Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1865-10-20

sweetness the elaborate trilis and wonderful
scales fell with such easy grace that they
seemed more the spontaneous notes Of bird
than the result of science; and when she sang
ballads, her simplicity of style seemed more
like the heartfelt warbling Of a cottage girl
than the marvellous finish of the artist For
nearly two hours she sang, uninterruptedly,
her dark eyes looking forward, filed with
rapt eostacy her form entirely motionless,
the light striking upon her lovely face and
mourning robes, framing a model for a st.
Cecilia, and [ wondering that / had never
before read the music in her brow, eyes and
| lips, a4
At last the food Of melody sank slowly,
gradually in fainting sweetness into silence.
She sat still, utterly lnotionless for a few mo-
ments, the high inspiration dying out from
her face, the whole depth of grief creeping
slowly into her eyes, till suddenly, with a
bitter cry of, show can bear it |" She broke
into passionate sobbing. had never seen
her violently agitated before. She was al
ways so calm, so self-possessed, that this sud
den burst Of despairing sorrow alarmed me.
For some moments my voice was UNDECIDED /;
but I leaned forward and placed my hand on
the bent head, saying, "Alice, my child, let
me share your grief or comfort it,
She heard me then, and it was pitiful to
see how she struggled for composure. Her
little white fingers, laced together as her
arms were raised oyer head, now moved rest
lessly nervously seeking tkhir place her
slight figure convulsed by bitter sobb;ng,
trembled as she stroye to check the sounds
of woe and when at last her sweet face was
raised to mine, its pale lips, swollen eyelids,
and yearning, questioning gaze touched me
to the very heart. iaz - .'1.' W.
Surely you can trust me, [ said, in an
| swer to that look. Tell me your trouble.
Perhaps | can tighten the burden. I am
rich, you know 9na !. 'r.5 ''..0 NJ n
'tMoney cannot help me; she replied; IF
| it could, should never tell you," and her
head was raised with a proud greatness which
it had never borne in my presence before. -
Soon, however, it dropped back into its old
place on the arm ofmy chair and she said !,
''you canuot help me; but you have been 50
you From my earliest childhood have
lived in such house as this, surrounded BY
every luxury, the petted darling Of tie own
er. DR.. Grcyson, my dear father, made my
happiness the object Of his life; he cultivated
every talent be thought he found in me, MAX
ing study delicious by his own advice and
companionship. / had masters for uglsh,
| French, German, and above all music, and
every days study was rewarded BY his praise
and encouragement in the long el:r ~.:-aa
evenings wespent together, He was wealthy
and [ had not a caprice ungratiGed while
his steady judgement kept my hayward fan
GIGS in control: my whims were analysed,
I'LL they melted into air, Or became solid
! foundations for virtue or Improvement Two
years ago, my father tock q pupil, a gentle
man four or five years older than myeelf, the
son ola widow lady who resided in Plymouth.
II will scarcely interest you to tell you my
love-story for [ soon learned to. love this new
member of our home circle. Evening after
evening, when his study for the day was over
he would llager IN our sitting room, talking
reading Or joining his Voice to mine in chou
sand vagaries Of sound that spring sponta-
neousIy to tie lips of music lovers ..'*
She was looking intentiy forward as the
narrative fell from her lips her voice sank
! to monotone, her words seemed studied as
il she were reading the tale from some book,
instead of probing her own heart; while the
rigid erectness of her frame, the steady clasp
of her hands, one within the other, told OF
the strain for composure, the forced calmness.
Horace and / became very dear to each
other" she continued, ''lovers from slmllari-
ty of taste, his noble, true nature absorbing
mine, till would have been content to be
bis servant, to live near him and feel the sun
/ light Of his presence. At last he asked me
to be his wife, and earth held no greater hap
piness for my future life. EIe had won my
fathers consent before he asked mine, and
We were betrothed with every prospect Of q
speedy, happy marriage. Yet, though he
had given a free, willing consent to our en-
gagement, my father seemed reluctant tx
hastea the wedding. We had been so long
dependent upon each other for society, that
even though his house was still to be oul
home, he seemed to dread TIE change my
marriage might make. Horace and had
been engaged for nearly year, when some
business called my lover from home for {
month, and my father promised that upon
his return the wedding preparations sdoull
begin. ..t at
1.-The day after Horace left, was Sitting
in my own room, when my dear father came
up stairs, and after loag, loving converse
ton, placed in my hand some bank notes, t
buy, he said, the wedding 6nery; and then
with something like tear in his eyes, h,
kissed me fer the last time !! The-last time
He was thrown from his carriage an hou
Later, and brought home dead Y a4
She was silent for moment, and then il
the same steady voice that covered 81, imllcl
agony, she recommended her narrative
He had been dead three days when his law
yer called upon ME to tell me that Or. Greysol
was not my father. I was a founding,
child whom he had found neglected ant
abused in some low haunt where his Chart,
had taken him for professional service, ant
/ in his boundless goodness he had taken me t.
his home lie had always intended TO max
me bis heiress, but had died without making
a will [ was still sitting trying to really
this stunning TRUTH, when another visitor Ell
tered, unannounced, Iiorace's mother
i Involuntarily drew the child nearer il
me. We'll could [ understand the bitterness
Of that interview! ---.-