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l . - - VOL IIII..N 1 , U,. SI0tMcatit 3*Ouxn-u, ii*.tevi 10 44,je SoutI4 anv Soutfen fRijtts, Vd4_ tz Catest fleuvz, %trtne *odt,~iprne rut ,& "We will cling to ghe.Pillars of the Temple of our- ,. Mies, and if it miust fall, WeilPeihaisteRus' flf 2ARI X~858.,O.111-Oi 9ISIlN, DURISOE & CO., Proprietors. LJJJIGE'IEiILJ, S.C APIL 8 BUIDING UroN TIE lAID. BY ELIZA cooK. 'Tis well to woo, 'tis well to wed, For so the world has done Since myrtles grew, and roses blew, And morning brought the sun. But have a care, ye young and fair, Be sure ye pledge with truth; Be certain that your love will wear Beyond the days of youth. For if ye give not heart for heart, As well as hand for hand, You'll find you've played the "unwise" part, And " built upon the sand." 'Tis well to save, 'tis well to have, A goodly store of gold, And hold enough, of shining stuff, For charity is cold. But place not all your hopes and trust In what the deep mine brings; We cannot live on yellow dust Unmixed with purer things. And he who piles up wealth alone, Will often have to stand Beside his coffer chest and own 'Tis "built upon the sand." 'Tis good to speak in kindly guise, And soothe whate'er we can; For speech should bind the human mind, And love link man to man. But stay not at the gentle words, Let the deeds with language dwell; The one who pities starving birds, Should scatter crumbs as well. The mercy that is warm and true, Must kud a helping hand, For those who talk, yet fail to do, But " build upon the sand." For the Edgefleld Advertiser. THE DOMESTIC SERPENT. -0 BY JENNY WOODBINE. CHAPTER . "Alas! there are fall many thorns In life's extended field eneath the rosy: whieh fairest glows,. A .erpentaisseoneealed.' : dif*ture Yapiness." But Truth will discolor them. Once I too had such visions-stow the mask has fallen from my eyes, as it .will from yours. I have extin guished the lamp of romance, and view things by common daylight. Water seems clear, and beautiful when viewed by the naked eye-you thirst to taste it. Take a mycroscope-look at the same thing, and the filth and corruption will sicken you. Thus it is with life. Within the bed of roses which seems fairest a serpent lies hidden-.a hideous thing coiled, and ready to strike. The world is but a den of serpents. We have the parlor serpent; the domestic ser pent; the bosom serpent, and the serpent at large. You will be stung onevery side, Marcia Wilton; for in your silly confidence, you are far more blind than the beggar who asked alms of you last evening. Let me prove it to you: What do you think of Clara Ware?" "She is a clever, true hearted girl." " The parlor serpent. Lizzie Clayton ?" "0 Lizzie is constancy itself. She is my 'bosom friend." " Bosom aerpent rather. Benedict Arnold was a traitor to his country. She is a traitor to everything that trusts in he:-. Oscar Rayton ?' "Clever, witty, brilliant-another friend of mine." "For heaven's sake never utter that odious syllable in my hearing. Friend ! friend ! I had rather be seized with deafness than hear that word again. I have lived in the-world twenty five years with my eyes wide open, and never yet discovered that article, friend. Imitations I have seen-gross counterfeits--plenty of them, even as I have seen miserable daubs, and heard them called 'exquisite paintings.' Oscar Rayton is the serpent at large." "Inez, why are your eyes so constituted that you can see only the dpformed leg." " Tut ! child, go to-there's no other leg to see." The two ladies sat in a superb dressing room, waiting for the arrival of the carriage which was to convey them to Mrs. Rayton's magnifi cimt party. In ten minutes after the above conversation they *ere in that brilliant hall, "the observed of all observers." There was a strange resemblance between them, and yet -they were very unlike in their beauty. Marcia Wdrton, attired in a pink silk of some light, del icate texture, with her soft, dark eyes, rosy lips, and short, crispy curls, won a vast deal of ad mniration ; but In Lowell was emphatically the 'queen' or the throng. She was truly a magnificent woman. -Her formr was fully de reloped, her stature rather above the ordinary height of women. She wore a heavy black velvet dress, which well suited her queen-like style of beauty. H~er armts,'and shoulders, white as Parian mar ble, weiehare but covered with costly jewels. In her heW, which was black as ebon darkness, and wound.ina turban folds around a high, pale forehead, ahe wore crimson Dahlias, which Sformeds appy contrast to the jetty locks with ri" which they were intertwined. Her face was colorless, but her lips-strange fact-were al most the color of the Dahlhas she wore. 11er ieyes shamed the night for blackness, and out spr h diamonds in her bosom. Then hherer queen-like step, so full of digni yyh eyes beaming with the suppressed fires of he nature. Truly did young Maitland say. as he gazed upon her, perfectly dazzled by hei beauty, and magnificence, "It were a fearful thing to be loved by such a woman." She seldom smiled, and when she did it was a mockery of a smile; a stiflig sneer of con tempt ; a kind of fiendish exultation of superi ority; a spark from the slumbering fire of a volcano. And yet no woman ever had more admirers than Inez Lowell. Her beauty ; her hauteur; her eccentricities, and the veil of mys tery which enwrapped her as in an impenetra ble mantle, all conspired to excite curiosity and admiration. Yet she endured rather than ac cepted the homage so freely paid her, and in return gave her admirers a bitter epigram, or one of her sneering smiles. When she entered a rgom, with her colorless face, and heavy black garments-an embodied queen of night-a sky of blackness covered with sparkling stars, all conversation for the time was hushed. She had no 'intimates'-nay perhaps as she said to Marcia, she had no friends, for a woman who commands universal admiration, and who stoops not to flatter, seldom has friends among her own sex, and perchance never a true one amid the other,-for who loves a celebrity? And yet Inez Lowell had once been the slave of man; had once bowed that haughty neck to recieve the caress of love; had once with those proud, jewelled, little fingers, parted the locks from a fair, pale forehead, and imprinted there the kiss of love. Did she look like it, as she stood near Harvey Maitland, sneering at his well-timed compliments, and assuring him in her clear, melodious voice that " Love was a humbug, fit only for 'bread and butter' misses, and eighteen year old Oollege students ?" Verily no. "Who is she, Ned'?" asked a youth with a flashy neck-cloth, of a bird. of like feather with himself. "Oh ! a second Hagar Withers. In short, my unsophisticated friend, a deserted wife. " Name it not in Goth--publish it not in the streets of Askalon," but "pity 'tis, 'tis true." They say she has a devilish temper, and I guess Lowell concluded,, with Solomon that "'tis better to live on the corner of a house-top than in a wide house with a contentious woman." I think he had a lucky escape, for she withered me to night vith one of her lightning-like glances. Mrs. vortons' Dream, was 'not all a dream' whenshe rote, "While the juet world, beholding thee bereft; Scorns, not Ai ein-but thee-for being left." "But where is the 'Don,' Ned'?" " Oh ! he, after obtaining a divorce, married "So should I, egad! I guess the frost-work could melt away from yonder mountain of ride then. Here she is again. Harvey is in uck." Mark the metamorphosis. As soon as Inez ppeared, both those young gents were ready :o scale mountains for a single glance from her >rod eyes. And Ned Bowers, forgetting how 'reely he had used her name ('fashionables' ave treacherous memories) assured her he would make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem on bare 'ot, if she would only give him a single leaf 'rom her bouquet. "You shall have it all, Mr. Bowers," replied nez with a smile that was positively bewitch ng, "if you will only mix one grain of common ense with your next fine speech." A titter went round the room at his discom iture, for 'in society' one laughs alike at wit, or ts opposite. But we are neglecting Marcia Wilton, so true t is that in the presence of Inez Lowell all hings eLse are forgotten. She had first been ntroduced to a Senator, whom for convenience ake we will call Col. Lynn. " You are quiet to night, Miss Wilton." " I am studying society in one of its most aLUring, but deceptive phases." " A sober study for one so young.-Your " That there is enough hypocrisy in this one -o to make fifty Judas Iscariots, if it was :onnected with that which alone can make a " A sweeping m~sertion, and it blows the dust rm my eyes." "I shall bklieve that Inez is atrue prophetess." The gentleman started. " And who is Inez ?" Marcia stared athim inastonishsment. "What! ot know our reigning belle-the star, in whose presence we arc but ' better lights.' I dare-say oare the only gentleman in the room, who would ask, with that nonchalant air, " Who is [nez?" " But T am a stranger--have just entered the room. Still I should like to hear more of your [e." " There she is standing near the Iharp in that black velvet dIress. Is she not brilliant ?" "She certainly does not lack self-.possession. She would grace the boards. Tell me something nf her." "I am not at liberty," said Marcia with digni ty, " to make 3ny frienid's private history a theme of discussion with a stranger. Any body in the room can tell you about Mrs. Lowell." "AMrs. Lowell-pricate history-there must be a bit of romance here. Pardon me,"Miss Wilton, hut where is the chieftain of this beau If Col. Lynn had not been the most polished gentleman in the world, and if his words, com mon place as they were, had not been uttered with persuasive eloquence, Marcia would have been offended ; as it ivis she only smiled. " I well tell you thus much of her-she is a ceebraled autlkress." " Oh ! a literary celebrity." Ie slightly sneered, " I might have known it by the easy assurance of her manner. Nothing gives a wo man so much self-possession as to be paraded in the public Journals as 'the gifted author of that thrilling romance, so and so.' But what is her nom de plume." "'Florine Sanders.' You have certainly read he works." The gentleman had read them, and the curl left his lip. Did he not remember that the perusal of one of those seerching romances had inca pacitated him to deliver an oration? " And do I really breathe the same air with the gifted 'Florine?' I certainly would not have identified that gifted woman, whom I have voweda hundred times to kneel to and worship, with yonder ball-room belle. Yes, I have read her works, and I have often wondered if a wo man really wrote them. Not that I doubt the capacity of your sex, Miss Wilton, but she must be that rare thing, a creature with a mas culine mind, but a womanly heart-taking from each sex, its virtues. Yes, I admire Florine, but she is a rare anomaly, and writes as though her pen had been dipped in gall." "Shall I present you ?" asked the wonder ing Marcia. "Not yet, wait until my wife (the little lady yonder in white satin) is ready to recieve an introduction also. You see I am a perfect model of conjugal prudence, and fideli ty." "You are a bitter satirist-the most polished piece of steel I have ever met with," thought Marcia as she excused herself, and hurried across the room to answer an eye summons from Inez. "With whom were you conversing, Marcia?" was her hurried question. "Col. Lynn-the greatest curiosity." "Harvey, open those blinds if you pleace the room is stifling-Now fan me," said Inez calmly. " Harvey !" repeated Marcia to herself, " they are growing wondrous intimate." And she glanced at the flowers Harvey Maitland held flowers which Inez had worn in her hair,-then glanced down, and sighed. Inez saw it all with her searching eyes, and a look of contemptuos pity shot athwart her dark features, as she asked, "' And what was your oddity, Col. Lynn, saying of me?" "Praising your genius, but he said your pen must have been dipped in gall." "Tell him that it was," answered Inez, while her eyes looked like half-sheathed daggers. "Tell him that I dip it in my own heart's blood -and that is all bitterness-all gall !" Harvey Maitland siezed the little jewelled.. fingers which twitched so sel of the fringed curtain, at don't send such a message t - " Stranger !" she lagghed ing the half tender;ialf . Maitland "deainithp~ e's E --As Marcia delivered the and turned to Oscar Rayton, heard a voice behind her mutt -.... .Ix if her pride does not suffer yet." She turned quickly but Col. Lynn had rejoined his wife; and so she set it down as fancy. In five minutes more, she was standing near Inez, and Maitland. Poor Marcia! she did not know it herself, but everybody el.e did,- that she always contrived to be near Harvey. Mrs. Rayton floated up the room, and presented to 'Mrs.Lowell,' ' Col. Lynn, and lady.' Yes, the introduction took place neath the full blaze of chandeliers. And no one thought it at all singular, only some one remarked that 'Mrs. Lynn's eyes looked like beasalisks,' while Mrs. Lowell was perfectly composed, and seemed rore grand, and dignified than ever. " Mr. Maitland, shall we exchange compan ions T' asked Vol. Lynn with a bow and smile. Harvey glauced at Inez, " Yes-certainly," sad she, "I will show Col. Lynn the conserva tory." " What a handsome match they would muake," said half-a-dozen voices, as they walked proudly down the room-the tips of Inez' tiny fingers scarcely touching his sleeve. " The only man I ever saw worthy to be the husband of such a woman." "Hush-here comes his wife with Rtayton. Ha ! ha ! Marcia Wilton has maneuzered until she has captured Harvey at last." Inez soon returned but without Col. Lynn, with whom she parted at the door, and grasp ing Harvey's arm said 'aloud, "See us to our carriage if you please." It was a command, but Harvey obeyed, although a number of voices remonstrated "Not so soon Mrs. Lowell -'tis only twelve." But Mrs. Lowell never swerved from a pur pose of hers; and leaning on the arm of Hiar vey Maitland she swept onward through the spacious rooms-her rich velvet robe trailing on tl.c carpet, and her proud, well-set head, erect, and dignified. Marcia accepted some body's arm-an heiress has plenty ot atten dants,-and fullowed. Harvey accompanied them home, and as they alighted at the gate, and Marcia entered, while cI lingered at the door to say 'good night,' intoxicated either with love, or wine, he attempt ed to kiss her hand. But Inez waived him away, and said firmly, " Don't presumeon my condescension, Harvey ..you, and one ot"", are the only living things I do not despise-let ime respect something that is mortal." C HA PT ER II. "I could a tale unfold Whoseo lightest wordl would harrow up thy soul." "Ah, thereby hanga a tale." They stood confronting each other in the dimly lighted sleeping-room of Inez-the belles -Inez and Marcia. Bloth so beautiful-both so full of bitterness. " And what do you think of the world now, Marcia-is it still bright, and beautiful !" Marcia turned away-" Inez, don't ask me." " I will tell you :-yo'u think it a place where hearts are broken like playthings-not for wrong, but one who is fool enough to carry a heart in society deserves no better fate. Ere long, you will think it only 'a place to dig graves in,' and before you are as old as I am, you will cums the hour that gase you birth as I Her teeth gnashed tggther, and a small stream of blood trickled doiu her white night dress. f' What is it, Inez I wle' is it ?" screamed Marcia. " Pshaw ! child, don't pa en such a tragic air. Did you never see one's noe bleed before." "Inez, don't tell a falseh -that blood came from your mouth." " Well suppose it did-- at then ? Is that anything surprising?" " Inez, you are dying you will not live to see your thirtieth birthda "If I thought I should ive to drag out my miserable existence five y s longer, I should be tempted to---. unclasp this bracelet Marcia. I made an impression to:night, I fancy. I am as people say-a brilliant-woma!" " How did you like oi Lynn ?" Inez turned to the tAb1-poured out a glass of wine-gulped down ,portion of the fiery liquid, while Marcia s red, " Oh ! Inez, I never sa'ou do that before." "And never will again-,but would you have me go mad, girl; would u have me rave like a maniac, or dash my, . out on the pave ment by a leap from.th a*indow. I tell you if my reason does not fike me to night, it never will; and if it doe -e asylum will have another inmate-thati sl." She clenched her nails in her flesh until tho'blood came, but not once did the muscles oghr face move, or her voice rise above a suppreed murmur. "Inez, you are mad "lIam not mad ~! I was never more sane than at this . wuld I were mad. Oh ! tell me that r I will bless you." Marcia was silet began placing away her jewels. Inez came up to her, wound her white, tapering arm around her neck-an action so unusual that Marcia strted-and said almost tenderly, "Marcia, dont learn to hate me like all the rest. I never saw you-o cold before. But you are jealous, Marcia and of me and that boy. Train yourself .ie er child " I never saw th J my heart Looked freely r my brow." at least not for a long t 6; but your eyes Mar cia are a mirrorheverybody-can tousand priests, at a thousand altars, had pro nounced him hers!" "Inez you are mad now-Do you mean Col. Lynn?" " Yes-I niean Col. Lynn I No, : am not mad, but I have been mad, and I shall go mad igain. Sit down, Marcia, let me i.1 you all Ld when I have finished, ask me if I think the world bright, and beautiful! I married Lionel Lynn. I was a poor beggar-girl that he picked up somewhere in New York,,and educated. Ile ras as pleased with me as a child is with a new toy. I amused him-I interested him, and lie narried me. We lived in lordly style, and I, the beggar girl became a brilliant woman. I ived Poems. I dreamed Poems. But my in ipiration was Lionel Lynn. He was my world -my universe. I could have torn out my heart r him to walk upon. He was very fond of roeges-very. He took another in his family s governess. I always detested the milk and water concern, with her lac-lustre cyes, and -ellow curls, and-but I did not know allthen. [ was gay, and fashionable-giddy, and coquet tish my enemies said-.but she, the domestic ierpent said worse. Angela Mentfort would have killed me with a glance had it been in her ower-as it was no;, she busied herself to iad a surer way, so anxious was she to become NIrs. Lynn. Shall I tell you how beautiful (?) the world seemed to me whem he drove her out f evenings in his buggy, and I sat by my neg lected fireside-a despised wife ! Shall I tell ou how bright the world was, when she sang to him at twilight-he shanging over her thus, hile I stood grasping my throat with my slender fingers; and but for the memory of y dead mother, would have committed the npardonable crime?7 I dared not speak to her save with politeness. Yes, I, In Lowell, in y own house, dared not ! Oh ! I was a pitiful slave-a woman has indeed sunk low, when she iks, like a hound, the hand that spurns her. And yet I loved Lionel Lynn--loved him even when he cursed me-kissed him while he slept, and wept over the idol that had proved itself to be but common clay. I was sitting alone one evening with my breaking hoart-he had been upbraiding me with falsehood, when snow itself was not purer than I-but she could make him believe anything. I heard her, with her cat-like tread, enter the dining-room. Some thing tempted me to steal on tiptoe, and watch her, and there I saw-Listen Marcia-I saw her put arsenic in the tea destined for my use. My first impulse was to kill the murderess-for I was mad-Marcia, mad ! But I stood still-I held my breath. Presently he camie in-how handsome he looked-and going up to the table took up the identical cup prepared for mo. She turned pale--.snatched it from him, and said, "You should never drink anything, without first examining it--particularly when you are in the house with a woman, wvho is anxious to bo free. Try that tea on the cat. Of course the cat died, and he found out it was poisoned -of course they discovered my retreat. And that piece of injureJ innaocence, Angela, held up her hands 'in pious horror,' and screamed, " What could have brought her here but mischief -she seldom leaves her room. Oh ! Inez Lynn, blush for yourself." " Marcia, I went mad. No wonder I did. I ...s..ariedtoamadAouse: and when Icamne out-old before my time-he had obtained a divorce, and was married to that woman I Now he knows my innocence, and her guilt, since she, growing tired of him, has tried her arsenic experimpent again. He loves me now-me the deserted wife, but,3arcia Wilton, were he kneel ing at my feet, free once more, I would spurn him as a viper !" She stood pale, and trembling, with her hands clenched, and her eyes fixed on the darksome street, but "too earnestly for seeing." Her whole form quivered with suppressed emotion. Marcia stole an arm around her waist, and was about to speak, but Inez interrupted her, " don't pity me Marcia-I could not bear that-give me love, admiration, hatred, envy, anything but pity. Do not even speak of it-let the past be a sealed book to be opened no more, until God shall unclasp it, and reveal the secrets of men to the gaze of millions. To night I am Inez Lynn-to-morrow I shall be Mrs. Lowell again. But don't grow jealous of me, Marcia. Harvey I like, as one likes a petted, talented, but some what spoiled child. Let me tell you a secret. Harvey, like all the rest of his sex, is vain-he knows that you love him, for silly child that you are, your eyes follow him, wherever he goes. Learn a lesson from me, and believe the Poetess, when she says "Fate seti apart one common doom For all who love too well." You are feverish, and restless, when Harvey looks at any one else-you are jealous of your own shadow." Inez talked rapidly, like one who would fain forget, or would fain make Marcia forget that she, the frigid iceberg, had shown herself capa ble of human emotions. But Marcia could not forget that she had seen those proud eyes weep tears of fire-could not forget that she had seen her heart's blood, in a red current flow from those pallid lips! It was late ere either of them arose in the morning-and when they met, Inez passed Mar cia on the stair with a frigid " bon jour," thus allowing her to see that the barrier was once more between them. Morning callers dropped in as usual. Among the number Harvey Maitland, Oscar Rayton, Clara Warr n ~ - ayton. larvey as her victim - aout Lizzie and Mar id not even Harvey Col. Lynn and ike Col. Lynn 7" .6 always making - There are someg tituted that their ...... it some one in a vul nerable place. if one has a relation of whom one is ashamed they always ask after his health, and so on. Inez replied calmly-with that arrow in her heart-Oh ! what pride there must have been in the woman !-" A very distingue looking man, Miss Ware,-my ideal of manly beauty." Miss Ware broke forth again. "And how did you enjoy the party last night, Marcia ? Several times you looked as disconsolate as a homely woman who has just buried her husband, and has no hopes of getting another." " You speak as though marriage were the end, and aim of life," said Marcia not heeding the question. "And is it not, my love ? What else do we. ress for-fur what other purpose do we anoint ad rouge our faces, wear dresses we can't reath in, and shoes which pinch our feet ? For what else do we promenade.B~roadway ' adorned ike a bride to meet her bride-groom?' What lse possesses us to leave our comfortable homes, ad drag out several months at a miserable wa teringplace-but to make 'a good catch,' and marry well ? I am perfectly candid." "Such may be your lifec-aim, Clara, but it is not mine. When I travel, I travel for health, pleasure, and improvemnent." "And to catch beaux-now don't deny it." " No, Clara. You may be 'in search of a usband under difficulties,' but I sin not. In fact I rather think you are, for you flirt des - perately with every moustache you meet, provided said moustache belongs to a biped who is the fortunate possess or of several mnillions." "I adlimit it," said Clara laughingly. " Wealth is my object. I have the misfortune to be poor, ad the folly to be proud. I have dreised and anced away what little fortune I hail, " And not oven love can lire on flowers," It's just as easy to love a rich man as a poor n, and I must either catch a golden fish, or be dependant on my relatives." Miss Ware prided herself on her candor. " If I were so thoroughly heartless 1 would not boast of it" said Marcia earnestly. " The calculating eye which measures the length of the purse, can never belong to one who has a true heart." Harvey gave her an approving glance, and that consoled her for Miss Ware's sneer. On the evening of the same day Mrs. Lowell gave her party. The rooms were decorated wvith all that taste and wealth could select. Every body envied the graceful, dignified hostess. If they could have seen her heart ! " You do not love mec Harvey," was the child like reply of Incz as they stood apart from th~e guests, and the boy told his mad love. " You are only self- deceived. The strong necessity of loving which Nature implanted within us, has led you into an error. We are totally unlike in feeling, although our tastes are congenial. Yonder stands your tu'in-spirit, the merry Ihearted, but gifted Marcia-you loved her, ere I, like a dark shadow, crossed your path-you love her still. She leaves to-morrow for her dist.~it home, and leaves believing that[I blighted her happiness. Harvey, recall your scattered Isenses, love wohere you are loced, and seek not onwoeyouth lies so far behind, her, that sh a lost forgotten it has ever been." And Marcia stood near Oscar Rayton. and her laugh rang merrily on the air, while the jest was often on her lips. And Col. Lynn stood watching Inez-once his Inez; and as he gazed he could not believe her the guilty creature, the past had painted. Nay : in his soul he knew her to be pure. But they were parted forever-thus goes the world ! CHAPTER III. "The wind is sweeping through the hall, It bath a mournful sound, As though it felt the difference, Its weary wing hath found."-Lasnor. In the fashionable Hotel at---Springs, the guests had been thrown into consternation by the sudden death of Mrs. Lynn, one of the gay circle, and a wife of the distinguished Senator of that name. Our old friend Marcia Wilton, now Mrs. Maitland, stood by the couch of death. Her thoughts were roving far away into the past, and she thought how the domestic serpent had ingratiated herself into a happy family ; and with the slime of her nature blighted all its flowers of joy. She thought of Inez with her proud bleeding heart ; and Col. Lynn, whose whole life had been rendered miserable by an early error. She dared not look at the future, of the decaying dust that lay before her. The woman who died, as she had lived, unrepentant; and who now stood at the dread tribunal to answer for her long catalogue of crimes. There was a grand burial, and a host of mourners, for the deceased " had great possessions." Yet the wealth for which she had bartered her soul could not call her from the grave-could not erase one black spot from the past-could not keep the worms from holding their hideous revels over the body whose fairness had de parted-could not purchase pardon from an offended God ! The dance went on arnight, and the song was as merry as before, for the gay, and giddy heed not the warnings of the grim messenger ! One week more, and Marcia neared the home of her friend Inez. How changed was every thing! It was a cold, October day-the wind whistled among the leafless branches of the blighted oaks-the neglected creepers trailed on the ground, and all spoke of desolation! Music no more floated through the spacious halls, but the wind howled like a restless spirit through the deserted rooms,, and slammed the giudow-shutters, until it seemed as though the ghosts were holding a revel within. Yet Inez was there. Ines met her with the same stately caress, and her eagle eye was un dimmed, and her bearing as proud as ever- - "Things are changed, are they not, Marcia7 I have dismissed all my servants but ono-quit society forever, and devote all my attention to the pursuits I love. ' Florine Sanders' will live long after Inez Lowell is dead. You must slay with me, if you can endure my lonely castle, for although, "I am misanthropos, and hate mankind." I hate not you.. Jane will prepare a room for you; until then you can share mine, as the rest are unfit to be tenanted, in their present con dition." She was not the Inez of old-Marcia felt that she was not-the change was not discernible in person, or manner, and yet it was there. Harvey came in the afternoon-he had for gotten his boyish love long ago; and he smiled to himself as he thought how madly he had once sued for the hand of Inez. They all had merry laugh over 'long ago,' but Inez solilo uised with some bitterness, " Thus one by one I have lost the love of all who loved me nce. Oh ! what a tangled web my life has ~een." She read them her poems-she even talked about her prospects as a writer, a something she hiad never before been known to do; and related, with forced gaity, some anecdotes of her child ood. No! she was not the Inez of old. Marcia remained with her-it would have: been cruelty to refuse her request. And in one f their confidential conversations, Marcia dis losed to her the fact, that Col. Lynn was free again. She evinced no surprise-her counte nance underwent no change, save that the thin upper-lip trembled convulsively. Marcia felt that she was on forbidden ground, and yet she ventured further. '-Inez, you loved him once." Inez started, and clasped her thin, pale hands together. "Inez, I know that you sometimes recall those earlier hours, when~he was all the teorld to you. I know that you dream ever the days, when he pressed those little jewelled fingers,. and fondly called you "mine." Do you not Inz?"' Still no answer, but she trembled as in pn age-fit. "1Inez you love Lionel Lynn even now. Were he kneeling at your feet now, what would you do 7". " Spurn hiT as a riper J" she hissed in a low, deep tone, which thrilled to Marcia's very heart. " You would not--your heart would not al low you." Inez glared upon her for a moment like an enraged tigress, and then walked calmly away. But all that long, long night, Marcia heard low, deep groans issuing from her chamber ! * * * * * * * It was a cold, rainy day, and Marcia Mait land sat in that dismal house, shuddering with, a vague presentiment of evil. She read Harvey's lst letter, and endeavored to deriv.e some con solation from the knowledge, that she would soon return to her own sunshiny little home. Inez had been moody for several days, and shunned her companionship; and the social lit te being was pining for some one to talk to. " Inez is a strange creature," she mused to her self as she sat emnbroidering a tiny slipper, and so uncommunicative. Dear me! I dc grow so weary of these interminable days. To be sure she has led a miserable life, poor thing ! but I shouldn't be surprised if she brought some Iof it on herself by her strange, flighty maimer. These genuises seem destined to make them. I eles and everybody else wretched. ThanI heaven I'm not a genius! Heigho ! I hear wheels. I do hope it is my own precious Harvey come to see after his poor little wife." She rushed to the door, and stood face to face with Col. Lynn ! "Rather an unexpected meetingMrs. Matt i land, and you seem startled to see me, but I an glad to find you here nevertheless." " Walk in, Col. Lynn" stammered Marcia. They .seated themselves, and sat for a fe moments silent. " You can guess the nature of my business Mrs. Maitland-I should like to see-Inez!' Will you tell her for me that an old friend has called ?" Marcia ran up stairs trembling all over, and found Inez with her head buried in her hands. " What's the matter Marcia? You come with the speed of a locomotive-have you seen an apparition?"' " Not exactly, but an old friend has called for you Inez." " Can't help it. Tell him, or her, that I re- - ceive no visitors." "'Tis not an ordinary visitor, Ipes, but one whom you, if I mistake not, will be glad to see. ."It must be Harvey then," and Ine: smiled faintly. She descended the stairs with her alow, dignified step. Marcia heard the parlor-door - open, and close-then a faint shriek, and all was as silent aSthe grave1 The interview lasted more than an hour, but what passed between them Marcia never knew. d One, two, three hours passed away, and Ma cia stole noiselessly down. She opened the door softly, and found Inez, with her arms folded gazing with hard, unblenching face, on the black, black night! " She did not look up on her entrance, but .: hissed between her teeth, "Who suffers now "hInez, you have not rejected him." "Marcia, I have. Thipk you, I would wed a second time with one who spurned me-one who poisoned my young life-made me a by='-' word, and a thing of shame ! Marcia Maitland"' . I hare not yet sunk so low. Much as I once" loved Lionel Lynn I loathe-I despise him now! To doubt me was sufficient-me,, who wo , shipped him like a blind heathen asaI was- -; who was satisfied to crawl near him, but t breathe the air his presence- made blessed : said if he sought me again, I would spurnhliar like a viper. I hace done it!" The night dragged by heavily. EalyboA ef morrow Marcia sought the rodom o~ found her still sleeping, and e 6' 1 ~ but received no answer. She toch less. She raised her Ity-Inez was4 t r.- g A smile hovered around the beautiful mouth' --strange visitant at auch an hour ! And next her heart lay a portrait. Marcia tried to remove it from those cold, clammy fingers in sa. She -K turned the face towards her own; and recognised the handsome features of Lionel Lynn ! " She loved him to the last," murmured Mar cia gently, as she reverentially coveredsthe face of the dead woman, who even in death, held closely to her heart the portrait of him she had loved always! AUGUSTA, Ga. - "Kiss HIM, GIDDINGS I-KIsS HIM, Gin DINGS !"-No one who heard the speech of Mr. Gilmer, of North Carolina, (not yet published,) delivered on the day before yesterday, was sur prised on finding him yesterday doing the work the Republican party managers so nervously. desired him to do. Of the tenor of that speech, it is sufficient to say that it instantly drew a rush of congratulating Republican members Abolitionists-around him, at its conclusion. As the venerable Joshua, who was at their head, bent over him and with outstretched hands and countenance beaming with delight, blessed him for the effort, s it were, Mr. George S. Houston, of Alabamna, movied doubtless by the pregnant points of the passing scene, fixed the attention of all present upon it, by exclaiming, in a voice heard by all-."Kiss him, Giddings! Kiss him, Giddings! This exclamation, under the circumstances, told, perhaps, with more force upon the mind of. the House and the spectators in the galleries, than any hour's speech of the session. Washington &asr. " BErL: BRITTAix," in a letter to the New Or., leans Picayun~e, dated at Richmond, refers to Miss Cunningham, " the Southern Matron," azul the lady who conceived the idea of purchasing Mount'Vernon. "She is," remarks this corres ondent, " a native of Charleston, and an inval d from infancy. Never having been married, the title of ' Matron' is, of course, a misnomer; unless, by a figure of spech, we may call her the Virgin Mother' of the great cause to which she is dedicating her feeble, yet most effective exist ence. * * * I found Miss Cunningham . cofined~to her bed; and marveled to se sc strength coming out of weakness. It is the pow. er of thought, or will, or rather of love, that cre ates, and controls the world. There, pale aid physically feeble, this chief apostle of Mount Ver nonim, has a patriotic fire in her eye that nev er fails to kindle a most contagious enhsis. The Duke of Marlborough, passing the gate of W the Tower, after having inspected that fortress, was accosted by an ill-looking fellow, thus: " How do you do, my Lord Duke ? I believe A your Grace and I have been in every 'ail in the kindomn." "1I believe, friend," replie the Duke with surprise. " This is the only jail Ibhave ever visited." " Very like," replied the fellow, " but I have been in all the rest." So saying he touched his hat to the Duke and walked of7with . the greatest sang froid imaginable. arbor ough stared, as well he might. Rguosox a-r HOM.-" Let them learn first,' says Paul, " to show piety at home." Religio: begins in the family. One of the holiest sancti aries on earth is home. The family altar is more venerable than any other altar in the cathedril The education of the soul for eternity begins by ; the fire-side. The principle of love, which is to be carried through the universe, is first unfoldled in the family. How 'rO TELL A Damn Max.-If you wi* to ascertain whether a man is really in l:queej. put the word " municipality" in his mnouth. ISg e pan shell that out, pronounce it plain and l. tinet, he is sober enough to deliver a tneae~ lecture, take our word for it. The words al Intelligence are eve, harder to get- oer, may be gven to any one where the least san~ .' eouis entertained that he isa"how come you so.".