Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1859-03-24


passionate expression passed over her face as
the sound reached her eai, and casting aside
the glittering string of pearls with which she
was about to encircle her snowy throat, she
passed hastily into the room where the sick
child lay. A moment, and there was shade of
tenderness upon the proud, beautiful face Of
the mother as she bent over her suffering
babe, and then-the ''good angel p.umed
his wing, as vision of brilliantly-lightcd
halls thronged with sylph-lke figures that
vibrated, as it were, to the cadence of some
dreamy melody-stoIe in upon that worldly,
wayward spirit and usurped his place. "I
cannot stay" murmured she, Sand yet"-sbe
pauseda glew of pleasure lit up her coun-
tenance Re-entefing her chamber she rang
with q. quick, impetuous movement of her
jeweed hand,
SIS MISS May gone ?"--she eagerly asked
of the servant Who appeared "She is just
leaving, believe ma'am," was the reply.
''rell her wish to see her." said she.
Agnes, who had remained to ascertain il
the dress required alteration, wonderingly re-
traced her steps to the ladys apartment.
@Agnes, said she, eddie is quite I'LL
fear to leave him with only Clara--will you
not stay ?-I can trust you--besides, it is al
ready too late for you to venture out alone.
If you will remain, I will send you home as
soon. as return" ..est ~
Agnes hesitated-sho thought of her mo-
eher who would anxiously await her=-then
of the qualification it would afford Mrs Nor
ton who, although so gay and thoughtless,
had ever been strangely kind and attentive tc
Iher-then, too, she feared to venture out alone
at that hour, and the lady would not surely
be gone long; so quietly laying aside hel
cloak and bonnet, she replied cheerful.y;-
certainly, my dear madam, If you wish it. ;
A few minutes after, Mrs. Morton had Civ
en- the last touch TO her rich toilet, hasty
glance at the little sufferer, with $1,000
bye, darling" in her sweet, careless tone, ant
she was gone
"Agnes," she called, as she entered til,
carriage :" II you grow lonely you car
bring a book from the bibraty=-I believe
you like to read.h How the young girl
heart bounded at those wordsl She hat
more than once caught a glimpse of thu
crowded shelves of Mrs. Morton's library
and oh how she had longed for an oppor
tunity to examine the precious solamesA-noS
her wish could be gratifed.
She went softly to the couch of the sicl
child and found it quietly sleeping-thel
taking lamp she stole into the library
How those books inspired her by their pres
ence-each volume was, to her, living
thinking being-the noble opponents of un
y dying genius. She sat down moment il
: their midst and bowed her head upon he
hands. Again that one great desire aros,
and filed her soul with longings for its ac.
complishmeat-the present faded slowly from
her view and a new life dswned upon her
/ The Picrian spring had at last been reache,
and she had slaked her thirst with its pure
inspiring waters She had hung with enthu'
siastic delight over those ennobling works il
which are so beautifully enshrined the breath
RI ings of genius and-oh, blessed thought =
she in her turn, was realizing that "grea
r thoughts are due the world from all who car
give them !" the purest and best emotions 0
her nature were daily going forth to chez
and comfort hearts as world-worn and sor
row-stricken as her own had been. No longs
toiling patiently at her needle, but giyini
: back in a glorious setting the jewels she hat
gathered-panting in brilliant hues the idea
pictures of her mind The blissfulness o
( dream.life--can it be realized? hours wher
the spirit wanders, unrestrained, through th,
mazy labyrinths of Futurity, gathering lau
, rels from its unvailed front to twine abou
5 the poor frail brow. But the awakening
3 the return to life's realities '4a1 niA ly
Agnes May awoko to find herself, onlyli
; poor sewing girl, upon whom the great oil
volumes looked down with seeming pity
Her dream was only.for a few brief moments
and yet, might it not have been an earnest 0
Z future that was to dawn upon her ,youne
life-fraught with precious, priceless gifts
t An hour later her little charge still slept
and A Agncs seated by the couch, had becom,
deeply absorbed in favorite volume o
{ Poems, when loud, impatient ring at til,
| street door startled her--there were hurried
> voices in the hall below--then some ON,
sprang lightly up the stairway leading +
, Mrs. Mortons apartment-a bounding stel
} on the landing, and ere Agnes could reacl
the door, gentleman in uniform stood upor
, the threshold. He glanced eagerly arount
, tho room, till his gaze rested upon the young
girl. 5gF I'll ID
Pardon me" said he, bowling with tr,i,
military politeness-'is Kate-Mrs. Moreci
in?n aa ~ 8e Ek9f hAiYh 7 a.,
''She is not" said Agnes, "but | am mo
mcntarily expecting her," C.rq's
: "Then, with your permission" !" replied he
: advancing, IL will await her return"
: She bowed assent and motioning him to
: seat, resumed her own by the bedside, thougl
not without many silent conjectures concern
t ing the. unexpected advent of the stranger
That he was relative of Mrs. Morton
was evident from the familiar manner il
, which be mentioned her name and the readi
ness with which he found her room.
II The unknown" drew his chair toward th
crate and removed his cap which had befor
! partly concealed his face. x 49, ~
!, Itwas fine, manly coantsnance that me
the inquiring glance of Agnes as she turne,
to remark him; a high, broad forehead, al
most girlishly fair, and shaded by heav,
locks of dark hair--a clear, sparkling eYe