The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1852-04-16
LOVE AND CATNIP,

Suislicu HIc SicalAcu loF II InOlncHI upon the
obsturi,y.
In one corner, seated upon sofa, were the
forms of a gentle maiden and her adoring
lover. The youth was pleading his passion
with all the burning eoquencc of impetuous
love and imploring his charmcr to name the
happy day that WAS to unite them forever.
But what was his grief to find that she did
not meet his fond wishes with corresponding
ardor.
"Ah, Susan," he sighed, shave then de-
ceived myself in fondly believing that your
gentle heart recprocated my passion!"
She fixed her liquid eyes upon him, but
her words were few and coldIy uttered:
81 rather think you have"
"What! you cannot mean that you do not
love mel You will not tear from the sky of
the future the bright stn of hope, and leave
ME to grope forever in darkness! Oh, Susan.
by the happy hours we have passed together
- by the bright dreams Of happiness we have
cherished ed'-by the vows you have sworn to
love me- conjurc you to revoke what you
have just uttered and promise to be mine"
But all unmoved by lis appeal, she curls
her ruby lip and scorntully answers
81 shan't do no such thing"
"Mcrciful heavens. do hear Alright? must
then live on in loneliness, with all my hopes
withered and dead like solitary sun-ilower
stalk in the chilling winter! Nay, by the
whole universe swear it shall not be- Mark
me, cruel one: thou hast been the bright polar
star by which guided my whole existence.
Thou vast the rock on which founded my
hope of happiness; and if thou wilt not con-
sent to be mine swear by the blazing sun,
that when he rises as usual tomorrow morn
ing, before breakfast, his rays shall shine on
me cold corpse beneath the angry waves Of
the raging Merrimack-o or pcrhancc my
bloody remains will be found upon its banks;
and If these means of death fail me, will
swallow poison! do you hear! and expire for
love of thee. Then you will have naught to
remind you OF him who loved you better than
thanksgiving dinner, save the consoling
reflection that you arc his murleress!'
But this agony, his threats, affected her not.
She was as cold us the iciclc that in midwin.
ter hangs FROM the nose Of the town pump
Cruelty deliberately did she crush his last
hope, and with nocking incredulous smile
she said
"You darc'sn't do It'll
He sprang to his feet despair was painted
on his features; desperation glared in his eyes.
With his hands clasped in agony he turned
an imploring look towards the mistress cfhis
heart and exclaimed
''Oncc more implore you to reflect recall
those cruel words or 60 to fulfil my threat"
and with his hand upon the latch he awaited
her decision. 1t came like thunderbolt to
the unhappy youth:
"You may go ifyoh wish-to grass"
With one bound i,c gained the street
furiously he dashed along, and turning the
first corner, ran against gust Of wind that
was rushing the other way The breeze
knocked off his tile; il had cost him Il V but
the week before, yet he needed not its loss
Like Il whirlwiad he swept along the side
walk, and cspying blue bottle il = drug
gist's window, he made tracks like a longtu-
dnal stripe of crude and solid;cd city milk,
towards it. Opening the door with an in-
petuosity that made the clerk spring over the
counter and seek safety behind Il glass ease,
he fixed his eyes with the ferocity Of a.
bereavcd maternal tgrcss upon the slim
and trembling attendant, and hoarsc!y
growltd-
"Poison! give me poison"
"Eh-ah-what.' gasped the horror
stricken clerk from his place Of refuge.
"Poison. do You hear thundered the youth.
furiously.
With shaking hand, Plumb's clerk filled
a phal and ovcrrun the liquid on his new
but not needing this mishap
he placed the significant label "poison," on
the bottle, and standing on tip-toc reached it
over the top of the showcase to his danger
Gus customer. Clutching it fercely, the
doomed young man hurled quarter at the
head of the clerk, and then hurried to his
lodgings
When he reached his own room the cx-
ctement hid passed away, but it was SIZE
cccdcd by cool dcliberaiion and detcrnina-
ton that was rs absolutely blood-chii!ing Is 4
cold night in December. Undressing, he
prepared for bed. and then sciz.ng the phial
of poison he drank its contents unfaultcringy. |
Getting into bed lie aroused his chum, who
had slcp, through The whole OF this terrible
scene, and badc him arise and call his parents
and also send for his false lady-lovc 10 come
and see him die His request was complied
with, and soon his weeping parents arrived
to bless their diving son. While they were
lamenting Uvcr him the door opened and
Susan-thc cruel, but now rcpentant object
o. his love-eatsred the rccn. As SIZE ar