Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1858-08-21

songs; Julie would reply that the spirits Of
the earth and air taught her, but she had
promised never to reveal the secret The in
variable answer to her question at length alar-
med the good woman; she sent for her con-
fessOr to bring holy water to sprinkle OH the
child. The priest was q good and learned
man he questioned Julie, and listened to her
singing; he saw she was gifted with singular
and uncommon talents, and proposed to teach
her to read and write, and to place her under
the care Of tho capcL meiStcr, to cultivate her
wonderful voice. The aunt readily asscntcd,
and Julie, in spite of her cntrcaticS, was obi.
gcd to yield to the discipline of school and
study hours. Now she had but ono day in
the week for her wandcrings; and then like
u bird let loose, she would fly to her favoritc
haunts, and refresh her wcaried mind. And
here, too, Julie learned patience and Obcdi
cnce; the voices she loved whispered to her
consolation; they told her to he good aud true,
and bear uncomplaningly the burdens sent by
her Heavenly Father
Julie performed her tasks chcerfully, and
made great progress in her studies. She could
not so readily follow the instructions Of the
music master; it was impossible for her to
forget the bird voices and songs Of the flow.
crs; her soul was filled with harmonics heard
in the forest and on the mountain tops; and
what to her was the most perfect orchestra Of
instruments or choir of voices? ..-.
Julia had not forgotten her father; she long
cd and yearned To behold him again. Years
had passed and nothing had been heard Of him;
inquiry had been made for him in vain. Julie
had asked the winds, the waves, the trees, the
flowers, the birds, TO tell her of her father {;
they answered her, il was impossible to reveal
the future; that life was unfOldcd day by day,
aud its evil as its good was enough for the
passing hour.
julie was now a child no longer; fifteen sum-
mers had dccpcncd the shadows Of her eyes,
and darkcned to chestnut brown the golden
curlSF childhOod's rosy cheek had paled, and
the mouth was less perfectly rounded, but
more tremulous in its curves.
One day as julio wandered among the ruins
Of Stolzenfcls, party of young men met her.
ono Of them stood before her as il struck with
wonder and astOnishmcnt, cxclaiming, as he
lifted his hat: "The very face OF the picture;
tho very image have so long sought" Julie
knew little OF the ways Of the world, but she
felt embarrassed at the words and fixed gaze
of the young man; she turned and lied down
the hill, not knowing why she was so agitatcd
and frightened. Returning home She related
her adventure to the old aunt, who, after some
reflection, said the young man might refer to
some picture painted by Roemmer, jules
father, rs she remembered he frequently paint
cd his wife'S face in his pictures, and Julie was
now the very image Of her mother. At eve
ming, julie stood in tho cottage door; her
thoughts were with her father a ycarning de-
sire to know more Of him filled her soul; sud.
denly strange voice greeted her; she turned
and saw the stranger from whose gaze she had
fled in the morning. With cry Of delight
she exclaimed, ooh, sir, tell me of the picture;
was it my fathcr'sy" Surprised at such a
greeting, the young man looked ut her no.
mcnt in silence, then said ~ came to beg
your pardon for my insulting rudcncss this
morning. have in my possession picture
of young girl at spinning wheel the face
is so true likeness Of your own that, on sud
denly meeting you this morning forgot every
thing in the surprise and pleasure of having
found the original"
"But who was tho artist?" interrupted
Julie.
"The artists name is Rocmmcr."
"My father" exclaimed Julie. "Oh, where
was it painted? where did you find it?"
al bought tia year sncc," returned the
young man, "at Baden. The picture was cx.
hibitcd at a booksellers; was told the artist
needed money. aitcrward cndravorcd to
find him, but he had removed to another lodg.
ing, aud no ono seemed to know where he
was"
IA year ago; then my father lives! Poor
did you says My fathcry Oh, where shall
seek himy"
The old lady now appeared, aud having
heard all the stranger said of the picture cx'
planned to him the cause of jules agitation
he offered to 60 in search Of the artist, to ,lc
anything in his power TO aid them. julie
thanked him, but said if her father lived she
would find him; that she alone could seek
hiu. When the stranger departed, she smiled
sadly us she said farewell she knew at hi.
second coming she should be far away, fol
even then she determined to depart at day
break, secretly and alone, and search through
tho world till she found her father.
Four months after this, in that quarter o
the city Of Dresden inhabited by the poo
and wretchcd, in an attic room, sat an old maj
and young girl. The naked and broken wall
were concealed by sketches on panel and can
vaSS; an easel stood before the shabby win
dow, on which was an unfinished painting O
Psyche opening the fatal caSket Of Prosrrpinc
when returning from Ilades. The girl rccln
ing at tho feet Of the old man might hav,
passed for the Psyche glowing out from tn
canvass; her pale, exquisitcly moulded fnc
was unearthly in its beauty, like that o
Psyche, telling Of long suffering, weary watch
ings, and patient endurance. But now tn
soul had overcome all obstacles, and from CIV
cry feature bcamcd love, purO unscltiSh love
Julie had found her father. In these brie
months she had known tho bitterness of fdisap
pointment had endured scorn, jcers, insul
and cruel indifference; had been stung b,
poverty and want; but all was forgotten whcl
at last hc was found. In that wrCtched dwell
ing she found her father, alone, forsakcn, i'll
bcrctt Of reason. She had watched over hin
day and night tended him as only lovinI
woman can minister to sorrow and suffering
and at length hc recovered to find tho guard
an angel by his side was his own Julie, hi
long neglected, almost forgotten child. TIL
star of his life, his loved wife, seemed to hav
returned from the land Of tho blest to lift hi
soul from the gloom and darkness Of years.
Gradually strength returned to the artist, an
now that We see them in their humble dwell
ing, no has left his bed for the first time sine
jules coming. Well might her faco bear
with love and hopei
"Toll me, julie" said tho artist, after lon
silence, "by what means do We CxistS YO
must bc very poor, my child. Docs some "a
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