Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1867-02-28


ling maiden as | shook my head sadly to
her enquiring gaze.
But one chilly evening in the winter,
when the white snow flakes had spread
gauzy mantle along my way, the band of
Frederick Grayson laid folded sheet in my
open palm, with a peculiar fash of his
deep eye, and the simple words cat last p
Joy gave wings tony feet, and the light
snow lay crushed and blackened beneath
them. as few on and on to the watching
fair one. The same glad sparkle, as of
yore, came from those large eyes, and the
ros; tint foated and SWAIN again in the
round dimples of her velvet cheek, as she
clasped the welcome missive and broke the
SEAL
An exclamation of distress from Mrs.
Fay, and turned from my childish de-
monstrations of cxuberant gladness to
Flora. A death-like pallor overspread her
face the open letter lay upon the carpet,
with not a single trace amid it's snowy
folds. A long black curl of her beautiful
hair, gwen to Edward at parting was sus-
pended from her white fingers
No wild shrek or sudden swooning told
the tale of broken heart, but the deep
calm of voiceless woe was mirrored in her
mild, meek face.
A few days more aud we learned from
the mother of the false Edward, that he
had wandered farther away from his boy
hoods home. and that no remembrance of
Flora was breathcd forth in his letters.
Strange that the relentless hand of Time
should shut the door Of memory upon one
so lovely, aid hush the Tyre of love
The dark, wintry days passed away,
and the golden sunshine gushed from the
azure skies, and the bursting buds of spring
time pushed open the dewy lids of their
emerald cases with their dainty ieaf-fng gers,
and all about the white cottage, it was
bright and blooming again
I sat again with dear Flora in the vine
shaded porch, when the eye of day had
turned from the world, and we cast over
the blue rim Of the west "a lingering look
at it's departed monarch The thin, white
face was lifted up to the large diamond
gem, chosen as the star of her destiny in
hours gone by, and my childish heart wept
over the sad change wrought in the lovely
girl since that glad eve
A thick cloud-mist swan up from the
edge of a red and purple pile in the west,
and foated slowly OH towards the brilliant
orb, till its struggling eye lay buried in its
dark BOSOM The sweet girl turned her
languid eyes to mine and with strange
smile, said Edith, It's like my hopes p
May came with it's soft breath and mild
whispers. The old naples nodded their
dark heads in its balmy breath, and the
slender vine that wound it's green arms
about the low easement, showerel down
handfuls of shattered rose leaves ON the
shaded SILL
But she was dead! The white shroud
lay smoothly upon her girlish bosom over
the pure, folded hands, and the long black
curls were swept loosely hack from the
marble brow. laid my little head down
close to the icy cheek wept such tears as
childhood sheds over those it loves.
They bore her from her cottage home to
the silent yard of the little chapel, to the
slow toiling of the village church bell the
damp earth opened its dark breast, and hid
her from our aching hearts
Daily | went to the lonely yard to scat
ter the flowers she loved over her slender
grave and one pale twilight, as linger-
ed there. form rushed wildly through the
little gateway, and Edward Earl, pale and
| hao .r.rd 1-noIt hoc;Io n,o y
[ hated the murderer of our beautiful
Flora, and noiselessly stole from his side
but cold hand cought mine and drew me
back again and there, beside her new
made mound, in the hush of evening with
the long fringe of the dropping willow
moaning over head, he told me, because [
loved the lost one well, the dark tale of the.
past-how Frederick Grayson had woven
asnare for. his unweary feet, thinking to
make dear Flora his bride, till hope expir
ed with her fading form, and he made con-
fession Of his base deception, hoping 70
atone for the past. But it come too late
for the weary victim was softly sleeping in
the shadowy tomb, ere her lover awoke to
the blighting consciousness of trust be-
traysd
And then | told him of the loving girl
how she slowly faded, and dropped,
and died-and the large tear-drops fell
from his dark eyes, and sank into the mould
rounded over her young form.
He was the fond, faithful Edward as Of
old and crept closely up. as in other
days, and laid my childish brow upon his
manly, intwining arm. and sobbed in
sympathy.
The long, silky ringlet. cut from amid
her rich tresses as she lay sleeping in her
white shroud, with life-like smile resting
upon her pale lip, drew from my bosom,
and let its dark rings fall one by one into
his trcmulous hand 1t was all that was
left to him of his beautiful bride bctroshed
He laid his burning brow upon the last rel
ic. of departed, joyous years ; then rose
- 1,,,f, u r Al.