To suck the poisoned wound of circumstance, Brown-skinned and glossy as a Spanish nut, In matted palm-groves, where the heavy breath Drowsing the gloom. Indolence beautiful! Through the parting boughs A poet, listing to the singing reeds, Saw these fair women, and insensibly His fingers stole along his trembling harp, "Oh! virgins, pure and fair! Beautiful Trinity! Like a music chord, In which three harmonies are blent in one, Ye strike upon my soul. Oh! thou dark maid! In which fierce pulses of a glowing breast Beat the quick time, and broken trills of passion I seem to hear the clink of castanets; 1 Until the air thou cleavest turns to fire, Like these, in which the glories of the South, From my soul's secret shades. And thou, fair girl! That on thy land first breaks, and taught that Life Thy small hand through the waves-thy beauty mingles One glorious chord of beauty, on my soul MY BROTHER TOM. Shall I dilate upon his large dark eyes? Talk E was a splendid fellow-my brother Tom. to him of a fine girl, and they would dilate of last birthday, themselves. hint promise stood five feet eleven inches in his boots, trim patent leathers, and weighed a hundred and sixty pounds-not the patent leathers, but Tom himself-in full costume. I had never worn patent leathers, though something over twenty. It sufficed for me to see Tom in them. I could never aspire to any thing which he graced so well. He was my ideal of a fine fellow. I had read of heroes in romances, elegant and brilliant Adonii-that's a better plural than Adonisesin novels; and heard marvels of the handsome, fascinating, irresistible gallants of New York society. Yes; the fame of Fifth Avenue and its exquisites had been murmured amidst undulating emotions of wonder, doubt, admiration and hesitation-the latter tinged by jealousy, perhaps, in our quiet country town of in County. State pride relieved us. The city of New York was in the State of New York, and we could yield at least a tacit consent to some excellences there-though we were, of course, aware that it confessed notorieties of a questionable repute, and others by no means equivocal, which we heartily eschewed. But whatever its excellences might be, I was quite sure it could not boast a more superb specimen of le jeune homme than my brother Tom. I would have bet-had I been a betting man, as Tom was, sometimes-upon our house, for a specimen of that genus, against all Fifth Ave luxuriant beard, and the curving outline of his ambitious mustache? I will not trust myself, for you have lady readers, Mr. Publisher, and I would not wantonly trifle with their feelings. One of our rural belles at a party at our house, at about the time I speak of, only remarked to my sister what a handsome fellow Tom was; and in two days afterward exhibited high fever and delirium! She affected to have taken cold on her way home; and while she was in the delirium the doctor forbade all access to her. But I have no doubt she raved of Tom; for they married her off within a month after she got well to a young fellow who professed to have been in love with her for two or three years, and to whom it was said she was devoted. But I understand such manœuvres. One thing I may say in her favor-she has made an excellent wife, so far; a fact from which I infer that she is gradually becoming resigned to the loss of Tom. I hinted all this to Tom himself; but he assured me that he had “never thought of it"-" shouldn't wonder, though." I should think not, indeed! When Tom was eighteen he had visited New York-spent a month there. Of course he was not then at all to be compared to what he was at twenty-two. But even then I admired him. Nor I alone. Upon his return he confided to me the most momentous affair in his life-the fact that a young lady had fallen frightfully in love with him. "Frightfully" was the very word he used, I believe. He always contemplated returning to New York out of compassion to that young lady, if it were only to let her see him once again before she died. He thought it was likely she would fall into consumption during that year, and die in the next spring. I fully believed it. He was never sent for, however, and we concluded that she had quietly perished, and "never told her love." I always suspected that Tom was a little overcome by that girl himself; for during that supposititious fatal spring, Tom was affected with "spring fever," and I thought from sympathy with the case in New York. He got well, however; and, as I said before, had survived his twenty-second birthday. Father came in one evening, and brought his newspapers and a letter from New York-nothing unusual, as his brother and other relations of ours were in business there. On reading the letter he looked up and smiled. "Here will be a fine chance for your gallantry, boys; a couple of New York belles are coming down to practice upon you." had heard the name of Adela Frome, even from such unsympathizing and matter-of-fact lips as our father's. He was not aware before how indelibly her form and face and name had been impressed upon his heart. A moment's reflection, he said, had suggested to him the possibility of losing her-or rather, he hinted, the terrible thought that Gus Webster might endeavor to thwart his love, and become a competitor for the fair Adela's hand. If he did, he insisted upon it that Gus should meet him in the field and give him the satisfaction of a gentleman. He began to cast about for a friend-a second; concluded, happily for me, that it would not do to call upon a brother; and at last postponed the farther consideration of the subject indefinitely. Who was Gus Webster? Why, he was a sort of a splendid fellow of our village as well as Tom, but did not seem to know how to make the most of himself, as a man ought to do. He was about the age of Tom, and almost as handsome-I have heard that some of the girls thought him quite so. But there is no accounting for feminine tastes. I liked Gus very well; "How, father! Who?" exclaimed Tom, and father had even said that he wished Tom suddenly pausing in the midst of a fantasia on was more like him. He certainly did not mean his German flute, which he played to perfec-in person-I could not detect any other superition, I thought; though envy, I heard, had muttered detraction through the lips of a little darkey in the village, who, it must be confessed, was an absolute Julien upon the Jews-harp. But it does not follow, I suppose, that he could discuss critically Tom's tune and time upon a sixkeyed flute. "Who are they, father?" repeated Tom. "Your cousin Jane and her particular friend, Miss Adela Frome." ority, and would not, I suppose, if I could. One evening in the ensuing week Tom had returned with the light family carriage from the railroad station, and had drawn up in the little recess before the house. I was feigning a little Tom started as if a mosquito had bitten him. And I-I-sunk quietly back in my chair with an easily suppressed feeling of astonishment, relieved by the assurance that Tom's irresistibility had not been fatal in the New York case. "Adela Frome!" said Tom. "Yes," returned my father; "do you know business below a small shrubbery on the line of her ?" "Well-yes; I saw her, you know, when I the carriage dismount without being myself obwas in New York." "O yes," said my sister, "Adela is the young lady who so much affected Tom-" "I beg your pardon, Grace," said Tom; "but if there was any sentiment between us-" "Fie, Tom!" interrupted my mother, "you would not be so ungallant as to insinuate that it was all on the young lady's side.” "Not by any means, mother. I was never made sensible of any attachment in the case, either way." Tom flung it off with cool indifference. the road, whence I could see the occupants of served. Tom threw the reins upon the horse's back and leaped down himself. As he did so the shaft broke, the splintered end flew up, cut the horse's leg, and he started. At a bound he was off, but half a dozen leaps brought him on a level with my position. Springing into the road I caught the bearing rein, and with a sharp jerk on his bit checked his pace, and in a moment he was firmly in my hand, though trembling in every fibre of his body. Tom had run up and received Cousin Jane as she leaped out on one side, while Adela, springing out upon I looked incredulous, and merely remarked, the other, gave me a look of touching gratitude, "We shall see." That night, before we went to bed, Tom renewed his confidence with me on the New York affair. He said, with vast emphasis, that it was impossible for him to describe or for me to understand the thrilling emotion with which he and hastened round the rear of the carriage to the relief of Jane, who had fainted in Tom's arms. We passed a very pleasant evening. Jane was full of animation, and overwhelmed me with acknowledgments of the brave exploit her most devoted slave? Oh! how I longed for so much of that precious jewel, confidenceI was about to say impudence-as would enable me only to approach and share with Tom a tithe of that sweet converse which was all his own. And I could not. And-I tremble as I confess a screw applied to the poor wretch upon the rack, thrilled about the fibres of my heart, and contracted the muscles of my chest. There was a momentary sense of suffocation, and an almost audible whisper in my inner ear syllabled that horrible word, JEALOUSY! which had saved their lives. I had to put a stop to her gratitude by vowing that, if she burdened me any further, I would never do it again. Adela had simply remarked that she owed me a debt it was doubtful if she could ever requite; and then, with unfeigned concern, asked if the horse had been hurt. For the rest, Tom mo-it-a twinge of something, like the first turn of nopolized her. He had scarcely eyes or ears for any one else. And no wonder. She was very beautiful. Jane was a pleasant, lively, piquant, and intelligent girl. I was quite interested in her gay and spirited sketches of New York, and the various social phases in which she presented it to my imagination. Occasionally her enthusiasm commanded the attention of Tom and Adela, and then, as opportunity invited her, the latter would throw in a casual remark, which imparted a higher zest and happier, pleasanter, if more sedate an aspect to the scene. There was a marked contrast in the habits, tastes, and dispositions of the two girls, yet I soon discovered that they were inseparable friends. We were chatting away gayly, though for my part I did but little of it, when father came in and introduced Mr. Augustus Webster. Tom's courtesy never failed him. He received our young friend with all outward cordiality, but I soon observed that he was determined to contest every inch of his approach to closer intimacy with Adela. Tom could always be engaging with the ladies, and he seemed to be in excellent winning condition with Adela by his side. It was soon apparent that Mr. Webster was content with the position assigned to him—a seat on the other side of Jane. And was it to my chagrin at all that I shortly discovered in him a formidable rival for Jane's attentions? Perhaps not. She certainly found him a more congenial and delighted companion than me, and I became only second in the scope of her remarks. And so I was relieved. Relieved for what? To more freedom of the eye and ear-to gaze upon the loveliest being that had ever, I imagined, entranced mortal vision, and to listen to the sweetest voice that had ever ravished the ear. And these were blended in that wonder of a new creation, as she seemed to me, the gentle Adela Frome. And there by her side, pouring witchery into her ear, sat my handsome, my irresistible brother Tom. He was winning her, body and soul. Like a bird within the gorgeous fascination of a snake sat that helpless victim of my rural exquisite. She scarcely dared to raise her eyes even to his, and when she did, they seemed to glance with furtive entreaty occasionally to mine, as if to implore a rescue from the too handsome and remorseless ensnarer of her young heart. An appeal to me! I, who dared not dream of the wealth of happiness in which Tom was reveling with extravagant delight. How could he possibly talk to her as he did? What magic did he possess by which to preserve the cool, imperturbable ease of heart, and mind, and tongue, while, as I very well knew, he was Jealousy-and of my brother Tom! I knew then my fate. I saw it palpably before me. There was nothing for me but flight, and that without a pause. For the first time in my life my home had suffered an abatement of its sacred influence. My home! no, it was no longer home to me. Nothing less than "the wide, wide world" could now and henceforth be a home to me. Tom came into our room that night-we had always slept in the same room "Fred, my dear Fred, is she not beautiful? I could not have believed it. She was a lovely little witch when I saw her four years ago, but now she is positively enchanting!" "A little witch!" it was sacrilege to talk so. I did not say it-merely thought it. "Did you observe how completely I was captivated by her-most hopelessly enamored?" "I did not observe that," I said; "but I thought she was-fasci— that is, delight—I may say, at least, very much pleased with you." The fact is, I hesitated at too strong an expression; a thing I had never done about my brother Tom before. And that hesitation-I really felt as if it were verging on fratricide. And it was a sort of a lie, too; for I knew that she was frightfully" in love with him, and would certainly perish if she lost him. 66 "Pleased, was she?" He took it calmly enough. Honest fellow, he even attributed that to my partiality. "Ah! Fred, you flatter me, I fear. But I really think she was a little pleased, or something of the sort. At all events, she did not look at Gus twice after he was seated. She only looked occasionally at you, and so that's all right." "At me," I said, hastily, disclaiming such a "At me, Tom! Well that is a pleasWhy she does not know that there is such a fellow as I in existence." fancy. "Oh! does she not? You would think otherwise if you had heard how she spoke of the cool intrepidity with which you risked your life for hers; and of the easy, unassuming grace with which you-" "Tom, no more of that-no more," I said, almost passionately, for my blood began to leap along my veins with unnatural alacrity. "Pon my word, Fred, I would give something handsome to have that affair of the carriage for a basis to go upon-a point d'appui from which to assail her heart. Why, she referred to it half a dozen times, and looked toward you with the most—sisterly sort of affection. I am sure she will always esteem you as the best of brothers." ers!" attachments as presented in fiction and experienced in fact. At that moment Tom drove up, and pausing for Webster and Jane, they stepped into the carriage. A few paces and we came Adela to a seat by the side of Tom, and return alone, when Adela, playfully, but with the decision she could exercise at will, said, waving her hand to Tom, Sisterly affection!" "The best of broth-up. I was about or rather designing-to hand What pleasant phrases in their proper association! What hideous, hateful thoughts and fancies they conjured up within my brain! No, no, I could not bear it. Fly, I must. Fly? and wherefore? No, I will perish here. Life were a worthless thing without her. I will die, if I must, at the very altar side. And so I determined to give to the heartless world one proof, at least, of that love which knows no alternative but death! "Go on; we'll follow and enjoy the evening air. Mr. Frederick and myself are debating a very interesting topic-one which will entertain us on the way. I am sure he will forego the ride, and consent to accompany me,” with an inquiring look. A month had passed, and the two fair en- I don't know what or how I replied, but slavers of three aspiring youths still tarried at muttered something about Tom, who would my father's house. I felt my doom, as it were, prefer to walk, perhaps, and I could drive the under the relentless hand of some invisible pow-carriage home. Tom, however, thought it best er, gradually, but surely, closing upon me. Tom to conform to Adela's suggestion; and to my and Adela were companions in the morning surprise, and I confess my inexpressible delight, walk and the afternoon drive. Webster and I saw the carriage presently moving off homeJane were similarly associated, as I saw, and ward, and myself alone with Adela. I can not believed was the necessary consequence of tell what expression was in my face as I turned Tom's devotion to the charming Adela. Half to look a moment upon hers, but hers was raa dozen times, perhaps, Tom had confided to me diant with beauty. The archness which it the special charge of his beloved, assured that seemed to have involuntarily assumed as she she was safe from his dreaded rival while in my disposed of Tom and the carriage was utterly hands. And Webster, as if conscious of the gone, and superseded by a suffused tenderness trust thus devolved upon me, never obtruded which pervaded every feature. Her eyes were upon us, or seemed disposed to abate his atten- brimming with moisture, and a tide of crimson tions to Jane; although I felt that he was suf- flushed for a moment her cheek and brow, and fering an intense privation. For me-ah! those then gently receded, as if to hide within the were seasons of paradisiacal delight. Yet I dis- betrayal of some secret emotion. I felt that covered that Adela was less free and familiar there had been an instant self-accusation, and with me than with Tom. At times, she even in that instant I cherished to my heart the first seemed embarrassed; and again, there was a developed hope, and nurtured the first aspiratenderness in her tone that thrilled my spirit tion of my delirious love. with an agony of joy. We could readily find congenial themes of conversation, and I soon felt that she was well informed upon the most interesting subjects. Easily rising above commonplace remark, we engaged each other in pleasant discussion of the literary world; and she glided amidst the beauties and graces of letters and art with the ease and familiarity of a Flora in a conservatory of the choicest flow-warm, tender, mutual embrace. There was a ers. Upon one theme she was always reserved, and that was, my praises of my brother Tom. She would calmly assent to some general appreciation of him, and then adroitly change the subject. And I-oh! the guilt that was in my heart-would as adroitly thrust him before us, I verily believe only to test the spirit with which she put him aside. Alas! It wrung my heart with the conviction that the delicacy of her love only insisted upon holding the lover as a forbidden subject of remark. One evening Tom had driven to the station to receive some parcels for the house, and we walked in the sunset by the roadside a mile or two to meet him. Webster and Jane were some distance in advance of Adela and myself. By some inexplicable process of remark, we had trespassed upon the mystery of love. We were discussing the contrasts and durability of Our subject was resumed, but how I have forgotten. I know that the theme somehow kindled into a mutual glow the tongues, the hearts, the lips that feasted on it. I know that it was full two hours before we reached home; and I know that, under a spreading apple-tree in the orchard, which we chose to cross in our way to the house, our discussion ended in a heart flutter of her white dress in the moonlight, and she disappeared by a side-door, which admitted her, unperceived, to her own apartment. I stood fascinated. The dew of her lip was yet upon my own, when I heard the voice of my brother Tom. I dared not answer, for I felt an audible voice whispering mischievously about my heart, "There, go tell your brother Tom of that!" He approached me. "What! moon-struck, Fred ?" He never suspected, poor fellow! "Where's Adela ?" I replied that she had gone into the house as soon as we returned. "Oh! you have been back some time, then? I wondered what had become of you." I did not answer. "Fred," said Tom, passing his arm through mine, "I have concluded to propose to Adela |