The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-06-11
NV First and Last Love


down his English reserve far more completely
than my deeper shade of Scottish sobriety could
be broken. He did not interfere with my es-
tablished place and position He took up, in
deed, quite different one, nor ever came in
my way; but short residence among US gave
him great popularity. His name was Morton,
and L understand he came of an old English
family IN one of the border counties-gentry of
long establishment and comfortable means
Hlmsefwas his fathers heir; and Greta heard
now of an English chateau, something different
from the dream castle her own fancy had build
ed, on the site of my humble Ailieford
lie was handsome young gay, rich, and had
all the freedom and unconscious self f-possession
which l, who wanted it completely, attributed
to the station he had been born in, and his ow
entire exemption from the subdung cares of
common life. Perhaps temper and disposition
gave still more easy solution to the problem;
but with all his superior advantages, | was not
jealous of my compatriot. [ never saw myself
thrust aside to make room for him-never dis
covered that his presence was more sought
than mine, or that Madam Keine found place
for me less frequently by Greta's side. / do not
believe she did; l do not think Greta herself
gave ear to my stories whit less kindly-and
my eyes were never opened to the clear sight
OF envy. saw young Arthur come and 90
aboutmy treasure house without a pang or fear
The autumn came again with its harvest flush
It's brilliant colors; the slow grapes rpened on
the Stelnberg; the yellow vine leafs f1uttered
down the streets of the quiet city; red glow
came to The slantlng sunbeams as they stream
ed upon the quiet evening roads, the peasants
Journey home.
The little arbor in Madam KIeines garden
was covered with flush of glossy scarlet leaves,
spot of rich color among the surrounding
green. The Maine was rippling close at hand
the slopes of the Steinberg rose softly before
me, rich with their files of regimented vines
Leaves upon their garden ways, and flowers in
It's trim enclosures, huttered before the wind
and all the bri ghtness of the sunset poured
along the path streaming past the arbor door,
with here and there broken ray fretting the
golden line, as if the light would fain break its
own glorious laws to turn aside and see my lady
in her enchanted bower
Greta sat alone within, leaning her head up
| on her hand, and looking forward with an air
OF soft abstraction into the verdure and the light
without. Her arm was under the long, beau
tltul curls, and cleaned through their sunny
net work; and as she looked up hastily to meet
me, the pressure Of her fingers had left tint
on her cheek, | thought as if some rose-leaves
had been blown upon it BY favor Of the merry
wind.
l took my place beside her, upon a low. rus
tic seat, and Greta looked down upon me with
half-veled eyes: why they were so shy of lift
ing those pale lids to look at NEWLY the fair
young head itself bent further forward ever
and anon with little start and blush as if some
secret cause of embarrassment returned again
and again upon her heart-I could not tell. We
were very silent for little time, and Greta told
me taltering, THAT they were all gone upon
some little expedition up the river. | did not
ask twho they ALP were, or why she alone was
left behind. Twas but too glad to have monop-
oily of her company, if only for an hour
And began to tell her of my home letter,
and its sad intelligpnce;a a shade came over her
face-she gave me pity, sweet, gentle, half-ex-
pressed, the sympathy | Ioved-and then a
Slight trembe came upon Greta, and she asked
me of Sy ybil--would Sybll be alone, quite alone,
in the strange country, if her husband died?
Quite alone-only God and her little helpless
child to fortify her woman's heart; and Greta
looked away again, away from me into the
outer air, and said to herself how sad it was
how very sad.
Then--she did not look at me, but going on,
as | thought in unconscious self-communon,
Greta asked me once again, who Sybi had at
home. Father, mother-all the tender friends
whom her own girls heart clung to so dearly,
did she leave them all for her husbands sake,
this sad young Scottish wife?
''No, Sybil had no family-no friends-she
was an orphan, and stranger,' | said in an
swer, land had none in the world but those she
carried with her-her husband and her chld.'
"Ah!-that was why she went away" said
Greta, signing family into the quiet air; and
first burning blush and then paleness came
over her moving face.
Her thoughts were far away from me-awav
from my sad story and personal heaviness, wan
dering after some fancies of her own. | myself
grew chill, | know not why, and felt myself
shut out under the shadow of these leaves as
from some light l onged for; perhaps it was
because | was looking out vacantly, and in no
reyerie. upon the sunshine streaming full over
the garden path.
''No friends-no home--no mother" said
Greta at last in her low musing tone, "what
wonder then?--that was why she went away
"Nay, my child" said the voice of Madam
Kleine, suddenly coming upon us out of the
light. NAY, Greta, my cbid-but because
she was his wife, and the good God bade her
follow him to strange land
With a violent start and blush, Greta rose,
flung off her curls with her arm, and as sud-
denly shook them back, half covering her flush
ed face. ''He has been with you--he has seen
YOU she exclaimed in rapid whisper, with
but one quick, inquiring glance before her head
dropped under her mothers eye, and she stood
like one in attitude for flight suddenly arrested,
with her curls hanging like a veil over her
averted cheek, and her deprecating lifted hand.
''He has seen me. my little one, said Madam
kleine, drawing her daughter into her arms,
land | have said thou shalt go with him, as
thy mother went with Gottfried, but not to love
US the less, Greta, my child"
''No, no, no. Iheard the rapid, breath
less murmur, as Greta clung to her mothers
breast-and then she disengaged herself hasti
y, hurried away through the waning sunshine,
and disappeared from me like many another
1ream.