Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-09-16

L o. 81 an mn INV
1osoIn, and wept away every grief in my embrace
In my bewildered musings now, seemed 10 see
her attempting to lift ponderous iron gate to bar
my entrance to Der heart, the threshold worn by
| my footprints This thought had come to me dur.
ing her labored recital of Herbert Wynne's stoIy
ana when her arms gave way, could imagine that
saw the fall and heard the crash. The dull
neavy roar without, never waxing louder or more
iaint, like the incessant roar of cataract through
stSgnant atmosphere, made my mind wander still
more. knew little then of the bending backs and
breaking hearts, the toiiDg and tortured
Grains; OF the batt for life, the groans of the
Vanquished, the shouts of the victorious that make
up that tumult, mighty, yet monotOnOus-a sound
that must reach Heavens high gate as sigh from
the grlevibg earth; but l listened, it almost
sthed me.
"Gract!n
The voice was hollow and broken, but it wac her
own at last. and my heart leaped TO hear it.
''hy own Louisel"
Il am very miserabel Pity mel"
Il IoUe you, dearestl"
l drew her nearer to me. and calling her by all
the winning names our an, ction had taught me,
assured her of my sympathy in every sorrow, my
Wilingness-my anxiety to aid her by every means
this affection could invent.
81 need no help-I ask none ask nothing Of
any human being besides yourself l do say to
you-pily mel"
"And why, dear Louise?"
She said nothing for a time, and when the words
came, they were not reply to mine.
"GraceI do you believe in a Coop"
1could scarcely answer. so great was my aston
ishment
''CertainIyl Who can doubt this?n
"IIn
''Louisel you are madl"
81 AN sane! If believed there an All
seeing Eye, which would witness and cause to be
recorded the tremendous sin shall cooly commit
in three days more, do you think that 1, daring
am, would risk the consequences of such act?
My father and mother are members of Christian
church. The god of the one is gold; that of the
other, society. l dsdain hypOcrisy-therefOre
declare that have nonel"
''Yet th, re was a time" commenced.
81 know! 1 know! I am changed in everything
since then, Grace. o, darling! those happy golden
hours"
l was glad to see the tears-a fiery deluge though
they were. She checked them with suddenness
that surprised me.
Il left school and came home with mind full
Of underlined, yet ench lnting pictures of the free,
joyous life in store for me. Society," as seen in
chance glimpses from the nursery, and in my vaca-
tons, was a Fishing, noisy, merrily noisy stream,
upon which my barque would bound without fear
OF wreck or danger. My dsdist was a Sensation
so my mother informed me with natural pride-and
from that moment began the development of her
plans Do you suppose that the Uircassiqn slave
likes the ring OF her gded letters better than the
wretch in the galleys does the grating of his rusty
irousf'
both servtudes are CALLING" 1 said. 'His is no
worse than hers, should think"
That is because you unsophistcated Ny
mother would say that the seraglio letters are to
be cOVeted that in this civilized land in this Bible
reading, GOd-feaTiDg age, woman's ears should de-
sire no acceptable music than the cank Of
the manacles that confiRe her to the prescribed
pace upon the turf of fashionable life. But hear
OF my heinous transgression-my outrageous sed-
toni was involved in an imprudent love-scrape
fhfra 90, I L-l
out month, and to the holy horror of the vir-
tGous Mrs Grundys of our set, with one who was
not eligible in the first, second, even third
degree-a poor medical student At the termin-
alton OF this, his last session. be had nothing that
man had bestowed to rely upon, except the d.
dowment OF genius, and brave, true heart were
Haught in their eyes-blind besotted bats that they
are!"
"LouiseI dearesI"
Don't interrupt mel"
She sitting upright on the floor, her black
hair streaming down her shoulders. her brow knit,
her face growing white instead of flushing, as her
speech increased in Vehemencc.
"My mother is never violent. There she had
the advantage of me when the outbreak arrived,
which, thanks to her diplomacy, was not until
weeks of absence and Infringement had driven me
well-nigh to doubt of his love, while they forced
me to confess mine, for the frat time, TO myself
His visits having been discontinued, our casual
meetings were those of apparent strangers, or
slight acquaintance. The truth was revealed one
day, when, through singular negligence on her
part, we found ourselves together at the house Of
friend, in circumstances where interview could
not be avoided. From him learned that my mo-
ther had insinuated her dsapprobation of the atten
tons my duler sight had not considered marked,
aud his proud nature required no more to exclude
him from our dwelling. He ready for depar-
ture for the far West but this conversation decid-
ed him to postpone the journey. formal declar-
alton, sanctioned by myself, was presented to my |
father, and met, l had forwarned him it would |
DO, with peremptory refusal Iioined my plead
lngs to his. They were not offered to my mother |
i knew her too well-but to the parent who |
had hitherto INDUCED my every caprice, although |
| had never thought Of seeking sympathy from /
him. Like most other men, he made business /
matter OF our petition. Could the drops that were
falling from my heart have been coined into gum
aas for my lovers purse, how gracious 6Ould have
been his reception into our amiy-wth what a
flourish our plighting been proclaimed But they
we're only life-bloOd, whose dow must leave that
leart dead, worthless thing and for all practical
purposes l would be better of. Then I vowed
hat no mortal power should hinder me from be
coming his wife; that would follow him through
poverty, toll, Punishment, TO the worlds end. /
MT opposition here for which l was not prepared
shall never forget the cad, but resolute words,
hat answered my offer to DO this, and more, if be
gOnld permit il
'''No, Louisel I cannotsNI ought not to avail
lyself Of your generosity. Mine you cannot be
ow. All that l ask of you is, to remember and
D wait. II live l will claim yoa when your
-iends shall feel hOnored not disgraced, by the
lliance.
=" Remember aud waltz This was my watch
'ord, my talismsD, for SIX months aud then had
letter from brother physician, in distant city,
tho had seen him diel"
The brow did not relax; the lips we're still rigid
he bowed her head again to my knee.
Twilight was gathering in the corners; the CLEAN
the silver dim, and the yari-colored robes
ere sobered into one dun hue. The bridal dress
sd been hung upon the foot of the bed, and the
ell spread ovrrit Through my tears, the stream
q white dow OF its dFapery took the form Of a
wing presence-an angel, whose garments OF
ght were the one spot Of brightness in the room,
ending towards the grief-smitten girl in an attl-
ide OF love and compassion. Without the roar Of
be Fab was heavy, ceaseless, and began TO dis
srn some meaning 10 its voice.
''His zeal in bis profession - continued Louise.
50 said the writer had led him into the midst of
dangerous epidemic, then prevailing 10 that place,
ID he had fallen, an honorable sacrifice told
D one OF the tidiugs | bad received. The letter
ached me in the forenoon That evening ap.
cared at large party, and danced and laughed
I'd Soquetted until dsybreak 4 week later, my |
other saw the announcement OF bis death Ia |
'estern paper, and seat il up to my room. When |
g met not syllable was exchanged on the sub
G, nor has bis name ever passed my lips or |
creed my ears since, But Ggacen and her voice |
nix 10 whisper, ''deep IN my heart there Is a |
ave-sealed tastI FOG tFamplsd down ths earth
yseii-beat i haFdt No grass grows there; no |
ar ever setsiti 90 sunbeam ever stFays through |
e darkness 20 light t. Ny former self IS buried
ere with his memory"
neil ~ 4 i