With eager hands she opened the miniature, while Hesper peeped over her shoulder.
“Why!” she exclaimed, with a look of astonishment, “how he has altered!” and Hesper, as she gazed at it in wonder, thought so likewise. Instead of the merry, frank looking companion of her childhood, here was an individual, apparently much older, of a very intellectual cast of countenance, with large, thoughtful eyes, and a high, white forehead, from which the dark hair was turned back, displaying to great advantage its breadth and fulness.
Mose started up and glanced at it. “O!” he said, “I have made a mistake! That is Mr. Clyde, who came home as passenger in our ship. He is a fine fellow, though rather singular. We became very good friends on the home passage, and at parting he gave me his miniature. He is stopping in the city now, and says that if I remain at home till spring, which I think is likely, he may possibly look in upon me some day.”
So saying, Mose drew another daguerreotype from his pocket, and exchanged with aunt Nyna.
“That’s him!” she exclaimed, joyfully—“only looking more like a man and ten times handsomer.”
The color deepened upon Hesper’s cheeks, and her eye brightened, as she gazed at it; for in the frank, manly countenance before her, she recognized at once the companion of her childhood. There was the same richly clustering hair, above his open brow—the eyes beaming pleasantly upon her as of old, and the same cheerful smile lingering about the mouth, which had never spoken any other words to her than those of kindness and love. Her heart beat quickly, and fearing that the rest of the company might observe her emotion, she resumed her seat. Through the whole of the day, in the midst of all the sport and enjoyment, memory still kept the countenance of her early companion before her, and when she retired to rest that night, it still looked out upon her through all the wandering fancies of her dreams.