The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1861-02-20
True Love: It's Trial and Triumph.


hall The fair the daughter Of wealthy parents
who resided at st. Louis but generally spent two or
three of the Severest of the winter months in New
Orleans, and Mr.. G. native of Kentucky, young
handsome, and chvarous who was just commencing to
make little headway against that iron fortune" which
Bulwer alndes of the stern aiIors of darn
ing heart
Never have we seen a more lovely creature than
Miss 9. Her hair was dark and glossy and her eyes,
though black as night, were bright the gazelles In
her features all those peculiartes which have been
much admired in choice specimens of Grecian stauary
were present inmore than ordinary perfection and over
her counenance played spiritual halo of intellectu
aty and smile Of such angelic sweetness that
her and to love her were usually correative incidents.
We wondered not that g., who had a soul "open as
day" to the attractions of the pure and beautiful
fascinated by so lovely and sympathsed with
him in all his hopes and fears.
As the night wore on we could see that the magnetic
influence of two souls with but a single thought
prevailed the bosoms of both and gave each interest
in the other, which, though the growth Of but a few
days, would last as long as life.
few weeks after we met Mr.. g. as he was crossing
Lafayette square and noticed said solemnty in his
manner which was altogether unusual Questioning him
as what the matter he after some hesitapcy in
formed US that he about embark for California
He had he said sought and the affections of the
fair girl whom We had last his partner in the
ball All the deep longings OF his heart had been fully
met her maideny partiaity but father knowing
him to be poor had withheld his consent, and though
true loyer she too dutiful daughter to incur
parents anger by marrying against his Will And so,
with OF eternal love upon their lips, they had
parted, hoping much, though knowing not that they
should ever meet again. She had returned with her
father to her home in st. Louis and he had determined
to try the chance of rapid increase offoruHe
the golden shores of the Pacific.
Days grew into months and months into years. A
correspondent at St. Louis kept us advised as the
progress ofeVentS in the family Of the wealthy Mr. c.,
and occasional letter from friend in California
informing rs of his continued success. Closing his
heart IN great measure against all Influences save
love and his desire Of becoming rich G. translated the
initial letter of his surname into Cold but in that
nection he always thought and dreamed of her he loved
and prayed for the time when he could claim her hand
as her fathers peer in wealth 50 he oiled and
hoped on never doubling the faith and truth of the
genth girl whom he had left to await the issue of his
struggles. lie knew that there were hundreds who
would sigh tor alliance with fair aud wealthy an
heress but he placed holy reliance on her purity OF
purpose and the pledged vow OF fidelity which she had
breathed into lis ear.
And what Of her? Nurtured amid the reinements
and rvo!ties Of fashion, with eager suffers kneelng
lat her feet will she remain true to her poor and absent
loyer-true when all around is false? We shall see
For two years she had not seen him vi ose memory
so fOndy amid the tendrls OF her affections and
yet though wealth and station claimed the honor of hei
hand she turned deaf to their eptreaties prefer
ring rather to be the widow of dead hope than tho
wife of one whom she could not love- But her hope
was no dead hope She had living, abiding faith il
the she loved, and she determined to risk all OF
one issue and trust him to the end
HAPPY fair girl, thy faith will yet be sernly tried ant
thy resolve encounter impedments to thee ali unex
pected.
The financial crisis Of 1887 found Mr. lily prepared
for it. Without that forecast Of thought which many
others exhibited be had made immense investments
Just previous to the crash and the result complete
downfall to his hopes Never financial fall more
terrible and complete. OF the immense wealth whct
had been to him such OF pride scarcely yes
tage remained; his wfe-a good kind, but vain woman
q could no longer ride in her carriage with liveriet
servants in attendance, and his daughter longe
Q 'the wealthy heifess OF St Louis
{ There are some minds which can bear up braye
against msiortuHes and whetherp poor rich be Hlly
master of their position But not Of such Stampwer
the minds of Mr. and Mrs c. Neither OF them could bea
0 the idea of poverty. In contrast with their forme
position it stood out in such fearful lines as to com
petely them and Under their altered eircun
7 stances death preferable to life. Mrs. c. shu
herself up; would nobody and pined away SO that
few months she died Mr. c. fond of his bottle before
became now fonder of it apparently than ever. Hi
temper was soured against all the world and instead
looking with delight his fair daughter she seemed
him as curse and a rcproach. Without her he eout
have borne his fate with something Of Patonc rmhcss
but in his poverty, she who bad been so fondy lovet
became almost hideous his sight She wished to seei
employment but he refused his consent, alleging tina
he would rather see her dead. He unable to sup
port her aud yet unwilling for her to support herself
Thus it is that pride and vanity fire ueny become ou
masters when they should be our servans-our tyrant
when thev-should be our slaves
One mil-winter night, a fearful night Of storm, Mr.
C. was seen to leave drinking house at late hou
and next morning he found stiiftned corpse in al
open lot near thoroughfare. The inhabitants of st
Louis will remember the occurrence well, for the tat
= of man who had occupied so prominent position
- and had fallen so low, became a common theme o
conversation and newspaper comment Though tn
father had long ceased be protector to his aughte
H it was truly painful for her to lose him thus-dyn9
alone on night of Storm with companions save hi
own sad thoughts She wept tears, bitter tears Owe
his grave and when she left her steps fatcrng
and she experienced feelings of utter and ndescrbabh
; loneliness as she sought her now humble lodgings
Who shall blame her if with such weight OF sorrow
crushing her Young heart she doubted even her lover
nlighted troth concluding that the world which to he
. had become so changed, was mockery-a bitter lie
thousand times she asked herself if in her fallen tor
tunes she could expect that love to remain faithful whlc
had commenced under circumstances 50 very different
On the night after the funeral she went to bed early
though was late before she wept herself to sleep
During the visions of the night, comforter came
card she thought placed in her hand by an ange
sister who had died years before and it she read
$50 to New Orleans and wait in faith. You will NEE
:, Mr. C.. there; marry him and be happy.
Q The impression made by this dream was UNUSUAL
), clear and wedeined and when the mourncr awakene
she accused herself Of heartlcssncss in allowing he
mind at such time 10 on such asubject, But tn
impression would not be erased. Again and again q
J. she fell into doze, the dreamlaud messenger woul
is reappear and card with the same inscription as b.
/ fore, would be placed in herhand.
IS AT length morning came, and fair girl, alone IN tn
world reelected much concerning her unfortunate pos
e ton She had already determined to leave ST. Lou
: and anavisible prompterseemed continually to whisp'
her ear the words Of the card which appeared MOI
c and more like an inspired utterance.
In few days her affairs were arranged BY sellin
the remains OF her once extensive stock Of jewey s
obtained sufficient means to remove to New 0rleal
and fine morning in April 1888 she left her brit
place with strangely conflicting hopes and fears conten
ing for the mastery in the secret chambers of her hear
X On her arrival here she called on none Of her o
u acquaintance with the exception of clergyman, an
T. on his recommendation she obtained situation as
le teacher Of MUSIC in institution for the educatic
of young ladies'
Here then for the first time she felt that she was in
IN measure mistress of her fortune, and no long
10 dependent on friends and relatives
IS After being fairly settled down in her new mode
life she wrete letter to her California lover giving
, full of al1the msfortunes that had bealen he
ID but the letter Hscarried and recevedby