Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-03-21
LovE.-A REmINIsCENoE.
By MARY z. BRYAN.

NrNEu- M0fn hrGt discovered pN a outs nc
was still struggling. but died in short time.
LoVB--A "REMINISCENCES.
BIT NARY F. BRYAN.
Everywhere, in nv wanderngs, ! sought TO
End the love OF which poets had told ne in
their impsssioned verse-the love had mag
ined In my girlho1d, when the DAYS and nights
were fall of rich, sweet dresms that an sang
Of ihe future-the love which Paul has pic
tured as suffering and enduring loag,o ana
seeking not its ogn - asking 10 reHard
untainted by passion aud full Of delicate rev
erance reQairing no hope 70 feed upon, but
burning, like The hxed stars, BY its steadfast
kghts unaltersbiy and forever, as long as the
soul shall last.
Snch wss the love. which to ne seemed Of
an beauty and poetry to live in heaven.
Bat ] sought It in vain. Often, heard OF love,
bot when ANALYSED, its beauty vanished, as the
brightness Of The diamond before The bat'eTy's
searching fame. found the alloys Of pas
sion and selhshness mingled With It all-mise-
rable passion and sslfshness, which men share
IN common with the brutes around them Was
there then nothing mors spiritual 10 love? ? No
love o. the soul--unniXed with grossness and
sensuality2 A love that could worship its
idol afar of; hat would place it on so high
pedestal of reverence, that passion could never
touch il with Der feshY band. / knew that,
from the necessities Of our present humanityl
such love could not be universal, but might
there not be some rare peculiar souls set apart
to snshrine it? I saw forms Of such loveli-
Dess-mildly splendid as the star OF evening,
with such nohleHsss Of features; such softnesa
Of coloring; such grace Of movement, that
they seemed Ct shrines for my ideal love; but
thei nnsr corresponded net with the outer form.
I turned 10 women, for their eyes were pnrsrs
their bToWB calmer, than those Of men; and IN
tle hidden paths they trod, they learned sneh
lessons Of patience, and silent resignation, and
foTbearing tenderness, that perchsDce their na-
lures had been purified and etherislized by the
ordeal, and made capable Of that love which
haunted me like the perfume Of wild violet,
which Itself cannot be seen. And 1 found,
indeed, taat there were women, who bad this
high ideal Of love implanted il their souls, but
they would not prove true to it. They were
not strong and brave enough to keep their
hearts like the crystal vase Of a temple, cor
secrated 20 the wine Of heaven alone. They
took Passions hot hand, regardless Of Loves
sweet eyes. Or they sold their ideal for pol
icy's sske-bsrtered It FOR wealth, for slothful
ease, FOR position, or for the sake Of conform
itV 10 the usages Of society.
I found not the leve ! sought. Then l de-
SPARED. L is not q human plant I said. Il
is ike the wondrous bird that is tabled to hoat
always in the air, and never to touch the earth,
not even to slight upon roses and lilies. So
this beautiful Love floats Onlyin the pure ether
Of the poets dream.
But, one dav, sat among the low limbs Of a
hiek-lesved juniper tree, and saw a lady
walking slowly along the lsne-s lady, pale
and plain, save for the sweet light in her eyes
aud the gentle look about her mouth. As she
walked, she dropped rose from her light hair,
but she did not stoop to replace It. She went
on, down the hin, With thoughtful steps and
eyes that sought the ground. As-she passed
from sight, sun-burnt youth-searcelY more
than a boy-in the coarse dress Of a peasant,
sprsng over the fence, took up The rose, kissed
it, and put it in his bosom. L was not done
pessionately, but with reverent tenderness
with something Of the feeling with which the
kneeling Mary kissed her Saviour's feet.
Aftsrward, came 10 know the lady, aud in
a little while we grew to friends. She had
Bothing bsautifal about her excep. Der soul
which, shining sometimes through Der pale
eyes, gave them a beauty independent Of col
oring OF shape. ] questioned hsr about the
boy IN such way as to bsTsy bis secret
and found that she knew little about bin. She
had met him occasionally in her charitable
visits among the poor. Several times she had
seen hin at bis mothers house, when she bad
been ii. 80 long, and she had sometimes spoken Z
TO him. That was al she remembered.
not their bl0ssomiBg to the care Of man-wild 4
roses, and conyoivulus, sWee. aZaleas, and the I
golden jssssmine, whose hue was a shade or
two darker than her aooHlig igbt-colored hair. l
She was too weak and delicate to seek them (
in the woods and upon their native hills, but /
there was no need Of this. Every morning
upon The low pos Of the outer gate, was found
a bouquet Of wild flowers, in all the freshness
OF their dew and the grscefulncss Of their TO
- reH a.
were there 10 greet her. Who placed them
there, she could not tell. and kept The secret
safely, for already she was : betrothed bride,
and. had she been fIee, knowledge Of her "a
hician training and her pride Of family would
have sealed my lips.
She married not, think, from passion or
love, CT yet wor dly policy, but because it was
customary to marry and was expected Of her
by Der circle q friends, and because she knew
not how else to fulfill purpose in life. She
did not inquire too deeply into the motives Of
hin who took her FOR bis wife whether it was
for her wealth that be wooed her, or for love
OF her fragile self, that was not l0Fable, save
to one who could appreciate the delicate
bsauty OF her heart and mind.
She was more weak and fragile stiil after
her marriage. She never followed her thoughts |
out 30 green woods, where they lsTed to wan
der, but the hoxers still caEe, and in autumn I
ally, OF a wreath Of bTight-colored autumn /
leaves.
This I learned from her Tor I was away, and I
when returned she laid in my arms a little /
baby, with her ewes and smile. Aud she her /
self was diving fading slowly like the waning /
moon, and looking as though she needed to Be /
bat one shade paler to be wrapped in her wind /
ing sheet.
One dav I took ihs baby ami its nurse to |
"a IL It. Ff.-
watching the sunset bathe goidehlY the sea OF 4
forest green beneath, the nurse went down to /
the field on the other side where two men were /
raaping; and one Of these, she ssid, asked % /
zee the child, and reached for it across the I
hedge, aud kissed t. And then be bad sat !
down with it 10 The corner Of the fence and I
when be rose Up and gave Il back to Der with /
ont a word bis face vas wet with tears, and /
be wiped them away on his sleeve.
aro be sureD said the girl, " be must have I
lost baby Of bic own, but be was % young 4
looking, with great black eyes and a face all /
brown, except his forehead, that was as white
Almost as baby's."
That simmer closed the llfe of nv gentle |
friend. she passed away with the flowers, /
and when came again year after, found l
her grave. ! went there alone one evening-it 4
was not the first tine / bad been. Il was an 1
evening In October, but the day bad been I
snd the sunset was solemn aud splendid. As I
neared che grave-ny feet rustltng In The /
long chnrcbyard grass-some one started up /
from the rose tree at its foot. Our eyes met;
be was paler than when saw him irst Ia the /
lane upon the hhl, but the large eyes were the /
same, though now al red with weeping. 1
bowed nv head reveTently ana passed him.
He bad knelt at the foot Of The grave, and
upon The slab were lain some late purple gen |
tsins and 3 spray OF the yellow jessamine, [
called into blossom BY The smile OF the Indian 1
sumner. sat down upon The grave and wspt |
silently and softly not for the dead beneath, I
for she slept well not for the husband, for a. /
ready be bad brought another and faiTer
bride to bis home but because was touched {
10 tears bv the beauty Of the love had sought /
30 long. ] had found the gem in an nnpolished /
cssket. but not less was II sweet and holy. !
cannot tell you how It moved ms-this silent, I
uursvsaling love, cherished in secret, and in an
nnrftv ard repsrenes; unvisited by hope, unfed
~ passion, seeking only the happiness Of It's
object and surviving sftef the grave had closed
sbore ter. and her npon whose bosom her head
ha7 80. BAD ceased to remember her-
.fhst frne. hieb-hssrted boy works stlii, With
'..s5r fnfj-srorn hands 10 the field BY his faith
80 30 His face was full Of maHliness. of
h,7sst nd earnest purpose, and II there is
- Sovv in his dark eyes, ihsre are none VINO
.-,f,,s q s,eept bis Old mother. But lam sure
y. - sfill tbe rose that Fell from the hair
n her = bopelsssly and rsversntly beloved.
sink he viii keep It to bis dying Day.
,oc,vorrvfs on CoMMoN RoADs.-Tbe sue-
- of fbs experiment in E agland OF running