Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1866-11-29
AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

Tomorrow am going to &C
married. | cannot realize tha
I I the dress of snowy satin, with tn
J. gossamer vail and wreath of OF
. ange flowers, can be for plain Care
line Hudson. But the stranges
!, of all is, that | am to marry Johl
Grant-John Grant, whom
! learned to love years ago, but al
thoughts of whom / strove to pu
far from me.
: 1t is six years now since tha
morning in early summer, wher
we two walked together in the
! green wood, the leaves stirred by
a gentle wind, and the birds sing
ing their morning songs. We
were little apart from the rest
of our party, and when we had
gathered our hands full of wild
flowers that were scattered in pro.
fusion at our feet, we sat down by
a felled oak to wait for them. /
was happy on that June morning
as l sat on that old tree by the
side of John Grant, while he
wreathed the buds and blossoms
and the green leaves Of the trail
ing convolvulus among the braids
of my own brown hair.
We did not talk much that
morning, and we had sat in silence
several moments, when John sud
denly said:
! "Caroline, / want to tell you
something"
1t was not the words that made
my heart beat So, and the hot
blood rush to my cheeks and fore
head, for we had known each 9th
er a long time, and he had often
made a confident of me-but it
was the low tone, full of new and
strange tenderness, that thrilled
my whole being. I do not know,
but perheps my voice trembled a
little, as ! said.
swell, what is it, John?"
"Carrie, dear" but the sem
tence was not fnished-just then
the rest Of the party made their
appearance, and effectually put
an end to all confidential CONVEX
sation. - = 30 -<i'l
The next day John Grant left
Tunbridge on business, which re-
quired his presence in Devonshire
for several weeks. Idid not see
him for some time after. his return.
and when he called at last, there
was something undefnable in his
manner; but yet change, a re-
which told me, that those
words once on his lips would not
be spoken. ; c.4-r.-rgFI
Months came and went, and
again be left home, ostensibly5 for +,
business, but it was rumored that
a beautiful young girl at Ferny
Coombes, whose acquaintance he
had made, was the real cause of
his frequent visits to Devonshire.
In little while it was said, and
upon very good authority, that
John Grant was engaged to be
married to Miss Mary Heating;
md it was also said that she was /
yery young and beautiful. Never
i'll then, till / knew he was to
marry another, was the secret of +,
ny own heart revealed to me; :,
,ut then1 knew how Ihad loved !
lim-how all hope, all joy, all !,
arthly happiness, was centered s
n him-even now | shudder when q
think of that time, when life |
eemed such a.heayy burden, and {
longed for a time to lay itdown 3
n the grave; but could not; a /
horny path opened before me, Z
nd | was to walk in it. T.
John Grant returned to Tun- /
ridge soon after bis, engagement, 0
nd in a few weeks Mary Heating !,
anne to Elm Wood on a visit to il
is sister. Soon after her arrival n
was invited to party to be CIV f
q during her stay. dalfE t
In the course of the evening | g
as introduced to her; and strange a
5 it was, from that moment she 2
,emed to cling to me. She was a q
lild in artlessness, and soon COM n
lenced talking of "John," asking y
knew him, &c. - is,@I : m q
4Hoy strange he never men. Y
oned yon-he told me Of SO ma n