Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1853-01-06
The Old Doctors Story.


The stars burned with a lustre pc
culiar TO the autumn skies;. a clear
mild atmosphere gave a most refresh.
ing elasticity to my spirits, and !
wandered from home, l scarcely
knew why, and found myself, after
a leisure walk, near the old fashioned
burial ground Of Dalliston village
was happy mani was really
and Professionally an "M- D.
What directed my steps to the love-
ly rural burial ground, canaot now
tell, but as surely as live, | now be-
heve some mysterious agency shap-
ed my course. The gate was open,
the walks glittered in the strong
light, the shadows leaned down from
the trees and frescoed the smooth
gravel with quaint tracery, the buds
and flowers. grew in dark masses
upon the gently curved plpunds-I
knew they We re flowers, for their fra
grange betrayed them--seeming to
whisper in their silent language, to
the beautiful dead below In my
youth, I was fond of symbolising;;
everything inanimate had its type in
some ideal or oriental fancy; this
evening lfelt like a poet.
/ sauntered care dlessly along the
side where hawthorn hedge twined
its firm tendrilS tqgether dragging
my cane after me, ffusin g in careless
reverie. Suddenly paused; Judge
LIS beautiful lot was directly before
me-its little silver fo ountain bub-
bling up and breaking up into white
globules, that glistened like hoar
frost. Here ] leane BY a huge elm
and closed my eyes as { be wild mag
ic breathing Of d aut e, skillfully
touched, came upon NIB. ] think
that was the most blessed hour Of my
for, lnibgling with th4 It
plaintive melody, came a bright, gen
tie face, with sparkling eyes, an d
checks just crimsohed enough to re-
semble two pale rose leaves Gu shing
the .purest snow. Oh! how ! loved /
that sweet May Kendall | idolized
her. and egotist that / was, fancied
that my unspokeh passion was re-
turnedr But / will net linger; in
those few moments, | was pouring /
my very soul into the heart that ! /
Iondly faneied rs youth will some
times, was IN a kind of spiritual pres
ance, ever beside me.
My reterie was broken by the ap-
proach of a stranger, aud a slight,
5ilvcry laugh shut out the music of
the nute-for it Was 50 like Mays
so ringing, so joyous Presently, I
IS the fine, manly form drew nearer,
recognized the features of one who
had been my college mate, two years
before. ] would have sprung forward
to meet him; his name was hF Fembling
on my lips, whena sight arrested
my attention that chilled My blood,
and my teeth chattered wit h q sud
len and freezing fear! The tw o.
lad come almost beside me and there
stopped, charmed with the little syl-
van spot; the lady held her hat by
he string, one arm passed confident
y through that Of her companion;
md when she turned her radiant face
round towards me-who was con
,ealed by the shadow-I recognized
n the full flood Of moonlight, May
Kendall. | do not like, even at this
ate day to review the feelings that
shook my frame when | heard them
nurmur such words of tenderness to h
each other, in subdued and happy I
.ouee; a deathly faintness came over
ne. as l gathered from their lips the
knowledge that they " ere betrothed;
md when that passed off, a fierce re-
ienge sent the blood boiling through |
ny veins. /
Once, / would have leaped upon
lim and demanded my May, myl
ove,. witheut whom my life would bel
curse, and the world dread blank.
But then. by ahat. right could I cab
Ter mine9 True, she had been kind
o me. but never more than her maid