The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-07-03
fur the Notlte Circle.
MY EARLY FRIEND.

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MY EARLY FRIEND.
aGertie is so lovely" I said, glancing
at my own image, reflected in the MIR
ror, -s--s.-
had Just .twiined snowdropsinmy hair,
which dropped low on my neck, and Ed
gar said, as he stood watching the finish
ING touches given to my toilet =.
saGertie will out-shine you tonight,
Nan; saw her as passed tonight, and
she looked like an angel floating BY IN
cloud of white,
He spoke enthusiastically, my boy bro
Tier. towing at the same time with the
heavy braids of my poor yellow hair. l
my my dearest friend, and no feelings of rival
ship had as yet married. the current Of: our
lives; so simply said, aGertie is so love-
ly," and. turned for a parting look at my
short, 'dumpy figure.
twas the night Of AIRS. Wilson's party,
and we. were to SO in the same carriage;
Gertie and her father, and Edgar and my
self
aSnowdrops, Nan ?" said .Gertie, as the
light from the dressing room fell upon us,
GAh, ma chare, some day will be taking
wings and flying. away and she laughed
merry, ripping laugh.
Z glanced at her brown curls, falling over
Rer snowy neck, at her soft, floating 'tulle;
and the bright flowers she wore, and
thought of what Edgar had said inregard
to the 'sangel in white" but somehow she
hooked earthly to me-, with her gay, child
ish ways
Some one was singing when we entered
tie brilliantly lighted rooms, a clear, man
ly voice, and a deep hush seemed to per
wade the vast assembly. We:sought the
enclosure of a lay window, and listened to
the music. The song was very plaintiye.
I think of it now, in. these after years, with
the same sharp pain at-my heart there was
then.
Lglanced at Gertie as the last note Of
the song died away, but she only smiled
archly, and said In q soft whisper
ssMr. Tracy; you know him.
shook my head.
Just then crowd of people surrounded
Us, and we were soon separated. Once,
in passing through the room, I encounter
edGertie she.w was leaning upon the arm
of stranger. Iwould have passed, but
she stopped me-
aMr. Tracy, my friend, Miss We're"
He bowed in acknowledg dgment, murmur-
ed some words expressive OF pleasure,
bowed again, and passed on.
I only saw broad, intellectual forehead,
a pair of piercing black eyes. and mass
of dark, curly hair; but I heard voice of
peculiar richness. and fell to musing as
we promenaded the long rooms.
care you given to long .reveries, Miss
Vere?n asked my companion.
started. Perhaps had been in deep
thought long time, could not tell |
seized upon any subject near at hand to
atone for my long silence. Some fine en-
cravings hung near, and we paused before
them In reply TO some question of mine,
my companion with the eye OF q true:poet,
descanted upon the merits Of the picture.
A voice near me attracted my attention.
E surned. -Gertic and Mr. Tracy were
standing before 'Sunsct on the Rhine" :"
He was speaking. listened.
"Alexander Smith, in his Life Drama,
gives the finest description of the bridal of
the ocean and the shore. have you ever
read it, Miss Howard?'
could not hear Gertie's reply, but I
saw the brown eyes lifted to his face for q
moment, and guessed what she was saying.
We turned away to find scat, for was
weary, and that dull pain at my heart came
back again. Somehow Iseemed to be out
on the tracklcss ocean, while Gertie was
drifting far away from me, and the sound
of gay voices seemed to my ear only the
>dashing of remorseless billows.
did not see Gcrte again until we were
i'm the carriage, bound for home, aud then
she. only nestled her curly head on my
shoulder, and murmured like a weary
child
ooh, I am so tired, Nan"
But I had seen the pressure of his hand
in the moonlight, and Che whispered sSgood
night" at the carriage window.
When the harvest fields were white Ger
tie came and whispered secret in my ear !;
she was engaged to Guy Tracy! We were
in the parlor of my own home, sitting there
in the twilight as we talked, and the gray
shades OF evening Satnefed around us just
rs the shades of a darker night afterwards
gathered around her. We grew silent. at
last, wrapped in our own musings. There
came quick ring at the door, then flood
light poured in upon us, and Guy Tracy
entered. The pendants from the candelbra
jingled musically as Mary placed it on the
table, smiling at the same time, IN her
hearty Irish way, and casting sidelong
glances at Gertic.
Guy .murmured something about the
efairies of olden time" as he took us each
by the hand. I had got wonderfully over
mn ,,raindine since the ninht of thn nnrtu