Butte record. (Bidwell, Butte County, Cal.) 1853-1858, 1857-06-13
MemOry's Pictures.
BY MARY NORRIS KlRKE.


throw open the door. o, what IA glo-
rious flood of moonlight You d. not
restrain the expr.ssion of rapturous
delight which rises to your lip, as you
csoss the threshold, aud step out iato
the free, open air. Sur ly, Heaven il
self cannot be more beau Iful than the
scene before you; even the rays re-,
fected from the very presence of Ged
cannot be more pure, than thosr when
now ba be every leaf, tree, and flower
around your lonely mountain home.
You can almost feel the soft moon
beams, they fall upon your forehead,
angel fingers seem weaving them among
the folds of your hair, and laying them
gently up"n your cheek
You hear no sound, but music is
floating all around 70 !, felt, no; heard
upon the outward ear falls not note,
but in your soul there i. melody. A
delico1s calmness steals over your
mind, and your nature seems refined
and elevated as you listen to the mu-
sic-bark to the theme! It's OF the
past!
Here, seat yourelf upon the trunk
of this fallen pine tree, lean back
among the thlckly clustering branches,
from this place you have good view
of the rude cabin--your ho tie.
Now m mory with her magic glass
IS holding up pictures to your 10 yoar
minds eye, the music in your soul BE-
comes joyous, and gleeful. you See IL
quiet farm house nestled among fra
grant fruit trc' s, they are in full bloom
for it is spring. Singing birds are fit
iting to and f.o among the branches,
and as the air gently moves the BIOS
SONS, shower of snowy petals comes
futtering to the green gras' beneath.
Beyond, ycu STE field of el vera
perfect sea of rosy waves, and from the
midst appears little, ringletteh head.
and pair Of white, dlmpled shoulders
while two chubby hands hold up great
clusters of clover bosso Ds, and child
i>h voice shouts-'Willie, Willie, Pm
lost, come take mel'
A laughing boy springs over the bars
and in another moment the little Ell
has her arms closely clasped around hi
neck, and he bears her in triumph 10
the smoih green sward In an aj ming
ii id Now comes race through the
yard, under the apple trees, to the
kitchen door, which sis is ga lantly
permitted to reach FIRST, and is nestled
ain mothers lap, resting her glowing
little cheek against her shoulder, err
the ta;dy boy appears. You recognize
the pic ure, and the music becomes
slower, slower. dirge-lke as you re-
member how that bright littl b ad
was lald benea,h the cold sod. how you
watched the light fade out from those
aov.ng eyes, and saw the lips grox pale
and stll IN death aud how that hrsr,
great grief came crushing down upon
your. ) oung heart, when that beautiful,
only sister died.
The scene changes. Now the music
in your soul has the sound OF bells
Ginning. Yuu see & wlLage church.
1t is Sabbath morning, aud crowds ar
Fastening to the churn door. You see
a tail youth entering wiih the rest, the
smile of hope and happiness it upon his
lips, and The rich hue of health man
ties his cheek.
He takes his pl zee in the choir, bn,
his e,es are not upon the aged miris
ter as he reveiently rises to invoke the
blessing of God upon The opening ser
vices, they are sting IN bashiui ad-
siratien upon tho Young girl IN white,
who sats in an adjoining seat
When the sing rs rise, the youth
fo gets to take fris part but is listening
withe enraptured ear to the richs melo
dious alto, flowing from the rosy lips
of the girl who has so eachained his at
tention. The tell-tale blood crimsoEs
his forehead, as he catches .singl
glance from those blue eyes, aaa sor a.
moment the alto seems tremuloWs-
The services ended, the conersga
ton disperse, bat by some strange ac
cideut the tall youth is walking beside
the girl IN white, very silent they are.'
but hen they separate at the gate of
an old fashioned farm house, he rs
holding u rose bud tremblinly purloin
ed from the belt of the white dress
The scene changer The mus sud
denly becomes ia Mt, low, mufficd, ike
the hushed beating of an agnnized
heart !; YOU see bridal party, and in
the bride recognize the alto singer OF
the village church. She IS pale, very
pale, and her lips quiver as she family
pronounces the words which are to
bild her forever to that cold, elegan
man at her side. Standing at little
distance is a young man, with folded
arms and compressed lips, not looki e
at the bride, apparently not list hing
to the marriage service, but every
word is falling with leaden weight up
on his soul, yet he calmly offers bis
congratulations. and none can see the
bleeding lacerated heart, thanks. non,
can see it Now, for The frs tim /,
and too late, comes the conviction tnat
the love, so long coveted is his. He
reads it in the b.anched cheek, and in
tbe glistening eye of her. who is now