The Panola star. ([Panola] Panola County, Miss.) 1856-1857, 1856-07-09
. SELECT PIECES.
Heart Shadows.

/
snow Fleeing down. and the hail rat
tied against the windows. The wild
storm-king was out with the blast, in
tent on mirthful mischief. The old
clock licked cheerily, and the fitful
shadows waved unsteadily upon the
wall. The winter was without, but
the Summer of peace guested in my
heart.
| sat IN the great armchair, in the
fire twilight, alone, and in q reyerie,
half dreaming, as it were, my past
life over again. The golden book of
memory lay unclasped before me-
every thought, every feeling of by
gone hours traced ineffaceable there.
Bll sorrow, all joys, iittermingling and
forming link in liuk, beautiful chain,
without which, life would be incom-
plete. We were friends, Alice and l,
early friends, and true ones, she was
older and far gentler, with mild, loving
eyes, and soft, Shadowy, dark hair
! was young and thoughtless, and
had treasured up in my heart an idol,
one worshipped and adored. Icwelt
in beautiful dream, waking and sleep
ing, and my guardian spirit was ever
Alice. Alas! how rudely was that
| dream broken; how inexpressibly sad
the knowledge, that it could never
come again; and yet all life is but a
dream.
Beautiful in soul was she, and they
called her Alice Fay, but to me she
was Alicc-darling Alice We were
wandering, two hearts in one, through
he beautiful Present, seeking not to
unvail the rugged world of Futurity,
and knowing and believing that to the
Pastwere conided all estimable things.
Oh, our Father thou who knowest
the frailty Of all earth's flowers, lend
oh lend us Thy aid to withstand the
irosts of adversity, the chilly, wintry
winds that crush the already bruised
reed
How vivid is the memory, rising be-
fore me now-the memory of our part
ing. 1t was a beautiful, radiant day,
late in the summer. Alice and | had
been in company with some youthful
friends, and now, arm in arm, were re-
turning through the wood. We bent
our steps towards our fay0:ITB haunt
a hushed, sweet spot, where the grass
grew long and luXuriant and the Wild
vine trailcd its crimson blossOm-hUw-
erS, dark yet bright, amid the bowers
that hegcmmed the earth. Our accus-
toned seat, was beside the shelving
rock, oyclhung with the gr3'2eful
honey y-suckle, and clambering roses,
| It's rude face half hidden by the beau
tiful objects clinging around it. The
wild locust, ladet with its pure bios
SONS. and the poplar, silver-limbed,
threw a pleasant snade over it.
Here the eartl seemed more kind
and smiling, among all foI5G memories,
this is TO he the holiest and best below
ed.
We sat silantly-Alice's hand clasp
ed fast in mine, and her mead leaning
down upon my shoulder so confding-
~. The sunlight was glimmcring
through the glossy leaves, and the
rich, snowy blossoms of the locust,
were dropping softly-Softly down
around us.
1t was then that we first awakened
from eur happy dream-life-for the
first time ventured to peep into the un-
known futuritv. | felt that life was
indeed but a walking shadow" and
, bursting into tears, hid my face amid
Alice's bright tresses.
Don't cry, Ruby, darling" whis.
pered Alice, very softly, calling me by
an endearing name of childhood -
don't cry, it will not be for long
time, not very long"
Her own heart trembled little, al
though she tried hard that it should
. not.
"Ah, Alice" said 7 sadly, ga dim
sbadowing Of the future is twinng IT.
self around my spirit-that great tu-
ture, which is strange world to us
Perhaps we will never meet in friend,
ship again, Alice, perhaps we may
doubt each others sincerity"
"No, no, Ruby, dear Ruby" re.
piled Alice, winding her arms closel
around me, "we'll never doubt each
other. Our dearest hopes are anchor,
ed in the great sea of the world; bu1
they willremain steadfast. On wei
never be estranged, Ruby"
"Never," | echoed, and yet, thro
the mazes of the forest there seemed
to float a voice, strangely mournful
repeating that vow of eternal frlenc
ship, breathing a warning for our san
cuine hopes, knell for our parting
hour. =,
Alas how slowly, how sadly, have
the years passed since them for q douo ~ .,
and mistrust gliding in, severed ina
sacred chain where we thought 1t TN
strongest. We met again in afte1 's1
wears, but the world had taught u a
- ornob the wild, wayward throD