Fort Lafayette or, Love and Secession

fashioned building of white stone, surrounded by a spacious veranda, and embowered among stately elms and grave old oaks, is sure to a

a sly romp or a lounge in some quiet nook, these and other traits of the old Virginia home, complete the picture of hospitable affluence which the stranger instinctively draws as his gaze lingers on the grateful scene. The house

s a face that was beautiful in repose, but that promised to be more beautiful when awakened into animation. The large, grey eyes were half veiled with their black lashes at that moment, and their expression was thoughtful and subdued; but ever as the lids were raised, when some distant sound arrested her attention, the expression changed with a sudden flash, and a gleam like an electric fire darted from the glowing orbs. Her features were small a

been left at an early age in the charge of their mother's sister, a maiden lady of excellent heart and quiet disposition, who certainly had most conscientiously fulfilled the sacred trust. Oriana had returned but a twelvemonth before from a northern seminary, where she had gath

he failed to observe a solitary horseman who approached from the opposite direction. He plodded leisurely along until within a few feet of the wicket, when he quietly drew rein and gazed for a moment in silence upon the unconscious girl. He was a tall, gaun

rode to swerve. Recovering her composure as suddenly, she slightly

Oriana, if

ed somewhat haughtil

ak a word

you have business, I will i

and, dismounting, he passed through t

you av

, and she drew her slight form up ti

Mr. Rawbon. You will excuse me if I leave yo

m. She shook it off with more of fierceness than dignity, and the

, in a hoarse murmur, "and that's t

not, along the garden path. His brow darkened, and quickenin

se I loved you, and because I've sworn that I shall have you. It's that puppy, Harold Hare, that has stepped in between

de way for her, and she sprang up the steps of the veranda and passed into the hall. He stood gazing after her for a moment, nervously switching the roseb

pite of his persistent efforts, excluded him from social intercourse with the aristocracy of the Old Dominion. He was not a man, however, to give way to obstacles, and with characteristic vanity and self-reliance, he had, shortly after her return from school, greatly astonished the proud Oriana with a bold declaration of love and an offer of his hand and fortune. Not intimidated by a sharp and decidedly ungracious refusal, he had at every opportunity advocated his hopeless suit, and with so much persistence and effrontery, that the objec

ntly about one-and-twenty; but in character and appearance they were widely different. Beverly was, in countenance and manner, curiously like his sister, except that the features were bolder and more strongly marked. Arthur, on the contrary, was delicate in feature almost to effeminacy. His brow was pale and lofty, and above the auburn locks were massed like a golden coronet. His eyes were very large and blue, with a

will leave them to recover from the fatigues of the journey, a