Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-09-16
ROMANCE OF A GLOVE.
ICONCLUpEp.l

Weary, at length l returned to my cham
Der, seated myself composedly, and looked
down at the glove which lay where / had
thrown it, upon the polished floor. Mechan-
ically stopped and took up bit of folded
paper. 1t was written upon-I unrolled it, and
read. 1t was as if / had opened the record
of doom? Had the apparition of Margaret
herself risen suddenly before me. could not
have been more astounded. 1t was note
from her-and such notei-full of love,
suffering, and humility-pOured out of heart
so deep, and tender, and true, that the
sballowness of my own seemed utterly con-
temptible. in comparison with it. / cannot
tell yor what was written, but it was more
than even my most cruel and exacting pride
could have asked. 1t was what would once
have made me wild with joy-now it almost
maddened me with despair. L, who had often
talked fine philosophy to others, had not a
grain of that article left to physic my mala-
DIV. But one course seemed plain before me,
and that was to go quietly and drown myself
in the Seine, which l had seen flowing so
swift and dark under the bridges an hour
ago. when stood and unused upon the tragi-
cal corpses its solemn food bad swallowed.
Il am little given to superstition. and
the mystery of the note excited me. l have
no doubt but that there was some subtle con-
nection between it and the near presence OF
Margaret's spirit of which l had that night
been conscious. But the note had reached
me by no supernatural method. as was at
first half inclined to believe. 1t was. pro-
badly, the touch, the atmosphere, the ineffably
fine influence which surrounded il which had
penetrated my unconscious perceptions, and
brought her near. The paper, the glove, were
full of Margaret-full of something besides
what we vaguely called mental associations
full of emotions of the very love and
suffering which she had breathed into the
writing.
'.How the note came there upon the floor
was riddle which was too much bewilder-
ed to explain by any natural means. Joseph,
who burst in upon me, in my extremity of
pain and difficulty, solved it at once. 1t had
fallen out of the glove, where it had lain
folded, silently unnoticed during all this in
tervening period of folly and veXation of soul.
Margaret had done her duty in time; had
only myself to blame for the tangle in which
now found myself. was thinking of Flora,
upon the deck of the steamship, when, in a
moment of chagrin, she had been so near
throwing herself over; wondering to what
fate her passion and impetuosity would hurry
her now. if she knew; cursing myself for my
weakness and peridy; while Joseph kept
asking me what intended 10 do.
DO? dor | said furously-:I shall kill you,
that is what l shall do, if you drive me mad
with questions which neither angels nor fends
can anSwerI
Il know what you will do said Joseph,
you will go home and marry Margaret
YOu can have no conception of the effect
of these wOrds--Go home and marry Margaret.
| shook as | have seen men shake with the
ague-All that might have been-what
might be still-the happiness cast away, and
perhaps yet within my reach-the temptation
of the devil, who appealed to my cowardice,
to fly from Flora, break my VOWS, risk my
10, 4 III q
rushed through me tumultuously. At length
said
mo, Joseph, | shall do no such thing. l
can never be worthy of Margaret; it will he
only by fasting and prayer that | can make
myself worthy of Flora.
''Will you start for Italy in the morning."
he asked pitilessly.
For Italy in the morning. I groaned.-
Meet Flora, travel with her, play the hypo-
critic. with smiles on my lips and hell in my
heart-or thunder strike her at once with the
truth; what was to do? To some men the
question would. perhaps. have presented few
difficulties. But for me, sir, who am not quite
devoid of conscience, whatever you may
think-let me tell you, I'd rather hang by
sharp hooks over a roasting fire than be again
suspended as | was betwiXt two such alterna-
tives and feel the torture of both!
Having driven Joseph away, locked my
self into my ROOM and suffered the torments
of the damned in as quiet a manner as posi-
bic, until morning. Then Joseph returned
and looked at me with dismay.
For heavens sake!'' he said. ''you ought
not to let this thing kill you-and it will, if
you keep on"
$50 much the better,' | said ''if it kills no
body but me. But don't be alarmed. Keep
perfectly cool, and attend to the commission
l am going to trust to you. can't see Flora
this morning; | must gain little time. Go
to the station of the Lyons railway, where |
have engaged to meet her party: say to her
that am detained, but that | will join her
on the journey. Give her no time to ques-
tion you, and be sure that she does not stay
behind"
'.I'll manage thrust mel'' said Joseph.
And off he started. At tive end of two hours,
which seemed twenty, he burst into the room,
crying
Good news she is gone! | told her you
bad lost your passport, and would have to
get another from your minister.
"'What!'' l exclaimed. ''yOu lied to her?'
"Oh there was no other way!" said Joseph
ingeniously-she is so sharp! They're to wait
for you at Marseilles. But I'll manage that
too. On their arrival at the Hotel Orient,
they'll find a tclegraphic dipatch from me-
wager hat they'll leave in the first steamer |
for Naples. Then you can follow at your
leisure"
Thank you. Joseph"
81 felt relieved. Then came a reaction
The next day | was attacked by fever. l |
know not how long struggled against it, but |
t mastered me. The last things | remem-
Dered were the visits of friends, the strange |
ak Of a French physician. whispers and con-
which | knew were about me, yet |
ook no interest in-and at length Joseph |
.ushing to my bedside, in flutter of agita-
ion. and gasplng-
'.Floralr
"What of Flora?'' demanded.
II telegraphed, but she wouldn't go, she
las come back; she is here!'
| was sinking back into the stupor from
which | had been reused, when ! heard
ustling which seemed afar off, yet was in my
hamber; then vision appeared to my sick
ned sight-a face which dimly thought |
lad seen before--a food of curls and a rain
# kisses showering upon me-sobs and de- !
curing caresses-Flora's voice calling me
'assiOnate names; aud l laying so passive.
ain;ly struggling to remember, until my soul
ank into whirling darkness, and knew no
nore.
One morning, | cannot tell you how long
fter, awoke and found myself in a stranger
ooking room. filed with strange objects, not
he least strange of which was the thing that
eemed myself. At first looked with vague
nd motionless curiosity out of the Lethe
rom which my mind slowly emerged painless
nd at peace; listlessly questioning whether
was alive or dead-whether the limp weight
wing in bed was my body-the meaning of
be silence and the closed curtains Then,
nth a succession of painful flashes, as if the
ole of an electrical battery had been applied
: my brain, memory acknowledgement.
lora, Paris, delirium. l next remember
caring myself groan aloud-then seeing
oseph at my side. l tried to speak but could
OF. Upon my pillow lay glove, and be
laced it against my check. An indescribable
ycruciating thrill shot through me; still l
ould not speak. After that came relapse.