Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-03-05

lsu1k kqns viii Ma Smith and Miss Hall
zse pa H. ateAea way Oue Of the ca.
tke1saEynfAAEnp 1plea AAsA levlnKly:
We11 ~ - possible Tot me ever any
NhWs plpce. " she MD muslngly.
Il - lSAs.;p q - % kaPpy. h IKE
dEse@ Whi AtdAr, sanA; (so shs clled
- IA D NV Lila b b buried veT
Noespd,apspsak to me Of such things
Aid, please God yOu3 I'VE many year
ailsP fam NBdsF The ground"
"KA0not wish 70 de" she answered.
Pressing her hand, which Iay upon my arm,
against my AoeSt, DOnged % gather her deas
eli sI bOaO@-tths gifted heavenly.min''
THSG1ashs I was invited to sup at the Mead
eottksN, ] 30 opportunity Of observing the
elegant neatRess-sigR Of dainty household
ceived hq1 The sane re9nSsheDt that eharaS.
tsSsssd her ss an artist, perxaded the humble
detailaoe BE- daily life When vent hone
many ID Tic sFrangUm d my BNENS.
e hcekt estlsesSa Ine-theFg weEe fltiltS a
cOmiSisisoG, yet more Of omission: evidently,
central something was wanting.
The btshop returned 20 Wald0n. | intro
duced our young Organist to him, and he SoOn
begansta 4lAkIa pet Of heri fruit and flowers
from the palace gardens frequently found their
way to the Me0d cottage. Everything was
satisfactory there was nothing to dctain me
in Walden; still delayed to start upon my
lOng.Planned tour.
Charmed weeks flew by. A cathedral quiet
and sacredheSs was over my whole life. A
longer stay than usual in Walden had often
before IntOlerably ifriCated me; the ceAselcss,
silent preaching Of the solemn cathedral SEEM
Ing to tempt me, in some way, to desecrate its
holiness; its unvarying, unregarding calm,
making me dOubly conscious Of the turbulent
p&ssi0natcneSs 80 successfully concealed under
my OldtashiOned aspect Now, all was differ
emit Ny being seemed in harmony with all
things lovely, calm and pure.
was invited to spend . musical evening at
the palace; our young Organist was to lie there.
On her account, the ancient and handsomely
iniAid piano, which had long stood in the null
toned window of the episcopll drawing-rOOm,
had gwen way TO y splendid instrument OF
modern construction BY the by, i had long
seen that the Weldon young ladies' were jeal-
Gus Of Miss Halt They treated her contempt
uously; and it was beautiful to see how to
their naughty reserve she opposed perfectly
simple and self respecting humility. After q
primitively carly tea--the cathedral chimes
tOlled Ave % We sat down 10 the table-wC
Ell strolled among the brilliant hower-beds up
on the clOsely.shaved lawns The good old
bishop kept Alice BY his side, because she was
ftiendInes--no one else noticing her. CON
tented myself with looking at her.
- ALICE had ROW been three months at Wal
don, and by this time l did not doubt hei
perfect moral aud physical loneliness. ShG
certainly had altered since she Rrst came
the sicEly hue Of her skin had changed to ;
clear, pure pallOr; the look Of detection has
given place TO one Of decp-seated content he
largo gray eyes shone luStrOus, and seemed Il
well over with feeling and genius. was 70
milisr With zach subtle charm-each drOOI
and.natntaI wave Of her solt, brown hair; tn
course Of each vein Wandering beneath tn
Snowy skin Of her fair temples; the graceful
line Of her bending neck the rarely beautiful
outline -. But, o Haven't must stOI
myself
On this evening, Alice was dressed as sim
ply Is usual her gown was of lilac muslin, +
the hue Of which the evening sunlight gave
lovely bloom. She glided along by the bishop
Tide, now sRd then lifting glad artless glance
totAls. kindlY face. Sweet child she wa
happy; be loved her. She was always hap
py with those who loved her.
H-had lived in dream SO long, that It wa
difficult for me to throw off its influence.
did not Join myself to any Of the group
around me by and by, ] stood quite alon
on . little mOuad, screen Of shrubs bctweel
me and tho strollers. stood still to vVatcl
\ the sunset light glide up the sculptured cathe
dral stones-iig6er and higher, touching face
flower, foliage; up and up till it faded from Of
the Pinnacle.
1'heard my own name uttered by voice be
hind mo-A voice knew, hateful, purring
treacherous voice-then heard these words
e She IL shockingly affected; . dread u
histl II Is disgusting to see how she has 20
on the old bishops blind side. wonder j
the chit Ancies Slle might be bishops lady !!
~She dies rather lower than that" said
kindred voice. "She and Mr.. - (neve
mind my nan,e,l go on in way that is quit
shocking--ln the cathedral, too. Of course
they. call It practicing-a very pretty kind o
practicel"
OF course tie tabbies spoke Of Alice. N!
blood NnGleA
IpdShsd IhsOagh the dropping branches an
confronted the creatures.
e A charming tune for sweet and charitAbt
Discourse, Dir Is1ies, remarked; then pass
ed on towards the house.
A pair Of soft eyes questioned me wistfull,
when I entered the drAwing-rOOm; they met
new expression in my answering look, per
haps; then dropped, and rosy flush kept u
to the vailing lashes.
nv cathedral calm was desecrated; her eye
had never before so dropped before mime
When | went home, found letter awaiting
me. Il summoned me north, to the death-be
of the only relative l had In the world. Alic
and were alike in our friendliness. l imme
diately went to the coAch-Otiice to secure
place by the morning mail. Even now thcr
is no railway within many miles of Walden
l occupied the night in packing, and in select
ing mI1aG, and writing most minute direction
fer the organist, This done, hesitated.-
Should write to Alice any thing beyond thes
instructions anything personal, private!
decided that to do so would be to deprive my
self Of somewhat Of nay measure Of pure de
light: did not wish to lose one glance, blush
smile, or tear. did not expect that my ab
sence would be . long one In the hurry o
departure forgot to tell Margaret to send thu
parcel had prepared for Miss Hall but rs il
vas addressed to her, she would surely receive
t. / thought. Ny relative fingered q month
Then business detained me; then, perhaps
owing to my anxiety to return to Walden,
waa Attacked by nervous fever, q complaint