Lay in Bethlehem's rude manger, Few to bless, none to defend. Bnt a star from he:1ven was bending On his couch a look of love; And a myriad host descending, Brought glad tidings from above. So there are above us e\·er Purer friends than earth can give; Change they not, desert they never, 1\Iuch furbear, still more fnrgi\'e, Stars that sbine to cheer and guide us, They ha\'e d ~me what we may do; And no earthly ills betide u!<, That they have not tasted too. Courage then ;-for hirn that failetl1, Better had he ne'er heen born! 'Vhere the recreant spi rit \\'aileth, Reaps he ages, rife witlt scorn; llut to him who \\Orthy proveth, Heaven lends seraphic wings; Light-like through far years he moveth, 1\lid her robed and crowned Kings. A bright star gone out in glory, Shall be e\'Cry faithful soul; Unborn spirits read his storyCourage take and win the goal. Ballimarc, Md. THE BACHELOR. A TALE. CHAPTER I. lt was in the month of March, near the close of a wild, stormy day, during th_c greater_ part of which a cold rain had fallen, mmgled wu h sleet, ana blown about in every direction by a l.:een, nipping wind. The sun went down," the bright track of his fiery" car" ubscured by a heavy pile of dull, su llen clouds, which hung in a lowering mass over one of our principal cities, in which are placed the opening sccues of this desultory tale. The gaslights shone upon streami ng streets, gutters flarinrr with water and half-melted ice, and upon the fa~es of the drenched and shivering passengers, who were hurry ing O\'er the pa\'ements. At this inclement hour, 1\lr. Paul Lefevre, a thriving practitiuuer of the law, sat cozily before the blazing fne in the snug dining-room of his private residence in - street. l\lr. Lefevre was a prosperous gentlema n, in the jocunJ prime of his days, and he coold well afford to collect arounJ him all tile means anJ applianc('S of comfOrt, and nothing prevented him frum tasting the pleasures of life with as keen a relish as most mortals possess. Mr. Lefevre, then, sat in his cushioned chair, wrapped in a dressing-gown embroidered with gold and silver figures, in a style rather too gorgeous for correct taste, with a pair of worked slippers on his feet, and a cigar in his mouth. A decanter of wine stood at a convenient distance on his right hand; seve ral letters, newspapers, olive dishes, &c., littered the table; while the cheery fire threw a bright light on the splendid picture-frames and the polished furniture, and lit up the room with a warm, rosy glow. Paul Lefevre basked languidly in the warm light, gently pulling the Havanna cigar, which miugled its fragrant odor with the rich aroma of the wine. Nothing could be in more comfortahle contrast to the wet, dreary scene with· out, than the warmth and light of this pleasant apartment. Its occupant, as we have stated, was engaged very successfully in the practi<'e of the law; and most convcnil!ntly did its profits swell the steady income arising from the rents of several houses, which bad been devised to him by an aged relation of seventy ye:ns complete. That he was a bachelor the reader has inferred, from tho easv and comfortable manner in which he was situated. That he continued to be a baehelor had been a source of surprise to many of his male friends, who were well acquainted with his fen•ent admiration of beauty, and it had been no less sur· The Baclwlor-A Tale. 403 prising-, and .in -sonw d~gree 1~ortifying, to s~~ral j of 1\~. Henry, a l~dy \~'ith whos-e -fr~~~-dship he of his female acquai ntances, who knew the upright ha1l loug been lHlnOred, and who resided in a viihonesty of his character, and the domestic fond- lage not very distant. This lady had come in on ness of l1is dispositinn, but who were, of course, a casual visit, anrl to his great disappointment Mr. ignorant of~ or inditl'ercnt to, the thriving st;tte of Lefevre was told that she and her niece had left his afi·lirs. Tu Paul Lef8vre, n:~.ture had given a 1 the eity for an uncertain tin1e. He resolved to keen susceptihility to the grand and be:1utiful, and ' pay them a visit immediately on their return. its pcr~adin_g influence threw a tinge of romance ! \Nhilst he was pleasa ntly engaged with his wine over Ins mmd, otherwise rather hard and subtle. ancl cigar, as we have before described, a servant In early life he had been indulged in every whim e utered the room and handed him a note. He or caprice the lively imag:inatinn of childhood broke the seal and glanced over the contents. It could suggest, and the pursuits of his manhood ha.d was from a gentleman who sent an excuse for not oO"'cred no serious obstacles to the gratiftcation of beiug able to atlend to certain business on the next his wishes. lienee, in the ordinary. walks of life lday, as his time would be occupied by the affairs he did not show th:u deference and attention to the of one of his wealthy female clients, Mrs. Henry, wishes or opinions of others, which is paid by who, he adde1l, had arrived in town that morning. more observing persons. This fact had gained Paul Lefev re was •lelighted at the intelligence, and him a reputation for selfishness, a rep roa1· hful l with characteristic impetuosity he ordered the ser· quality, from whic\1 his bOll !tommie r~nd kindliness vant to take lights to his dressing-room, and to have of disposition really exempted him. He possessed I a cab at the Juror in a few minutes. In a short a freshness of feeling, and a. generosity 11f he;nt, l time he re-appeared, dressed, evidently for efl"ect, \\ hich had been neither deadened nor impr~ir ed by in a black cnat and pantaloons of the most successrough contact with the stern and hardened scenes ful cut. A white vest gave an air of gay variety of the world. His mind was impetuous, but for- ~ to the sable ltue of the suit. He walked to tho cible; and, perhaps, the most defecti\'C quality in mirror, examined the flattering image it prescuted, his character, was a want of that steadiness ofl with decided satisf.tction-furtified himself with purpose, which so often leads the C\'en ordinary a bumper of the particula.r port, and throwing his men to the topmost round in the ladder of prefer- cloak around him, achie\·ed snccessfully the dilliment, and without which the most ric hly gifted cult feat of getting into a cab when the wind is ' 'ery frequently linger at the bottom. high and the horses restive. He was whirled in Contrary to his usual habits, Paul Lefevre had a few minutes to the place of his destination. He accompanied a party of frif>nds to a grand bal cos- leamed that the ladies were "at home," and givtume, gi\•en a few evenings before, by a fashionable ing his name to the servant, he was immediately lady; and among the showy, grotesque, and ridicu- shown into a. rlrl\wing-room, where sat l\lrs. Henry lous figures, whi('.h moved about the brilliant rooms, and her charming niece. his attention and admiration had been fixed by the '' Ah, 1\lr. Lefevre, a pleasant surprise this inrich dress and exquisite beauty of a young lady clement evening," said Mrs. Henry. "Give me who wore the costume of the times of Charles leave to introduce you to my niece,l\liss Sefton." VL of France. She was tall and elegantly fOrm- Paul Lefevre bowed profoundly and said, ·• You ed, with a st.yle of motion quiet, _yet striki ugly need nnt he surprised to see me on any occasion, graceful, and she wore the peculiar horned cap, ofl when you remer.nber the solitude of mv home and the period fur which she was d rcsscd, with a be- the attractions of yours." ~ witching grace. Her face , \\·hich was moulded in l\Ir. Lefe\'re, though a bashful man, was as bold as the oval shape, \~as fai.r al~ost to pale_ncss, yet n~ummell. in the presence of a few ladies, and often the ruddy color of lhe bps d1spellcd the 1dea, that sa1d that he could converse at perfect ease, with iH health had gi\·en the pearly hue to that beautiful the most accomplished woman, if not in Cl)mpany. complexion. The insipidity which often belongs It was only when collected in large assemblies, and to this style of beauty, was removed by the change- "dressed ont in all their finery" that ladies became ful brilliancy of her dark eyes, which sometimes the tremendous objects which froze and petrified sparkled with animation, and were !hen half closed, his courage and made him '·an iJiot and a trem. as if in the dreamy voluptuousness of love. bier," like Poor Marlow, in Goldsmith's famous Tllis l>rilliant figure absorbed the attention of come(ly. J [e was, therefore, entirely at ease and Paul Lefevre, but the natural timidity of his man- perfectly confident in the presence of two ladies, Jler prevented him from penetnting the crowd of and fluently did he lead the con\'ersation. Knights, Greek minstrels, Jews, Troubadours, &c., A remark was made about an exhibition of paintwhich encircled her in amusing confusion. So he ings; on that subjeet l\lr. J .. efevre was particularly contented himself with lingering about io distant strong. He criticised the works of Vernet, Delaobservation of sur.h unusual loveliness. roache, Jules Crignet, and other eminent artists, On the next day he learned that l\"largaret Sef- with as much severity, as if his t:~.stes had been ton, the fair object of his admiration, was the niece formed in the Louvre; discussed the condition of |