The mountain Democrat., 1863-03-28
THE SAD EYES.

The face was fair; the lips SOFT and ruby;
the cheeks warm with summer fushes :;
but the large brown eyes were sad. 1t
was NOT painful, but tender sadness
that lay like thin veil over their bright
ness.
You hardly noticed it at first, but the
shadow in Mrs. Percival's eyes grew more
and more apparent the oftener you looked
into them. They were full of light when
she spoke-dancing, rippling light but
this faded out with a quickness that half
surprised you, making the shadow which
came after it the more noticeable.
What can it mean?' said one friend to
3@s.Ser. They were speaking of Mrs.
Percival and her sad eyes. rs that pecu-
liar look hereditary-a mere transmitted
impression of the soul upon the body; or
is It the sign of an inward state? Do you
know anything of her early history?'
Something
rs she happy in her marr:age?'
4 am afraid not
Then it must be her own fault was
answered. Every one speaks well Of
Mr.. Percival. have seen a great deal
Of him, and hold him in very high re-
gard
in no higher regard than he is held by
his wife, who knows, better than any one
else can know, his worth asa man.
And yet you said, just now, that you
did not think her, married life a happy
one
There is shadow upon it. As the
wife of Mr.. Percival she is not. ! fear, in
her true place. Hence the sad eyes that
look into the " world 80 hOpclesslv.
This was said Of Mr. and Mrs. Percival
Let US 60 back a few years and come near
them in the time when this union was
formed There had been too great ardor
OF pursuit on the side Of Mr.. Percival.-
The beautiful cir! who flashed across his
way in life, 50 dazzed him by her mental
aud personal charms, that he resolved to
secure her hand, no matter what Difficult
ties might intervene. And he soon found
an obstruction in the. way.
An artist named Liston, a young man
Of genius, but modest aud shrinking, as
such men usually are, had already been
attracted by this lovely girl, and she was
meeting his slow and timid approaches
with such tend,r invitations as maiden
delicacy would permit. .,
The quick eyes o. ll@ry Percival soon
discovered the truth. lie saw that the
maiden was deeply interested in the young
artist; and also that LlStou worshlped her
at distance, fearing to approach, lest the
beautiful star in whose light his soul found
li.ht should vcii it,,,f ae a rchUke to his
advances. And seeing this, he resolved
To press in boldly to win the rnaidcn for
himself; to carry off the prize another
vas reaching out to grasp.
She shaIl be mite So be declared in
his heart, ihoHsh he fully understood the
relation which I.iSton and tine maiden
bore to each other SO resolved, when he
knew that love had grown up between
them, aud that She was, to the young art
lst. as the apple of his eye.
|, happened in this case as it happens
in many others. As the old lover adj
vanced the less coulilcat one retired
The ardur OF PulcIval had no abatement.
lie pressed his casc with All impetuo>itv
that bore down all Instructions, almost
ex,orung from the duubtiug and bcwild-
cred gin a promise to become his wife.
Ii Liston had not shown apparent indli-
icTence-had not held himself aloof-thiS
promise, rcpented Of almost as soon As
made. would never have been given. Had
she knowa that her image was IN his
heart, treasured and precious, PercivaTs
suit would have been IDLE.
But she did not know it ; and, i'll her
blindness, she went astray-losing her
self in labyrinth from which she never
escaped.
The effect on Liston, when it was
known that Percival and the maiden he so
worshipcd were engaged, was very sad
He lost for a time, all heart in his work
ALI interest in life.
An intimate friend, who knew of his
attachment, and understood the meaning
Of his altered state, divulged the secret,
and so it became public property, finding
its way to the maiden's ear.
Did you know said gay friend, that
you are charged with serious crime 2
4 have not heard Of that accusation.
What is the crime p she answered, smi-
ling.
The crime of breaking heart
'Ah! Whose hearth There was a
change in the expression of her face; the
smile dying out
'Liston's.'
why do you say that?' she asked,
catching her breath, and showing pallor
of cOuntenance.
'Oh, haven't you heard anything about
it? Why, it's the talk all around. He
was dead in love with you, it seems, but
hadn't the courage to say so; proving the
truth Of the old adage, that Faint heart
never won fair lady And now he's mo-
ping about, and looking so woe-begone,
that everybody is pitying him.
Tm sorry that he should have pain on
} my account, was answered with as much
indifference as could be assumed. Not a
very serious case, imagine
oh, but it is; he fairly worshiped you,
replied the friend. ~'Do you know that a
lunatic asylum is talked Off
Don't, don't say anything more, if you
please It's all gossip and exaggeration,
Of course-but still of kind must not
hear. You forgot that am to be married
in few weeks
The laughing light went out of the gny
friends countenance, for she saw more
than she expected to see.
A few weeks passed, and the wedding
day arrived, when the pale faced maiden
true to her promise, but false to her heart
took up the burden of wifehood, stagger,
! ing under the weight as it came down up.
t on her STOPPING shoulders.
The young husband, when he kissed
her almost colorleSs lips, and gazing upon
her pure face, said Mine ! looked into sad
eyes and felt that his ardent word but hall
expressed the truth-that she was not,
and never could be, all his. lie, too, had