The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-04-14
From the New York Clipperl
ROSETTA;
The Romance of a Theater.
(CoNCLuDED.l


the thought that he was dying. He was So
truly, and In less than two years from his
mothers flight from her home, he expired
In these arms. Beautifully, peacefully,
passed his spirit away; there was Heaven
Itself in the last lingering look he gave me,
and his last words we're
My motherw
was then verging on old age, and was
more than an old man In looks and heart.
| continued in my profession for some time
longer, but at last gave it mp, as got con-
fused in my prompting, and felt that my
appearance on the stage. In any guisc, was
a melancholy jest. There was no need of
my starving, however, as by decent thrift
had saved up enough money, to provide
myself with decent honle--a home fit for
my lost wife and child, had they been
spared TO me.
/ often heard of Rosetta--of the gay,
happy life she was leading with the man for
whose embraces she had quilted me. had,
however, never craved her to come back to
me-to leave the splendid roof she had
chosen In preference To the humble one
had provided-that is, not until she was
Obliged, 1t was only in the course of ma
ture that should die before she would yet
1t was possible that ! might be alive when
circumstances would separate her from
Talman. and she would be poor. friendless,
abandoned. In the contemplation of that
terrible hour had once written to her. IL
was when had retired from my profession,
ana taken up my permanent home near the
place had lived as a husband In. ] indi-
Gated the house, and that every night a
lamp should be burning In q sort of little
observatory at the top, as signal to Ro-
setta that shelter was awaiting her there,
with tenderness, love, and entire oblivion
of the past. n'-
! entered my new dwelling in summer,
when the weather was warm and beau
tiful, and the earth appeared in its rich gar
,niture.. / employed myself as well as
could, but sorrow for the heavy losses had
sustained preyed upon me. Had / been n
younger man than was, / might have felt
n resentment toward my runaway wife /;
but then j remembered the wide disparity
between our ages, her beauty, too and,
instead of blaming her for what had hap
pened. laid the fault at my own door.
would have gladly died, had 1t not been
for the wish had of seeing my wife once
more, and knowing that she was safe under
my roof for the remainder of her life.
So the weeks dragged slowly along until
1t was December, and the earth. instead of
being green. was white; and the air, so
balmy six months bygone, was so chill.
Somehow, when this wintry weather set In,
| had commenced TO nurse presentiment
that | should die with the year then going
out, but see my wife before departed.
Consequently, took more pains with my
lamp at the top of my house-trimmed Il
earlier than / had when the nights were
shorter. l made 1t more brilliant,too. What
knew but when poor Rosetta sought it,
there might be mist abroad or Il fall of snow
which would make 1t difficult for her 10
perceive 1t.
One day, the weather had set In very Sc
we're; there was keen wind from the north
l. n n 80
as cheerful as possible within doors, and u
while away the time I had kindled goodly
fire, and seating myself by the side of 1t
commenced the reading of Shakespeare
"Winter's Tale" Next to the Book of al
others q need scarcely say the Bible,) haC
derived most consolation from the text o.
the great dramatist. I felt so much of hu.
manity In his pages, and found words so APP
plicable to every phase Of our existence
that he was almost my daily companion.
Prom time to time looked from the
book to the weather. That continued in.
clement-the wind bowling the skeleton
branches of the trees, the snow coming
down In half binding sheet. 1 could no
help apostrophizing the scene and weather
nor of thinking Of the poor creatures who
might be exposed to 1t.
'Probably she Il meant poor Rosetta)
may be out In 1t. Il she Is, God help her
and direct her herer'
Before dusk had trimmed my lamp, ant
had properly fixed II. Then descending
into the room l had been reading In,
closed the blinds and curtains, resumed ny
seat by the side of the fire, and resolved 4
: be wakeful through the night, for l fel
convinced something would happen TO M
ere the sun rose on the morning Of the fol
lowing day.
7 / coanted the hours as they went heavily
by until II was eleven. Then went TO on,
OF the windows, and putting the covering
aside, looked out on the night At first
and for some time afterward, saw nothing
but the snow; but by and by was con
sclous of something in the distance.
strained my eyes TO ascertain. and even
tually discovered what the objects were
lights. They glimmered only faintly, anC
were evidently approaching the house.
l strained my eyes till they seemed burs
ting from their sockets i strained my ears
too, that l might catch =sound--even th,
faintest-tO indicate what business the car
!. lrlers OF these lights were upon; but not
breath could distinguish.
This doubt and anxiety are inSupport
able ~ exclaimed. II can not bear uJ
against them any longer. must go fortl
and ascertain what ] can" Ff .t
The lights of the persons who carried
them must have been much nearer my
dwelling than / supposed as when
reached the house door, i found them
within dozen yards of me. The party
consisted of eight men, four Of whom wer'
carrying something--I could not tell what
only, that it resembled human form. ant
Il was so whlte-yea, whittier than the snow
Y all before me. The men, who had lately
changed carrying with their companions
held torches IN their hands.
"Don't be afraid, friend" said one o
them, apparently under the belief ther,
was much that ought 70 be affrighted by
IL and my fieighbors here, living on the
outskirts Of the town, near you, heard the