Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1862-07-31

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Indeed the Federas had gained possession
of that part of the couAtry No one moested
me. for the family was poor Union one, who
had been robbed of nearly all their valuabIes.
but who, Notwithstanding our iIl treatment,
did not make known my refuge | need not
tell you how kind they were, how patient aud
careful there was ouy an elderly woman a
boy OF fourteen, young woman ia the family
From the time first opened my eyes after the
deteriam of fever, untl-no matter for time
| but kindness aud teuderest care from both
but principally the young woman, greeted me.
eau see her great, dark, sad eyes, looking
now at me- Dieu how beautiful, how tender,
how fuli of love. Love- did say 2 alteration
What life was hers Poor Nina, poor Nj,
ma She was the daughter of one of the
proudest and most influential merchants in
Ne" Orleans-ber mother qnadroon slave
The father died one day with apopexy with
out adjusting his property" leaving Nina a
slave. Zoo proud, too good, too beautiful
She hed, foc her mother had already named
the Prlce-three thousand dollars | gnashed
my teeth at the accursed nstituton-she
! taught ME that was fighting to perpetuate
She, poor Nina not even then safe from eur
SnerS. cannot express to YOU how gentle
aud tender was her care of me- [ can only
tell you it inspired the deepest love" The in
valid raised EimSelf on Que arm, flashing dark
er, deeper than ever were lis black eycs-a
noble brow, white and thin to spirituality
the proud lips qniveriug with pain and pas.
sion, Again tried unavangly to sooth him
he mast have felt The strong tide of life ebb
ing, bot it seemed oaly to nerve him on to
speaking.
/" bad left in New Orleans rare beauties,
my own cousin, proud, elegant woman | have
trlt'ered tlne away over s0uleSS creatures |
have believed myself iu love with moths, gilt
tering, gaudy, vain beings but never had
loved truly till saw Nina Y You do not know
what it cost me to confess this even to myself
|, who hfd proudeSt oi blood in my veins-I
to love a woman tainted with African lineage!
feel wild room Swms ms-hush YOU must
listen Nna'S voice was rich with melody, |
Int it became torture. Her gentle, healing
distracted me, her light fotfalI, her winning
womanlineSs aud modesty all Jared was
dearly IN d, aud because | loved her-loved
her whose price was three M0usand dollars
g can see the room where [ lay day after
day battling dire thoughts-wan and weak |
weaker than now for to night | an strong
Ny wound would not heal, for my brain was
on fire. So lying there on aice white pillow,
fauned or read to by that eautiful, sad, pas
S!unate woman, who, even in her 2ice sense 0.
beauty and order, in her ovng desire to please,
III her longing to amu>e Or change the curreNt
OF my unhappy thoughts, betrayed the same
emotion that was galliug M. She wreathed
flowers deXtrously she cooked tn most deli
cate birds for my fastidiouS appetite she
sang scftly lowtoued ballads rich and sweet
in Old French words And |, cold, mute, pas
sive listened with ears intent to hear, eyes
aching to drink in her loveiiness a.; for she was
lovely-yes, though only worth three Mous1nA
d0iiars
= | will stop soon you are kind to be pa
tieht. | was dreaming one night of past scenes
of my beautiful, fashionable cousin bnt !
their faces became suddenly dark and vicious
as imps their voices tunnting, mOcking me
with my love Of glory my hopes of fame =
for it seemed as it Nina had told them of my
love for her, and i'll their impiShness it became
n matter Of rare sport TO jper and mock inc
with my sudden fall from greatness, from ances,
tral pride suppose spoke aloud in my dreams
for rs | woke ii pale face, floating in tear, van
ished Ike a vision before me. So | knew that
Nina had heard all. The next day was e /
all alone. Oh, how long it was how wear
lily impatient | became Tor my kind nurse my
tender friend ! The day wore away, and even.
ing came Ia the long, tranquil twilight |
watched the stars as sick man will longing
for Nina. She came at last, slowly, feeby as
If very tired and weary and depressed. For
the frs. time | drew her close to me, her un-
resisting head down on my bosom, and told
her that loved her better than life. better
than fame, better than any human being in
the wide, wide world. She was very still; only
her soft breath on my cheek. only the beating
OF ner heart close to mine told me that she
heard Again spoke, more intensely, more
impatientIy, told her all my stnggles ny
whole heart poured itself out, aud still she
kuelt at my side in silence
Speak, Nina y l said, only say one
word"
q" | would die for you-I would die but
| can not live and be yours" was her only
reply.
But, Nina. you must Have l not given
up all Am lot willing to res ign a claim
which the world acknow edges-good birth 2"
| was going on when she pasSonately ex-
claimed
cannot bear it-stopi ! cannot be be-
meath even you | have no tame woman's
heart have the fire of the South burning,
leaplng III my veins !" She rose quickly, stand
ing beside NE in her beautiful Indignation, pride
and love struggling together as they bad done
with me. Her words came wildly fast md in
coherent. She spoke of her white father bit
terly, witheringy of her slave mother with
unmixed contempt of the world in disdain,
almost cursiDg her Creator. She was in
passion of wild grief of Utter, unsubdued an.
guish. [ tried to allay her sorrow, assuring
her OF my love. Gradually she Gained down;
tears came to her relief She carressed me as
if | had been a little child she had unwittingly
lnjured-all barshness, all reproach ceased to
issue from her l;ps 1t was lik the hushIns of