Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1863-06-12

| ''W hat have you concealed beFet L sal0
taking hold Of the heavy silk drapery attaches
to a rosewood cornice, and falling in gracefu
folds to The floor.
LILLIAN, Lillian, don't raise it !" screamed
| Mrs. Thornton, springing from The easy chail
in which she had been reclining with the list
lessness o. a dreamy child; and darting TO M
! side, she pressed so heavily against the vel
! that l could discern ths outlines of picture
| frame.
"A picture" :" exclaimed. @Ob, l mus
see it, for can never rest where there is any
thing mysterious"
| But this you cannot, must not see"
did not reply, for having been an inmate
of the house enly week, and this being my
first visit to the library, did not give utter
anee to the thoughts that rushed through my
mind. Perhaps Mrs. Thornton OWNED my
thoughts, as after moments silence, she
said
You are to have access to this library at
all times; every book is at your service, and
you are at liberty even to rummage the draw
ers and pigeon holes of my desk, if your Gu
riosity demands IL; but you must not look be-
meath the veil that hides this picture
Her pale lips tfembled, and her dark ex-
pressiye eyes were fixed on mine.
Just one glance" / said pleadngly.
She moved her head negatively, aRd went
on
How can l study with that mystery ever
before me; and then, too, | shall never sleep
soundly again, but dream the livelong night Of
this mystical veil and that il hides some strange
weird image; or worse become somnambu-
list, and Irighten every servant (who happens
to fear ghosls) from the house, by midnight
explorations and wanderings.
mo eye but mine ever looks upon this veil
ed picture. 1t is sacred, for it is the only rel
ic l have preserved of my past Iife-all that
have to remind me of happy days too bright to
last-of brief period when life's pathway
was strewn with flowers, and dreamed not
that beneath those fair perfumed flowers petals
sharp, piercing thOrDs were hidden"
Her face was as pale as death, and those
deep dark eyes moist with tears.
/ saw that her heart was deeply pained-
that with yelling from memories fount came
painful remem brances, and truly penitent
said
Forgive my tboughtless words, and prem
ise never to raise the veil from this picture,
nor pain your ear by my questions
An intense smile stole over her features and
kissing my cheek she murmured-
Dear child; perhaps some day may lit
the veil and tell you all"
Then turning away to hide her tears, left
me standing before the veiled picture.
Ii was very curious how l came to be
years before, when but fourteen years old, !
came to New Haven to attend school, and
soon after my father leaving for Europe, where
he expected to remain three years, entrusted
me to the guardianship of Mr.. Howe, an old
friend of his college days. 1t was at the
house of Mr.. Howe that | first became ac-
quainted with Mrs. Thornton. She went but
little into society, and my guardians was one
of the few families she visited. Her express
i've face attracted me, and then, too, there was
an indefnabe something in her dark. liquid
eyes, now so sad, and now glowing with so in-
tense a luster, that woke an answering echo in
my young heart.
She always called me to her side to ask me
about my studies, aud when a new book was
announced that she thought would be suitable
for me to read, she placed it in my hand with
my name engraven on the fyeaf in her own
handwriting. Was it strange that my heart
warmed toward her, that her coming was look
ed forward to with pleasure, or that [ often
begged for the privilege of visiting her in her
quiet home? My visits there were not very
frequent, and when there we sat in her bOu-
doir Having never been admitted into the
7 LII In
had very pleasant home in Mr.. Howe's
family; yet it was glad surprise when he said
[ could board with Mrs Thornton if | wished,
and thought could be happy there. Mrs
Thornton had proposed it, as Mr.. Howe's fam
lily anticipated being absent from the city
most of the summer; and, So on the following
Saturday removed to her house.
1t was my first holiday in my new home,
and 1 had gone to the library with Mrs.
Thornton to select book, when, on passing
around my eyes fell upon the silk drapery
shading the wall in the further corner of the
room, and I was was about to pull it aside
when her exclamation prevented. had prom
ised not to look beneath the mysterious folds
OF that veil yet / was not satisfied; curiosity
prompted me to try to catch a hasty glimpse
when Mrs. Thornton was engaged, but honor
forbade.
Summer and autumn passed, and the long
winter evenings were spent in the cosy cheer
full library; and though ! cast many a furtive
glance toward the veiled picture, l dared not
question Mrs. Thornton, and began to despair
of the dawning of that day when she would
relate the history of the picture. 1t was
mild evening in spring and we were sitting
before the CRATE in the library; l watching
the fast dimming Goals that had burned low,
while Mrs. Thornton, with closed eyes, sat near
in the easy chair. My reverie was broken by
the tremulous tones of her voice saying
Lillian, do you remember your mother?"
Then l answered that though l had turned
leaf after leaf of memory's book, yet 1 could
find no record Of mothers love- She died
when was about two years old; yet my faith
er bad been kind, and, as far as possible, filed
the place of both father and mother My
childhood had passed happily, my father was
both friend and instructor, and my first great
grief had been when was sent to school and
my father sailed for Europe.
"Wasyour methers's name Lillian p
There was something in the tone of her
voice that startled me,
"Her name was Florn-Flora May. Was
it not a sweet name p
"Very pretty"
The glowing intensity Of her eye, as met
lis gaze, made my heart throb with strange
sensation.
81 cant tell where she was buried. Once
when 1 asked my father he said it was far
away and we would go TO the place of my
birth when l was older. My father so
IsneIy after mothers death that he sold his
J