The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1857-04-29
The Dream

ioi III ioHi l1s green Hoou tltIliuly, as III fecOG
nising kindred spirit; and the little brook
her feet wandered over its pebbly bed, an
chanted its low sad music in her ear. Stel]
was lover of nature. Often she wandere
alone in the "grand old woods - making friend
Of the flowers, the birds, and the trees,
"And pleased not her the sports which please
her age"
Child though she was in years, you felt tha
she was ''set apart" There was a strange
'shadowy light in her dark eyes-the unmista
kable mark Genius sets on her mysterious chill
dren. Beautiful she certainly was not, vet on
glance at her wonderful eyes, would haunt yo
for days.
She was idly tossing pebbles in the stream
ard seemed all unconscious of her occupation
The dog at her feet, her only companion an,
playmate, was basking quietly in the sun, > oc
casionally looking upward 1t his young mis-
tress, and receiving, as often as he looked,
kindly pat and "good fellow
Stella fell asleep-and a beautiful picture
she formed while sleeping, Her "gipsey hat
lay on one side of her, and wreath of wilt
flowers on the other. One little hand wa
placed under her head; the other lay carelessly
on the soft green grass. She dreamed. There
stood before her being unlike any she hae
ever seen before:
"a something half divine-half human"
A pair of dark eyes looked earnestly in he1
own; the lips smiled fondy, bewitchingIy, anc
yet no words came forth. Long he stood there
the same smile w1eathing his lips-the same
half earnest half merry look in the clear, ,darl
eyes. But at length the vision faded into al
indistinct outline, and Stella awoke. She look
ed around her with wild, startled lock. Even
ing shadows were creeping on-the sun wa!
sinking behind the western hils-no human
being was near her; no football disturbed the
silence; no voice awoke the lonely echoes il
the glen.
Il have been asleep,'' said Stella in dis
appointed tone, and calling Carlo, she started
homeWard.
She was naturally romantic child, and the
dream, which would have been forgotten by
some, or remembered only to be repeated with
smile, took strong hold on her imagination
When she reached her humble home, (fol
Stella was the child of poverty as we'll as ge-
MUS, supper was ready; and she only replied
to lie anxious queries about her prolonged alb
sence, that she had fallen asleep in the woods
She ate her meal in silence, mentioning hel
dream to none, but sought her little room te
dream it over again while awake.
Three years passed away, and found Stella
the inmate of distant boarding school.
She and her room mate sat in the dimly
lighted chamber, eagerly talking Of the NOR
row. The morrow which was to issue then
forth into the world as graduates IT'S the
same Stella we have seen dreaming at the foo
of the old oak; little changed in outward ap.
pearance, save that her form is rounding into
womanhood, and her bearing trihe more dig
nifed
~She was not very beautiful, if it be beautys test
10 match a classic model when perfectly at rest;
And she did not look bewitchng, if witchery it be
To have forehead and lip, transparent as the sea-
Tou WIN be the sUa1 10 orrow Sta]la
DEAR" said her companion in gay tone eve
are but 'lesser lights" however, we canno
yield the palm to one who will wear it more
gracefully
Il will see my dear parents tomorrow, was
Stela's reply, ''for the first time in long, long
months That gladdens me more than any
thing else; for the honors, Eva, you know
care not, except so far as it will give pleasure
to my frends.'
Eva May was about to speak again, but OBJ
serving that the thoughtful, dreamy look, sc
habitual to her friends countenance, had again
settled there, she checked her flow of mirth
and busted herself over wreath she was ar
ranging.
Stela's thoughts were wandering; now down
the dreamy lane of the past; then through the
mystic, shadowy future. She had dreamed
her childhood's dream over again. The same
mysterious being, with whose destiny she felt
her own, in some manner, was linked, had visit,
ed her the night before, standing in the self
same position, with the same bewildering smile
and the same half earnest, half merry twinkle
in the eyes. The dream gave her both pain
and pleasure-pain to think that she might new
er on earth behold that glorious being; and
pleasure to know that she had met kindred
soul, if only in dream-and.
Her last thoughts when she retired were,
"perhaps some unseen, mysterious agency is
at work in my future affairs; and, perhaps, |
may, amid that crowd tomorrow, recognise
my dream-land friend''
The morrow dawned clear and coudless.-
Stella from her conspicuous position on the
stand, could easily scan the faces before her;
and she did scan them eagerly, anxiously, and
with restlessness very unlike her usual man
ner
"Who on earth are you looking for, Stellar
whispered the mischievous Eva, at her side.
ooh! nobody in particular" was the half
truthful reply; and Stella smiled at her OWL
foolish fancies.
Suddenly she encountered, amid the vast
audience, pair of dark eyes, eagerly confront
ing her own. Her heart gave large throb,
and stood still. She looked again; and turned
away disappointed-there was sure something
wanting-it was not her dream-l land friend.
The exercises were over Stella had re-
fected honor on herself and on her Alma Ma
ter Smiling and bowing, she received the
congratulations of her friends and relatives:
and at the same time received a polite in
PRODUCTION to the owner of the eyes which had
startled her on the stage. Of course she was
"young LADY, now, and entitled to receive
his attentions; so Fred Stanley, after having
been properly presented, accompanied her to
her boarding house. The evening passed de-
lightfuly. for Fred was an entertaining COM
panion, and doubtless, from the length Of time
he fingered, found his new acquaintance the
same.
'They parted with kindly "good night"
and thus ended one era in the life Of Miss Stella