New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-11-07
NUMBER oil,
A Winters Evening Tale,
. Re~ara Of fraud, beware Of Icklenesse
In choice and change Of thy deere loved dame
Lest thou OF her believe too lightly blame

ANA rahh Ti5~eehins doe thy hart remove"
Two old men sat together over their wine on New
Years eve. Two old men different rarely sit ir
social converse for one was tall, and his shoulder:
were broad, and his loud Ha ha !" rang out mer
ry every now and then, and healthy bloom was
still upon his check only the first frosts of fe's
winter whitened his abundant hair, and CHEEKY
good-hnmored light still beamed from his bright blue
eye. The other, SO pale and wrinkted, so bowed
down, so humble in address, in utterance 80 feeble
and ndistinct that his companion turned his ear
patiently toward him in goodnatured close attention
Only few scattering locks of gray left to stray
over his turrowed brow and his dim, halfcosed eyes
burroUng under the shaggy eyebrows, wandered
listess the table and the floor, while his words
fell hHrriedly and trembling from his tongue The
two we're talking over the storms that had swept
the ocean of their lives; but while spoke of tenn
pests safely outridden, and rocks and shoals well
scaped the other told Of long rutless Wanderings in
fr-of lands under scorching suns, tormentng spirits
urging him on, and vain, deusive hopes smiling in
moekery before him.
Come come, Phil said his entertainer; YOU and
are too old now to mind much the raking up Of old
school-boy pranhs. Pray, now, what high crime and
misdemeanor Or what atocous plot against the staid
decorum Of vrtuous society, was it that drove you
forth into this wilderness of the world where, in
truth, you seem to have culled goodly bundle of
sage experience? what it, Phil, that sent You on
your travels"
Phil Hopes nervous mouth twtched more than ever,
and his hand trembled he raised his glass andshook
took heart when the last drop was empted down his
throat and again the glass flowed with the dark red
wine, and again it was drained to the bottom.
Then Phil Hopes eye was raised till it met that of
his employer and it Wavercd a moment and wandered
off along the trescoed walls. and over rich gilded
frames of great mirrors and back again till it fixed
upon the Brussels carpet.
1T is hard, Mr.. Willard"-he began thus, low and
tlemulously-" hard to open ones lips so late in life
to secret they have kept long locked up within
them but there is something within me now that
drives me to confess against my will and that tears my
secret from me, though hoped it should be buried in
my grave And his voice grew husky, and once
the heavy decanter was clutched in his tcverish
grasp and third brimming glass followed the others
down his throat,
al was far different, Mr.. Willard from what am
now, when went to pass my summer vacation in a
lovely village among the mountains of Massachusetts,
They called me handsome young man then''-here
a shadow of a smile hickered over his wan visage-
and was in much better repute for agility and skill
in the athletic games of college life than for any prof
cheney in science or diligence in learning. With the
last dying rattle of the chapel bell flew away all
thoughts of study and examining my taYorite volume
into my pocket and choosing out the safest resting
place on the coach top for my rod and gun, whrled
out of the narrow valley. found employment enough
in the beautiful country had chosen and many were
the dark secluded pools sought out, buried deep in
mountain gens, where the trout lay still and secure
or played coquettishy with the gurgng rppes that
poured into the deep quiet basn or went Whrlina
round and round in whipping eddics
g 1t was early one beautiful morning, when I was
following up the coy wanderings of new, stream
brushing away the sparkling dew as l stole along
stepping lightly over broken twigs, and softly push
ing aside obtrlding branches that might come una,
wares upon my game. had just left HE meadows
behind me, and had plunged into the deep chasn be
tween opposing crags, beyond which there stretched
away q long, narrow ravine that formed here and
there deep shaded hooks, where the grass spread cut
in a bright green carpet, and many-colored moses
cnging to fallen trees, and gathering thick upon the
rough rocks made a soft and gaylyvaregated bed or
which to repose the weary limbs. just before ne
carelessly reclining one of these luxurious couches
just where the stream spread ont over its gravel,
bed into shallow, pelucid pond lay a. graceful te
male form. Noseessly stealing, with heart ben
on mischief, over the softy-cshioned earth peeret
unseen over the shoulder. But, oh how changed
were my feelings then, when | caught a glimpse
through the glossy brown ringlets, of bright eye
that danced under the shade Of long dropping lashes
of red lips that parted in hurried breathing, whit
the white bosom, hafreveaed by the negligent morn
ing dress, heaved, painting with exercise and the
flush upon her check, and the sparkle in her eyes
the lids slowly opened showed that she had only now
white tapering arm reposed upon little basket ant
the ngersa toyed languidly with bunch of mountain
flowers.
Amazed, and forgetnl of all else, there stood
when, with a glance, her eyes met my stupid gaze
and, with slight, halt-frightened scream, she was
bounding away before could think to detain her
But in her haste, she fell and her little basket roet
away and her flowers were scattered over the ground
Recovering myself sprang forward to her assistance
and helping her to re-gather her lost treasures, ad
dressed some little word of inquiry and reinsurance
and sat down, with flowers before US, to talk
over the many little secrets that lurked among the
petals
Thus began my acquaintance with her I used tt
call my Annie; and many sunny hour we ,passet
together then, and many lesson did l learn that my
heart long cherished, though all are forgotten now
Would to GoD sh had never taught me them! Mr.
Willard, am an old man now, and years and car,
have done their work upon me, and words of lov'
may seem like strange mockery, coming from lip
like mine but I lorea that girl and when l wen
back TO college halls threw aside the many pursuit
that had distracted my attention--pored hour afte
hour over dusty tomes-labored with might and mail
to gain distinction in my class all that might appea
worthy in her eyes, and might hope soon to earn tn
hand she promised me. And | believed she lovel
me she told me SO and soon fought my way to
position in which might offer her competence an,
a happy h0me-her for whom alone l ever cared tt
call such mine.
"And when all was ready, 7 went back to that lit
| tie village among the mountains and told my low
that was ready now to claim her for my OWL ant
she hlushcd, and put her hand in mine, and said i
| should be SO, and the next month she would be m,
bride so left her, to prepare home for her wher
| every bright and pleasant thing might help to max
| her happy.
"And the day before the appointed wcdding,lay
stood at her cottage door and, Knocking there wa
met on the threshold by Il group of sad, attrightc
| faces and they told me that the woman loved ha
gone fled with one, they said, wcalthicr, soft
spoken william, who, with cunning words and well
told lies, and many helish arts Of eallanry, had sO
len from me the heart of Annie; to whom she hat
sold, for 4 few words of glowing lattery all tina
ever lovcdall that ever, i'll my whole ltc price
above life citself.'
As the old mans tale went on, his. voice had los
its tremuous cebeness, and the eyes that no longc
fell upon the carpet blazed under the lowering eye
brows with trighttul passion. With sweep of hi
hand he had pushed away the halEempticd glass, ant
his clin"hcd fist, in his vehement agony, seemed t.
sink deep into the marble slab. The listener at first
had leaned forward, in his eagerness to catch ever
word now he fell back into his chair his tascinate
eyes still following the unconscious speaker, and coll
drops stood thick upon his forehead and rolled dow
his cheeks in streams
! II rushed madly from the door. No sound but on
! stunning buzz was in my ears no sight before N
eyes but one black, mpcnetrabe cloud. | had n
thought but OF some crushing evil that had hefale
me, and so fled away, and knew no more till | wa
hundreds of miles from the land and the fresh Sc
| breeze was blowing upon my cheek For years IN
| der an assumed name, wandered. Few climcs ar
there where have not been, few sorrows and priva
tiOnS that have not felt since then. am wrinklet
and gray, and shattered in body and mind, and M,
life is stained with many sins For all that am
SOrdid, and implaCabe, and vindiGve Us | am, an
dead to every human feeling for all this am indebt
ed to her once loved. And now hear an old man
curse!' And Phil Hope stood upright, with his tren
| bling right hand raised to heaven, the balcful fir
flashing from beneath his gray and shaggy brows hi
pale cheek ghlstly with unearthly passion, and til
vensc. And how, in the teworstrcken face opposite
| was reflected back that deadly asheu hup and tn