Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1860-04-26

can see lt now. 1 afS nave paSSei
but / can never for get tfat picture
! | know now that / never shall. =
With Two Other scenes it will b
painted in never-fading colors be
fore my eyes, till they close in death
| She was wondrously beautiful
Tall and perfectly graceful, with tb,
tiniest hands and feet / ever saw
and small welcomed head, will
soft brown curls looped back from
her forehead. The dark maroon
!, colored melino that she wore, re.
lieved only by plain white collar and
cuffs, heightened the transparency ot
the delicate complexion. Her eyes
were large and grey, with long lashes
i moistened, fancied, by tesr.-
| The face was almost childish in its
perfect simplicity and purity; but
still th9re was determination in the
setting Of The mouth, and womanly
dignity in the open brow; and withal
a holy light seemed to beam upon
her countenance "a calm and holy
light, as though it might be the re-
hection from the wing Of her gusr-
dian angel, for it seemed not of earth.
! She sat little forward on Ler
chair, one band resting on its Grim.
son arm, the other playing with the
folds of her dress, looking earnestly
into the fire. The forked hames
leaped up brightly aud then sank,
the glowing enbers faded into dull
ashes. Did she think : that young
wife, only few hours bride-did
she think that life which opened SO
brightly to her now, when she had
just crossed its threshold, was to leap
upward, warming our hearts for
little while, and then leave them cold
and dark forever?
How much longer | might have
gazed at her l don't know; but Clif-
ton, who had started up, strobe across
the floor, drawing me after him, TO
her side; then in a low, awkward, alb
rupt tone, he said
i am Clifton, madam. I'm glad
to see you
I had never before seen my broth
er-who was rather celebrated for
cool effrontery-so terribly embar-
rassed. But just at that moment
my father returned.
81 cannot find them anywhere
OIL you are here, are you? Clifton,
Harold. come and speak to your moth
Ell. What does this mean, sir??' be
added,putting bis hand heavily on my
sho ulder; for | lad shrunk back,
by his angry look, and
thinking how soon Grannys proph-
ecy seemed coming true, that our
'ather would not love Us any more
when be had new wife. He raised
Ills hand--it had never been lifted F.
lpon me before-but in a moment
ny step,mother had sprung up with
/ frightened cry, 'Malcom!' And she
vas between me and the blow. His !
1and dropped at bis side; the stern
ook passed in moment from his
features. {
There, Edith, take him; you will 5
ind him a sad, naughty hey, I'm {
lfraid, but he will be better with you {
have neglected them sadly Of late :
She sat down again, and still keep {
ng her arm around me, as it had I
,een raised 10 shield me, and drew t
ne toward her, and then holding E
10Th my hands in hers, looked up in ,
ny face. S
And this is Harold, my youngest {
be said, affectionately, smoothing {
,aok the hair from my forehead, {
md pressing a warm kiss there I
He has your forehead and eyes, t
Ialcom, hasn't he? and he must be Q
ny pet, for Clifton is SO tail and i
manly that he will not like that t
lame.' 8
That individual stood with bis n
'aek TO the table, growing redder \
very moment, until, in pity for his b
onfusion, she turned to me and said, 0
q a low tone
we will know and love each other
etter, soon, Harold 1
In my dreams that night, my ideal =
nd READ step-motber WAS strangely P
lendsd. Sometimes | had just \
cen driven from the door TO seek \
ny fortune and it was all dark and Ii
nisty,and could not tell where to go; {
nd at Others, ] stood before her again I
S / did that evening, with her soft, 9
1hite hands on my brown ones, and {
Ier earnest grey eyes looking Up Y