choly, and the association of a warm,
well-meaning spirit had something consolatory in it. He thought too, and
correctly, that, in the mind and character of Forrester, he discovered a
large degree of sturdy, manly simplicity, and a genuine honesty--colored
deeply with prejudices and without much polish, it is true, but highly
susceptible of improvement, and by no means stubborn or unreasonable in
their retention. He could not but esteem the possessor of such
characteristics, particularly when shown in such broad contrast with
those of his associates; and, without any other assurance of their
possession by Forrester than the sympathies already referred to, he was
not unwilling to recognise their existence in his person. That he came
from the same part of the world with himself may also have had its
effect--the more particularly, indeed, as the pride of birthplace was
evidently a consideration with the woodman, and the praises of Carolina
were rung, along with his own, in every variety of change through almost
all his speeches.

The youth sat musing for some time after the departure of Forrester. He
was evidently employed in chewing the cud of sweet and bitter thought,
and referring to memories deeply imbued with the closely-associated
taste of both these extremes. After a while, the weakness of heart got
seemingly the mastery, long battled with; and tearing open his vest, he
displayed the massive gold chain circling his bosom in repeated folds,
upon which hung the small locket containing Edith's and his own
miniature. Looking over his shoulder, as he gazed upon it, we are
enabled to see the fair features of that sweet young girl, just entering
her womanhood--her rich, brown, streaming hair, the cheek delicately
pale, yet enlivened with a southern fire, that seems not improperly
borrowed from the warm eyes that glisten above it. The ringlets gather
in amorous clusters upon her shoulder, and half obscure a neck and bosom
of the purest and most polished ivory. The artist had caught from his
subject something of inspiration, and the rounded bust seemed to heave
before the sight, as if impregnated with the subtlest and sweetest life.
The youth carried the semblance to his lips, and muttered words of love
and reproach so strangely intermingled and in unison, that, could she
have heard to whom they were seemingly addressed, it might have been
difficult to have determined the difference of signification between
them. Gazing upon