The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-11-24


know everything. 1t night save her life
and yours too. In the meantime, had got
worse news from her still.--that her heath
contnu ID to decline, and that her ply
scian saw no hope for her except yoy-
ags to Italy. But that she rssolutcly re-
fused to undertake until she got those
letters. You know the rest
. "rhe restg I said, as a horrible sus-.
picion flashed upon me. You told me
something terrible had happened
"Yes--to Flora. But. you hal the
worst. She is gons; she is by this time
in Roma
"F!ora gomez Buy you said size was
here
"sts2 So sic IS! Bat did 20 think
I meant Flora, / supposed you knew
Not f7iora,-ba5 Margaret!
II strieked out Margaret That's
tbs last remambor,-I was in her arms ;
n had crossed the sea, not to save her
own LIE, butmi Ald Fila i; d gone,
AMI my dreams were true; and tho breath
and magnetic touch of love, which infus-
ed warm, sweet life into me, anl seemed
not Fiora's but Margaret's were no illu,
sion, and what mere can tell 2
From the moment of receiving those
letters, Margaret's eneigies were rousod,
and she had begun to regain her health.
There is no such potent medicine as hope
and loyc. 1t had saved her and it has
saveI me. My recovery was sure and
speedy. The happiness which had seem
ed too great, too dear to be ever possible,
was now mine. She was with me again,
all my own. Only the convalcsent, who
| feels the glow OF love quickning the pure
pulses of returning health, knows what
perfect bliss is. sj
'sAs soon as was strong enough to
travel, we set out for Italy, the faithful
10 oph accompanying us. We enjoyed
Florence, its palaces and galleries of art,
| the quaint old churches, about which the
religious sentiment of ages seems to hang
like al atmosphere. ths morning and eve
mig clanaor of musical bells, the Arno,
and olive crowned Tuscan hills,-all so
delightful to the senses and the soul
After Florencs, Naples, wthits beautiful,
dangerous vol anic environ, where the
ancicnts aptiy located their heaven and
hsl, and whare luxurious, passionate
people absorbes into its blood the spirit
of the soul, and the fire and languor of the
cline. From IA. g. to Rome, where we
saw St. Peters that bubble on the sur
face of the globe, which the next earth
quake may burst, the Vatican, with its
marvels of statuary, the rnined temp les of
the old gods and heroes, the Campagna,
the Pope, and-Flora. We La | a glimps
of her. 1t was one night, at the Coils
scum. We had been musing about that
vast and solemn pile by tie moonlight.
which silvered it over with indescribable
beauty, and at last, accompanied by our
guides, bearing torches, we assembled
through dark and broken passages to the
upncr benches of the amphitheatre. A..
we were passing along one side, we saw
p;ctures1uely moving through the shad-
ows of the opposite walls, with the i'm
mensc arena b:'tween, the red flaring torch
es and half-iliuminated figures OF another
| party of visitors. / don't know whether
| it was instinct, or acuteness division, that
suggested Flora; but, with sudden leap
OF the heart, | felt that she was there
We decendea, ard passed out under the
dark arches Of the stulcndo ruin. The
other visitors walked little in advance of
ns,-two of the number fingered behind
/ +f>o,, 81
tenderness of passion we heard, which
strangely brought to my a.nd those
nights Of the "Reminiscences.
"Whet is the matter with you! said
Margaret, Loo k NJ into my face.
"Hushp l whispered, 'there-tbat
wouan-is Fiora.'
"She ciung to mel drew her closer
as we paused; and the happy couple
went OF, over tie ancient Forum, by the
silent columns Of the ruined temples and
disappeared from, SIGHT en- the summit Of
the Capitolne Hill.
GA few montl s ater, we heard of the
marriage of Flora to an English baronot
size is now my La|.,, and must do her
! Justice to say that | never knew Il woman
! bet er fitted to bcar that tile As for
Margaret, you will return with ne to
my homo OH the Hudson, after we have
flushed our hunt af er those western lands
you shall see her, TO ssther with the lowell
est pair Of chiIdr that ever made two
pro2d parents lappy.
And here, He'd Westwood, I'VE have
arrived at the enl of our days journey !;
we have had the r ,nance of the Glove,
and now-let's have some supper.