made it still more lovely.

It was a sweet autumn evening, when the air breathed through
the fragrant sheaves of grain, and the setting sun, with his
golden kisses, burnished the rich clusters of purple grapes,
that Henry and Gertrude were seen approaching the house on foot;
it was nothing more than a pleasant walk. Oh, how Gertrude's
heart beat as she seated herself, on their arrival!

The beautiful parlor, surrounded on all sides with luxury
and taste, with the sun creeping through the damask curtains,
added a charm to the scene. It was in this room that Gertrude
had been introduced to Henry, and the pleasant hours that she
had spent there with him rushed unbidden on her memory.
It was here that, in former days, her beautiful countenance
had made her appearance as fascinating and as lovely as that
of Cleopatra's. Her sweet, musical voice might have been
heard in every part of the house, occasionally thrilling
you with an unexpected touch. How changed the scene!
Her pale and wasted features could not be lighted up by any
thoughts of the past, and she was sorrowful at heart.

As usual, the servants in the kitchen were in ecstasies at the announcement
that "Miss Gerty," as they called their young mistress, was in the house,
for they loved her sincerely. Gertrude had saved them from many
a flogging, by interceding for them, when her mother was in one of her
uncontrollable passions. Dinah, the cook, always expected Miss Gerty
to visit the kitchen as soon as she came, and was not a little displeased,
on this occasion, at what she considered her young mistress's neglect.
Uncle Tony, too, looked regularly for Miss Gerty to visit the green house,