The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1858-11-24
A Life Mist a K e +.

old, emotions that, shining forth through
dimmed eyes, and pictured in the lines that
| thought limns upon the human countenance,
make one forget the sunken cheeks, the grey
hairs, and the deep wrinkles. For who does
not know that there is an almost divine beauty
in expression, which can make the plainest face
radiant with its own great loveliness?
Mr.. Gorton, my fathers neighbor, had one
of these beautiful old faces. always regarded
him with the deepest reverence, and loved him
next to the dear ones in our own household,
where he was a familiar ever welcomed guest.
NV mother used to bid us be very kind to
good Mr.. Gorton, who was lonely and had no
children to make his home pleasant for him,
nor grandchildren to climb upon his knee, as
We did, and be his pets. And we needed no
bidding, because we all dearly loved the gentle,
kindly old man, whose nature was truly child
like in its sweet and genial simplicity. ..
1t was not, however, until we were older,
that we learned to appreciate and sympathize
with him. Nor then, until we had heard from
his own lips the story Of his life. We were all
past childhood, and had gathered in our home,
from our schools, and places of business, one
summer vacation, when Mr.. Gorton gathered
us round him at his tea-table, beneath the
| d
tory Of the disappontments and sorrows as well
as the compensations that had formed and chas-
tened his character into its beautiful harmony
II was very young" he said, mot over
nineteen, when | came to the city to enter the
employment Of my uncle, who was to teach me
his business, and had promised to advance me
in it, taking charge of my future prospects, for
my mother was poor widow and could do
little for me, her only son. | came with sad
heart, for it was my first parting from my
mother, and, beside her, | had left one behind
who was very dear to me; how dear cannot,
even now, find words to tell. .-,..H.
"But had never been in great city before
and the novelty of all things around me, the
excitement of my new life soon wore off the
keen edge of my sorrow, and though had
many secret longings for home, the dear ones,
and the familiar scenes, l was outwardly as
cheerful and happy as those around me, my
fellow clerks at the store and fellow dodgers in
the boarding house. 81 -5
''My mother had hoped, and believe ex-
pected, that would become an inmate of my
) uncle's home, but he was bachelor and very
much under the dominion of his ancient house
keeper, who had horror of boys and being
determined to class me under that heard, spite
of my six feet, my ample proportions and in
cipient beard, protested SO loudly against my
domiciliation beneath the roof where she presi-
ded, that my uncle was forced, for the sake of
quetness, to submit ....
ITO a boarding house, therefore, was sent,
and there all my troubles originated, .-..-
"My landlady had daug hter, bold. black
eyed girl, about my own age, as judged from
her appearance, with considerable pretensions
to beauty, and much admired by the boarders,
} who, like myself, were mostly clerks in the
employment of merchants and bankers. Twas
an unsophisticated country youth, ambitious OF
the good opinion of all, and by no means able
to try their actions by the tests of experience,
or long observation. So when this girl began
to single me out from my fellow boarders, as an
object of special attention, and to bestow upon
me large portion of her company, her smiles
and her gay conversation, was naturally fiat
. tered by the seeming preference of one fol
whose favor all around me were contending
and began to have much higher opinion Q
l myself than had before entertained.
II had no thought of wavering in my attach
ment for Sarah Wilmot. That was as ancient
as our acquaintance, and extended back to oui
babyhood, having only been modified and
strengthened by our advance in life Bu
Annette Loring fascinated me by her flattery
| spent constantly more time in her company
walked, rode with her, attended her to church
and all public places; in short, was constantly
by her side, and soon came to be looked upon
as her lover and future husband ..
Fool, fool that was, not to know, even
then, that this girl, already hackneyed in the
worlds wisdom. whose hand was destined fol
him who could buy it with the largest price
was but counting on my prospects as my uncle's
heir, and cared no more for me than the beg
gar that crawled to her door, save as the
means Of endowing her with wealth. But il
was a subtle fascination which she exercised
over me, the flattery of seemingly strong, dis
interested regard. Ere | was aware. | was
completely within her tolls. We were pledged
to marry, and honor and love were forgotten
Il had been in the city two years when this
illstarred marriage took place. had several
times returned to the old home in the interval,
but had not dared to tell Sarah, for whom my
love increased atevery meeting, how deceived
and wronged her. l excused myself on the
plea that I had never talked of marriage with
Sarah, and thus she had no real claim upon me.
and SO I continued the wrong. She believed
and trusted me, and never dreamed or change,
until the tidings of the marriage burst upon
her. 5r: Hs. IN .az s.5t.sa- a-4.a @#5 f. ..
s'She suffered much, know, for her cheek
grew pale, and her pretty figure wasted till but
shadow of its roundness remained. But she
never reproached me, never uttered com
plant, but took up the burden of her sorrow
and bore it onward through the years that fol
lowed with patient sweetness that made her
seem almost angelic.
"Meanwhle, how Jared it with me? | had
been tempted into hasty marriage by the fact
that my uncle at the close of my second years
service, had admitted me to a small interest in
his business. I was nominal partner, though
my share Of the profits were bat small. Annette
and her mother, believing my fortune assured,
urged on the marriage, and was rash enough
to seal my fate by compliance with their wishes.
..They had miscalculated, shrewd as they
were Ny uncle was highly incensed, declared
that had been caught in a trap, and that as
I had been silly enough to walk into it with
open eyes, must take the consequences, and
that the Lorings should never be the richer for