The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-06-11

young souls! And he will bring my child to
Wurtzburg every year to see her mother. l
viii weep when they 60 away, do you tell me;
but then Immediately l will smile again, think
ing how my pretty one may come back-and
with the weeping and smiling we will never be
apart. My friend, you are pleased? You per-
ceive?"
Il do not perceive that he is worthy of Gre
ta," said, almost with sob; what do you know
of him he is almost stranger?'
''Hush. you are hard to be satisfied" said
the mother, laying her hand on my arn with a
smile. "He says he has younger brother,
though, who will be richer and greater than
he; this is because Monsieur Arthur's father
married another lady second time, and she
has great wealth, and her child is her heir.
do not know your English law, but l think it
elder-that is not how it is when Greta. reads
tome out your English books-there the elder
has all; and why is it that Monsieur Arthur's
little brother will be richer than he?"
shook off her arm impatiently. II cannot
tell-whatis ito me how rich he is? He might
be king and not worthy of Greta. Will he
make her as happy as she has been? will she
be well with well-wel-wel do not
ask if he is rich; this is what l ask
my good 'frend," said Madam Kleine, eve
never are SO happy as we have been; nothwith
standing we must have our own fate and our
own house, and not be always little Greta, the
light of the eyes at home. That is my philoso
phy. will long for Greta many times, and
Greta will weary her fond little heart thinking
of me; yet Greta, too, must pass into the noon
day, as did, and have her own course and
her own life, though the child faints at the be-
ginning. Do not the mothers think so in Eng
land? and if do not grud sc Greta away from
me, why should you?'
rose up before her dark and suen; anger
could not exist towards Greta, but could have
poured out flood of vehement bitterness upon
her mother. ''Greta is more precious to me
than the light, and she never will come into
my heart again" l said in passionate under
tone which Madam Kleine bent forward to hear
Ito you it is little, for you have many another
thing to give you pIeasure-I am a stranger
and have but her--have but the dream of her
[ have taken to my heart-and even that you
steal away from me-"
Isaid nothing more. remember that Madam
Kleine rose with deep concern and sympathy
in her face, and that with only repelling
gesture waving her off, turned and went away
went away, unhesitatjngly and steadily to the
bridge, bent over the balustrade, and looked
down the little river. My brow burned with
no fever, there was no phrenzv in my soul, and
s-alas-alas, was all the plant my heart
made into the quiet night. This word came to
me again and again like the echo of dirge
Unconsclously repeated it aloud No one had
b,,l
was only sad, very sad, left alone once again.
Not very long after followed Greta's betroth
al. | wenttoit, making strong effort, because
Gottfried told me Greta had nearly given her
engagement up on her mothers report of how
much it moved me. Gretas sweet, maideny
heart could find no triumph in breaking another;
but she did not know how much less | should
have felt her complete Indifference to me than
l did the wistful almost tender look of pity with
which her eyes sought me out when she enter
ed the room. The same sweet inquiring look
it was which first made my soul yearn and faint
for the sympathy of hers, though blended in it
now was a conscious shriaking timid awe of
both herself and me, which perhaps increased
its power. During the ceremony itself. Imam
aged to steal out of the room and the house
not with the fierce impatence of jealousy, but
with certain strange unspeakable sadness and
acqWescence IN my fate. [ did not 90 far away
i did not hurry out, with the strong impulse
OF violent haste and motion on me, as | had
done. in the other disappointments of my life.
[ only strayed the length Of Greta's arbor,
and sat down there under the leaves to look up
on the pure daylight and the calm air around
The light lay clear and full upon the vineyards
of the Steinberg, the Maine went by with hush
Of murmuring sound. | leaned my head upon
my hands, shutting out nothing from the eyes
which did not burn or glow as of old, but only
with unshed involuntary tears Ny
heart expanded and stretched out its arms
tenderness, sad, inexpressible, softened all nv
thoughts. yearned overall whom could call
my own-yearned forthe home which lay so far
away, yet felt no impulse of flight towards its
refuge. Church yards and graves and quiet
death came like a veiled procession through my
heart-and [ could say nothing of mood but
that was sad, very sad.
acquiesced in my fate, acquiesced in Gre
.as-I did not feel in jealous bitterness that
another inferior to myself had been preferred to
ne. The veil of brig hit deusion had fallen from
ny eye, and felt that Greta's heart had not
'toseH "ioiS-tllat nature, HtneSS, gracious
ortune, pointed to him and not to me. Greta,
sweet heart! though the little gold ring of be-
rothal bound her to him now-though she was
marked and separated from all her girl attend
'nts, with the shadow of witehood like a veil
'ver her brow-yet neither phrenzy nor shrink
ne sense of desecration came to me. For Gre
a knew no guile-had no wrong-and | could
'ray out of my solitude for joy and benson
lpon her life whatever its course might be.
This passed, and so did Greta's marriage
hortly after. 1t satisfied and eased me that
he interval should be brief, for Greta's own
vistful solicitude about me was the least easily
,orne of all. | saw she could not Danish the
bought Of my sadness from her gentle mind,
'ut | saw that she was most eager to obliterate
he slightest suspicion Of it from the minds of
tEers; for Greta saw no honor in my humilia-
ion. and could not bear to drag me captive at
Ter chariot wheels. She must have felt me in
Ter own pure heart something like brother; for
saw that quite ntolerable to heL was the
Iightest aIluSion to suffering on my part. She
ould not bear the ''poor Monsieur William
which kind Madam Kleine bestowed upon me
how T Pc -