The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1854-12-06
The Back-Rocm Window

Lille springs up at our feet. Our nelOhbOrS art
"exultations, agonies!'' And vet we seem te
live on, ignorant of all.
Could we but unroof (Asmodeous like the
houses which, day after day, present towards
us SO sensible an aspect, what marvels might we
not disclose! What fruitful thoughts, what
radiant visions would throng into our brain
The mystery of human conduct would lie un-
veiled. We would see and know all men truly
We would see the miser, the spendthrift, the
scholar, the toiling artisan, the happy bride and
the girl deserted like the people in the palace
of truth, all contributing their share to the
unknown romance which time is forever weav-
ing round u.s. AS it is, each of them spins out
his little thread, and dies, almost unknown, and
soon forgotten, unless some curious accident
should arise, to extend his influence into another
region, or to hold his ''fame'' in suspension,
twenty years after his coffin has been lowered in
! the dust.
1t was some such chance as | have lust ad-
verted to, that threw into our knowede ee certain
facts, regarding neighboring family, which
else had probably slipped very quietly into OBJ
| livon. Y You will observe, that what | am about
| to relate is almost literally fact:
''Some years ago, we lived, as you know in
! B square. The room in which we unu-
sually dwelt was at the back Of the house. 1t
was spacious, and not without some pretensons
to the graceful, the marble chimney place being
distinguished by painting of Cipriana, whilst
on the ceiling lay scattered some of the conven-
| tional elegances of Angelica Kaufman. From
the windows which occupied the northern ex-
tre4nity of the room we looked Ito the left of a
large oriental pane) upon the back of cres-
cent of houses-the points of the arc residing
from us. | mention these things merely to re-
call to your mind, our precise position.
''ln the centre of this crescent, was a house
which had been for long time untenanted.
Whilst its neighboring dwellings, were all busy
with life and motion, this onl was for some
reason deserted We were beginning to specu-
late on the causes of this accident, and to pity
the unhappy landlord, whose pockets were
lamenting the lack of rent, when suddenly-it
was on an April mornlng-we perceived, for
the first time, signs of change. The windows
of the deserted mansion were opened, and
workmen were seen bustlng about its different
rooms. There was an air of preparation, evil
dentlv, which announced an incoming tenant.
"Well!' said --, "at least that unhappy
man has discovered some one bold enough to
take his haunted house, or perhaps, after all he
is merely endeavoring to decoy the unwary pas
senger We shall see''
GA few weeks terminated the question, for,
after the house had been duly cleansed and
beautihed, and the odor of the paint suffered
to fade away, various articles of furniture were
brought into the rooms These were of mode
rate price, and explained to us that the new
tenant was person of respectable station, but
not rich We began to feel a wish to know
what manner of man. he was. Our interest
in the once empty house had received a new
impulse, and we looked out, day after day ,fol
the strangers arrival.
'eAt last a young man, Of lively and agreea
bic presence, was one morning seen giving di
rections to female servant, about the disposi
ton of the furniture. This was evidently the
master of the mansion. He stayed for half an
hour and then departed, and he repeated his
short visit daily. He was probably e clerk in
sone public office-a merchant or professional
man, whose time was required elsewhere But
why did he not reside there? That was a prob
! lem we srove to solve in vain. In the end, he
went away altogether.
Each morn we missed him in tn accustomed room.
And now no one, except the solitary maid
> was seen, throwing open the windows in the
morning to let in the vernal May, closing them
/ at night, rubbing with delicate hand ehe new
| fuRli.ure, gazing at the unknown neighborhood
or sitting lstless]y in the afternoon, imparidsed,
in rustic dreams, she appeared to be the sole
spirit of the spot 1t was not the genius loci
which we had reckoneo upon. Our magma
/ |, y,l ri
confidently to another conner"
Wewere not disappointed After the lapse
of fortnight som the young mans departure,
our inquisitive eyes discovered him again. He
was sitting at breakfast with lady by hi&$ide.
Pretty. young, neat, and attired from head to
foot in white, she was evidently a bride. We
| rushed at once upon this conjecture, and GER
tain tender manifestations, on the husbands s
| leave taking, confirmed us in our opinion. He
went away, and she, left to herself, explored,
as far as we could observe, all the rooms of the
house. Everything was surveyed with pa
tlent admiration, every drawer opened the little
book case contemplated, and its slender rows of
books all, one by one, examined. Finally, the
maid was called up, some inquiries made, and
the survey recommended. The lady had now
oohIe oue " encourage lel opeh eAPleo>loho VI
delight We could almost fancy that we heard
erwords-'How beautiful this is! Whata com
Portable sofa! What charming screen! How
kind, how good, how considerate of -'' 1t
was altogether pretty scene.
Let us pass over the autumnal and winter
months. During portion of this time, we
ourselves were absent in the country, and when
at home. we remember but little Of what hap
pened. There was little or no variety to remark
upon, or, possibly, our curiosity had become
abated
*'At last spring came, and with it came a
thousand signs of cheerfulness and life. The
plain put forth its tender leaves, the sky grew
blue over head (even in London, and the win
dows of the once melancholy shone blusbing
with many flowers. So May passed, and June
,came on, with its air all rich with the rose. But
the lady? All! her cheeks now waxed pale, and
her step grew weak and faltering. Sometimes
she ventured into her small garden, when the
sun was full upon it. All other times she
might be seen wea.ied with needle work, or sit
ting languidly alone or, when her husband was
at home (before and after hours of business J
l. ...1 f,,