New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-02-28

6tupiu lmnecillty. A voice IN my soul niocAS1 1,e
It cried, g You cowardly idiot Yoa thought did
you, TO darken her life BY fastening yourself upon
her "a blind, helpless shadow You thought tnat
young girl could love you, that girl radiant with
youth and hope ell The glory and ossnsness o. me-
fresh, and smiling. You thought you could win mel!
Selfish, insensate, mad I!
babe the voice cease ito upbraidings. ! shut my
For the frst time in my life was harsh and stern
With him. He had . generous temper. DO not
think he blamed me. He approached himself rather
for speaking to me Of love from which my mistor-
tune had shut me out forever. Begging me to for
rive him be went ont from my room.
shut The door behind him. locked it. The key
| turned with sharp click. Then / threw myself
down upon the floor. as traveller might PROSTATE
himself before the poison-wind of the desert Lying
there this fierce, scorching simeon swept over me-
Unknown to myself, had been chershing one sweet
flower in my heart, watering il, day and night, with
the dew and hope It lay there now, torn up BY the
roots, its buds bghted, its fair blossoms withered
Blind, helpless idiot! So the voice in my heart
had called me. Ay, but the blind idiot could ioce
Who else could pour such wealth of tenderness on
one who could never grow old to his sightess eyes
whose brow would always be smooth-whose hair
would never lose its brightness-whose eye could
never grow dim, because forever he could cothe her
with the fair garment Of his fancyl And new
voice in my heart answered, 81 am worthy, for I
/ rose up, and stood erect in my daTkened world,
lonely and grief stricken, but still man.
was not one to inict my sorrow upon others.
strove to 60 out the world with cheerful face
But listened with tremulous eagerness to every in
Election OF Le0na's voice when she talked with my
brother. knew she must love him but there was
| curious fascination in watching how this passion
would spring up in her pure heaTt-how the tender
nsss, which could never BE- for me, would grow into
her beloved voice. Day after day il seemed to me to
become full of sweeter pathos. Richard was con.
santly BY her side. Often they roamed together over
the fields Sometimes they asked me to go with them;
but too sensitive too intruds. always refused.
Once or twice. when had declined going, Leona in
sisted on remaining with me. Then she would be SO
cruelty kind to me, read to me, talk to me, and be-
wilder me with tortarng glimpses of an impossible
happiness. Then Richard would come back with q
floral ofering-a spray of honeysuckle or bunch Of
wild roses and, sitting beside her afterwards, Isme
ali day the fragrance Of his flowers upon her bosom.
One night she asked me il she might go alone with
me 70 evening prayers she used to do before Rich
ard came. It was . pleasant walk, that half mile be-
tween our house and the church, in the summer sun
set, witn the trees over our heads all odorous with
bloom There was curious joy, which was more than
halt Of pain, in knowing that she by
my side IN feeling the pressure Of her hand on my arm
Mnen the services were over, she asked me to stay
little longer and play for her, as had often done
before. Hitherto at such times she had chosen the
tunes !; but now the fit of aspiration was upon me
poured forth the story of my hopeless love. used
no words but the music explained ITSELF It thrilled,
it trembed, it pleaded, it despaired it struggled ii
hoped; then, as if for the dead it walled and died
out at last in long, helpless cry of sorrow heard
Leona sobbng. She stood, at little distance alone
IN the darkness 1 left my seat. went to her and
took her hands, In the darkness she laid her tender
plying arms, around my neck. felt her wet cheek
against my own Alas l knew the language of that
silent caress She loved Richard but with all the
fulness OF her angelic nature, she pitied me. She
would be my sister. :
No word was spoken by either of u.s. We went
out q the church and went home, under the night
and the trees.
Soon after this Richard was obliged to leave us for
W IN hr1pipo 1, xk,r
did not know whether he had declared his love pre-
vious to bis departure. watched Leona's voice
jealousy for signs OF sorrow but it was clear, and
GUS than ever. said to myself, How certain she
must be Of his love- to bear his absence SO calmly!
The joy Of knowing that he is her forever makes
her insensibe to SORROW
Oh, how kind she was to me during those two weeks
1t was almost like the old days before Richard came
save that barbed arrow was ranking in my heart
The unconscious hope had cherished in those other
days could never come back again.
At last the time came for Richards return Leona
was with us. Frankly, as one who has nothing to
conceal she talked of the pleasure there would be in
having him back again. At noon he came With
eager step be entered the room but his voice trem
bled when he spoke to Leona. 1 could only tell by
that token how bis heart thrilled to be more by
her side. She was not demonstrative. The voice
with which she replied to his greeting very quiet
but had never known Richards manner eager, so
restless as that afternoon.
In the evening we three were alone in the long
parlor. sat at one end among the shadows. Rich.
ard and Leona were at the other, where the moon
for heard them talking Of itshone in at the open
or that slept. He did not know what a second
sight hearing is to the blind. Not murmur, not
culver Of their voices escaped me- 1t that he
had never told her Of his love before. He poured it
forth now with passionate, fervd eloquence. list
ened breathlessly for her held tight to the
chair where was sitting commanded every nerve
to do its duty I babe my sefcontrol to be vgilant
] waited to hear her low words of love. Her voice
fell on my ear. Hush, rebellious heart Thou hadst
no business to throb so wildly.
II cannot" she says ooh, I cannot! I
Known And here the tender, troubled voice
breaks up into pitfu sobs as she beseecbes him to
leave her-only to leave her. Richard makes no at
tempt to comfort her. l hear him go out. Then
the room-I kneel at her feet tell her have
heard all. and then mad impulse seizes me pour
out at her feet the bation of my love cannot help
it. Blind, and poor, and helpless was had dared
to love her. did not mean to tell her. knew she
could never return it, But, when heard her grieve,
! longed so to comfort her. l wanted her to know
how gladly would die to give her peace.
Oh! how can tell the story! She did not spurn
me! Once more, in the darkness, her tender arms
upon my forehead the kisses of her fresh, pure lips
Her words were solemn and earnest: Do not die for
me- Live live, dear Allen! and, if you love me, let
me be your wife"
u
struggle n my brothers heart. He loved me; be
strove to rejoice in my happiness but he could not
stay to witness it. !, who knew Leonas worth, did
not blame him. He left home the next week for q
year Of foreign travel and three weeks after Leona
became my wife.
Leona insisted on short bridal tour. She must
take her blind husband to her friends in town.
was, however, little sensitive about exposing my
| misfortune to strangers. This step seemed unlike
| Leona but wished to please her, and consented
The next morning after our arrival we sat alone
| in our room | wanted to talk to my wife, but she
could scarcely listen she uttered around the apart
ment, arranged and dsarranged the furniture dozen
| times. had never known her so restless. Every
now and then she would drop down for moment
upon my knee, and, lifting up my face, would cover
1t with kisses but even there she would not sit still
| At length there came tap at the door, and she
sprung hurriedly to open it. There were few whis
| pered words with the new conner, and then Leona
said gravely, "My love- this is DR.. Williams. have
heard much Of bis skill; and brought you here be-
cause longed for my own satisfaction, to have him
examine your eyes. did not wish to mention it at
nome Tor there was no use in making any one else
7 sharer OF my suspense"
= - ". Willlams' voice was very kind. liked that
~ proceeded gently with his examination. For five
nain was IN an agony of hope. In fancy saw
AGAIN earth and sky and dearer STILL the SWEET face
: VI 10y oroe. Leona held my hand tightly.