The mountain Democrat., 1865-03-04
A TALE or TRUE LOVE.

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dries up the brook.
Beside him, young girl, srarcely more
than . child, was Wringing her hands and
sobbing wildly. Near her stOOd q yOung
man, in the uniform Of a French soldier,
irving to calm the gri' she seemed p0w.
-rlrS> t0 control.
Hush, darliner hr whispered. Your
fathers last moments muSI he male peace
ful. Do not disturb him by those tears
Already his burden uf sickness and snr.
r"w i too great Think how he would
have y"" strengthen your mind ngH,ns'
what is n"w Inevitable. Look! he beck
"nS v"u 10 his side
Nearr, Louise, nearer! ! cannot hea,
YOUR v0ire there. I'iI Francis stand Nv
my hed! Takr her hand Francis. Nnw
rrUIni~' ME that vnn will I~ver for,akt
NV Child. She is m"thrrlcsS, and viii
soon he faIhrrle>S. A. Won protect aud
I owe he, 80 NAV God mptr out his bless
! - To yOu. II YOU fall
4 The d'ath.Ia'tlp VAS heard, aud the
soldier, krerlIng bv thu he'd, whispered in
the d,I.G = mans EAR words which light d
~, TIE 1sat iarc Nith-It,c Ia Il, am that
'rr ~hanr itnu il. h, YuUti: gnl inint
,d.rIh WaS cam i rut H. h,I lovers arms
lie It her only tn give Tr erIiunS about
III" h'"iV. a d 10 prePa', t"r the fu' er.l
whch Wa ~ prlvat" n possible.
Louise never >aA h,r fath,r aft.r the
.lr"Ii bed >rene. She could not look up
-" him Il. aIh.
N. Montaine had once been a rich mer
chant, largely engaged IN the silk trade.
\ dishonest par tner had ruined hun and
III" S'n"k mud dlSarp"i',tn"n, thre~ him
into Il ( vc', which Resulted as describ, d.
L'ui~r Ans pennlle>S. Even her Jewels
vent To help I" pay the i, hts OF the firm,
TIE dishonest partner having ahscoude'l
with th" a,aIahlr funds
The Young Sn der. Francis Har,Ois. had
been attached t. Lrnise ever since Sh..
wa> a child. llr had daily visited her In
thr> house and tn" little motherlr>>
child had become his hetrnIhed with thr
full consent of the father. 81 ce the run.
oI his hopes, M"n'aine had generously Of.
fpred to release him from his engagement
I" his daughter; but Francis was Shockcn
and indignant at the proposal. He was
wv - Sbul w ShNNtu Nv IllpItNeS
:" mercrnary. lie had lovrd Louise f."
herself. and not her fathers wealth; aud
IN her poverty and bereavement he loved
h,r still more dearly.
H. had, n few months before, enlisted
in one Of the rtgiu" nts organized by the
young Corsican, NapOlean Bonapartr,
whose success and enterprise the world
was just beginning to recognize, and
whom France had set up as her idol.
Scarcely had N. Mnntnine been com
miited to the tomb, ere the summons
came for the young soldier. BTavrly, as
a soldiers beirothed wife should, LOuiSr
encouraged him to go, although the sepa
ration was distressing in her bereaved sit
uaton.
Francis returned from the battle Of
, Mnntenott; but how Crippled, dishg-
ured, the shadow Of his former self, and
with Q vague doubt at his heart whether
Louise would welcome him home. How
could he expect that the young ard beam
tiful girl would mate herself w.th a face
and form like that which his mirror gave
back? Still he had chartered all his
hopes Of happiness in life upon this one
fair bark, aud. if wrecked here, what Was
life to him?
Wrought uP to frenzy with his doubts
and fears, he was brought ho' with a
raging fever, and carried to the house Of
! . relative, where Louise had taken up her
temporary abode. The lady of the house
informed her of his arrival, ard Of the
state in which he had arrived Louise
went Immediately to his bedside, estab
! liShad herself as nurse, and was the first
to greet him when renSOn returned. To
all his doubts and fears, she returned hut
one answer: Had this happened after VT
were married, should have furSaken you:
Aud is there any more reason that
should 10 so now!
She calmed all his Anxietics, assured
him that she desired no other connection,
and sought no greater happiness than to
Sp. nd her lif'. With him.
But am poor, my d'rling, YER. noor.
Frau does not provid, We tor TIA II c |
soldiers, when tnry are pa>I b ing patch
ed up for service. How am II maintain
, you a> you have been accustomed 10 liv,?'
/ Il will tell you, Francis | will g' out
aS gnvernr>s for a year. My salary,
which shall not need to touch, will he
sufficient to stock a pretty little shop,
Nhich we can keep together. ! will d"
! all the active service IN il, while you shall
keep the accounts or do anything you
! Ike
'You are brave girl, L"niSe. You
will Sacrifce Your fir >h young lite to "A
cripple
Never say that as1in. Francis. If y"n
love me. Dear, yOn would not have ENr
saken III" tr such reason
Forgive the. Louise. Let it br as YOU
say. But, oh how can part ~ ith y"n
frr whole wear ?
Louise smiled.
Only now you were talking Of giving
mr up fur life y
'W.ll, my life would have been over
in very short time. Love, | cannot live
without You
Wrscan say little of that year. until it
came nearly to close. Louise obtained
situation in the family of witlO" d
gentleman, and her salary was double
what >he rxpected.a AZ the child she taught
had no one to take care uf her. Louise
was mother, nurse and gnVernesS.
Her dearest pleasure was t" write to
Francis Every week these miSSiVes went,
freighted with all the love of her noble
heart; and every week came the soldiers
manly answer. Little did he know what
a trouble was laid upon the gentle girls
spirit. and how she longed to break the
yoke. only that il she did so their plans
for n competence would be utterly ruined.
Her little pupil. Pauline, had brother,
much older than herSelf-an only son,
whose every desire had been gratitied by
the widowed father. Such illimitable in
diligence had made him naughty, selfish
/ l.a.1...l:aA ..-..a.Ak.. k.r Aoa;.r. .nnl V