From the Southern Literary for No'emLer.
SHE MARRIED NOT HER CHOICE
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TALE or REAL LIFE.


The history of the heart affords too many in
stances OF The ,hort-sishtedness of man. Fortune
holds out 10 Us sscc, in hand and bitter in the
other and with iatuity in no wise corrected by
the lesson. OF experience, scize the latter. Re-
fusug To- profit by tie experience OF others, we
purchase wisdom at our Cwn cost, and obian II
$50 often, I'll the frat OF our folly is eaten to
,hc core. Were our several courses marked OUT
ard unalterably fixed b. the hand of destiny, we
mieh, reap some cUnsola ion, that cur misiOrluncs
were not OF our own making. But when kind
Providence has placed both the good and the bad
before is. and gvcn to tie most unworthy at least
cA0tce Of evtis. and prefer the worst
then it IS that this spark of comfort is denied
us, and we arc lef, 10 the bitterness Of our OWE
reflections


Alice,Iaylo was in some respects u peculiar
eirl. She was nei,her the queen Of beauty nor The
essence fpeIl.ctou--aud ye, there was that abou,
her which rendered her far from uninterestng. -
There was an inexpIes.ible sweetness in her c0un.
t>nance, that told directly to the heart. Her eye
was the finest saw, oi ii dark hsz-l color ::
soft, small and delicate, it seemed to reycl in the
very Joys OF It's own existence. Her smile was IN
iml,abe. Il almost whispered the pure, unsus-
peciing confidence Of love. 1t spoke the genuine
feelings of a vir,uous heart.


Alice was cmphaticay one of that class OF girls
who improve upon acquaintance. Those only
who were admitted TO the secrecy of the private
circle could uy appreciate her merits. 1t was
my fortune to become one Of these. The friend.
ship which | at frs, entertained toward her, a Il
Young lady of agreeable manners, soon expanded
into an uttnchmcnt and this in turn Frightened
into love, and | began TO ponder the propriery Of
making some special advances. There but
Two serious objections. She was of delicate
constitution, and, rs feared, too Young PhySo
-osy had taught me TO believe, that either the
OF the other ous ht to be bar to marriage. And
this opinion have never, up to the present hour,
cause to abandon, though since that time year
after year has winged It's rapid flight into the
dreamy regions of the past.


While thus at stand, uncertain whether or
not to advance | learned that young Mr.. Ter
rcl was addressing her. Observation proved the
report to be true. My course was decided.
handed her letter. was entered as rival.


Until few months previous | had never seen
her face. My fathers home was far distant.
was Z" stranger in strange land. y Terrlll, on
the coa,rary, lived in the same neshborhood and
had known her almost from infancy. Though he
was no, handsome, and Notwithstanding his edu-
cation Limited, his reputation nevertheless
fair, and he family connection OF hers. He





of fortune. To oppose these cdds, offered a per-
sonal appearance which vanity whispered would
be highly tiattcred by comparison with his-an
sn5emished chaructcr-and my college diploma.


Determined not to be cated with - in
der the more easily TO bear up against failure,
awaited an answer TO my communication with al
mos, .toic's indifference. 1t came not. sought
u personal interview, and was referred TO future
period for definite reply. At the time appoint
ed she declined carrying the matter further for
want of sufficient age. Strange, thought |, he had
not made the discovery But why need
wonder, wheH she had heard from my own lips,
my unyieding opposition to early marriage, +
Judge OF my surprise al learning that very evening
that she had not reached fifteen. This reconcil,d
nc to the end, but / would have preferred sther
means


Her refusal was conveyed in such exceedingly
delicate terms that saruld have felt degraded in
my own estimation had been conscious of enter
tanning for a moment shade OF resentment. No .
though forgot TO love, co.ld never cease ~ res.
poet.


My notions of the Independence which gentle
muu snouli possess on sach OCCASIONS per
haps somewhat singular. They may have dege-
ncrutcd into obs,nacy had resolved that no
lady should ever have the opportunity of discard
ius me twice Aad Vet felt half inclined TO make
her case uu exception. Ga ascertaining her age,
however, this idea was abandoned finally and for
ever. Never again were my lips to whisper love
10 her. Hencciorth | to exercise toward
Miss Taylor only esteem. but that of the highest
order. Thus commenced, and thus elded my Sc
cond eve-scrape Ny first has aever been given
10 the public


4 few months roel around, and | was sitting
one evening in my chamber, closely engaged In
study friend entered with" News Tor you. ;"


Ahi for me :" said J.


. Yes : Ahce is 10 be married. and she marries
not her choice"


. \ gu in Jest


Not |. My authority is undoub,ed 1t is her
own language. She Yields to the persuAsions OF
her friends.


Are YOU in earnest"


am.


.-Whom docs she marry :"


Terrell.


Her choice


"W. G. p. namisg my>clf


o. there arc romcut, when the heart siokcn>
z, sucsess. These are times when victory i,scli
is curse. Nv spirit sunk within me. Ny blood
seemed 70 slasnate The very fountains ci li.r
Appeared for Il time to have dtied up. To have
cour,ed hero nave been defea,ed-to have re
,on.,led myself 70 that defeat, under the convic-
ioa lhat :; WAS preferable to success-io be to!o
,hst her heari was mnc. her hanS another $
that she was 10 marry man for whom she coulc
ea,crtain. perhaps. cold resrcct--to ,hinS Una