Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-01-18


trees Neither did he drink much wine,
whose quality was of the rarest, being
of his own stock, drawn from his faith
er's rich store In his Madeira cellar
OF the luscious grapes ana oranges,
he partook more freely, as if they cool
ed his tongue. That there was fever,
and nervous excitement in the young
man 5 frame, was evident.
The frankness, the almost childish
confidence and Open-heartedness Of
the young people formed one of the
greatest attractions to the usually reti-
cent, thoughtful physician He felt
his own impulses expanding under the
warmth of their sunny natures, until
the very romance of his boyhoOd stir
red again, and sprOuted through the
mould in which it lay dormant. There
was nothing In their past history or
present prospects which, seemingly,
they. cared to conceal, so that he had
become possessed of a pretty fair his
tory of their lives before the last
course came upon the board Both
were born In the island of Madeira
st Victor was 24 Edith 19 years of
age. Their mother was the daughter
Of an American merchant, long resi-
dent on the island; their father was
French gentleman of fortune, who had
retired to the island for his health,
had loved and won the fair American
girl, and lived with her a life of al
most visionary beauty and happiness.
Their father had joined their grand
father In some of his mercantile ad-
ventures; hence these voyages to the
Indies, to South America, to the Med
.iterranean, in which the children were
participants They also had spent a
few years in France, cultivating the
acquaintance of their relatives there,
and adding some finishing touches to
st. VictOr's education. which, having
been conducted under his father s eye
by accomplished tutors, was unusually
thorough and varied for one so young.
This fact the doctor surmised during
the progress of the banquet, though
he did not ascertain the full extent of
the young mans accomplishments un-
til a future day. Nor was Edith's ed
ucatiOn overlooked. She was in a re-
markable degree fitted to be the com
pauion and confidante Of her brother
-sympathizing in his tastes, reading
his books, enjoying his pastimes. and
sharing his ambitions to their utmost.
1t was beautiful blen ding of natures,
such as the world too rarely beholds,
such as our received systems of
education cannot produce.
Their grandfather had been dead
for several years; their father for three,
their mother for two. She faded rap
idly after fathers death-drOoped like
a frost -blighted flower, said ST. Vic
tor. "They had been too happy in this
world to remain very long apart In the
mex"
You now see, the narrator of these
family "reminiscences at length said,
why Edith and myself are so unlike
My sister Is her neither over again,
fair and bright, like your New York
ladies, among ths-Tf30st beautiful WO-
men, IN many respects, / have ever
seen. I am dark and thin,-a very
Frenchman in tastes, temperament and
habits"
He toyed few moments with an or
ange; then, again tleaning toward the
physician, he said, In that sharp whis-
per which once before during the ev-
ening he had made use Of
L will tell you all, doctor. My ia
theT died insane. We afterwards
learned that it was one of the inberi-
tances of his haughty and wealthy
family. The peace and delight which
he had with his wife and children long
delayed the terrible legacy; but it fell
due at last. He died maniac-a raw
ing maniac. She does not know 1t. It
killed her mother. Imagine, doctor,
imagine, if you can, how | watch over
her how I pity! how I dread I 0 God!
to think that I must detect those
symptoms, as I have done during sthe
past six months. l have seen the vi
rus IN her eyes tonight, Look at her
now, doctor-nolC with a stealthy
side glance at the beautiful girl who,
at the moment, was smiling absently
over a flower which she had ia ken from
its vase-smiling only as girls ean---as,
if it interpreted something deeper than
a passing thought.
It is impossible to describe the pier
cling power of his eye, as he turned it
from the face of his sister to that of
his guest Accustomed as he was TO
every form of suffering, Dr. Graham
shrank from the appeal in that search
ing look, which mutely asked if there
were any hope.
The clear whisper Ia which St. Vic
tor had spoken aroused Edith from
heZ revery she darted a glance at
both parties, so full of suspicion and
dread, so in contrast with her natural
sunny expression, that it was as if her
face had suddenly Withered, from that
of child, to the thin features of the
careworn woman of fifty She half
rose in her chair, faltered, san K back,
and sat gazing fixedly at the two men F.;
yet silent as a statute,
St. Victor was the first to recover
himself. He burst into light laugh
sweet as a shower Of flowers, and,
taking up slender-necked decanter Of
pale wine, passed it to his guest re-
marking
We are forgetting that this is Christ
mas night. Fill your glass, my friend,
with this wine,-the oldest and rarest
of our precious stOre,-and [ will fill
mine. Then. we will both drink joy
ously to the health of my only darling
my one beleved-my sister.
He said this so prettily, poured out
the wine with such arch pleasantly Of
gesture, that the color came back to
Edith's cheeks; and when the two
men bowed to her. before drinking,
she gave them a smile, stepped Ia mel
ancholy, but very sweet, and brimming
/ with affection. 1t thrilled DIR. Gra-
hams veins more warmly than the
! priceless wine. |
After our mothers death, contin-
ue1 St. Victor, in his natural voice,
we found ourselves quite alone. We
had formed no great attac hment to our
relatives in France: and, as one branch
of our fathers business remained still
unsettled in this country, we resolved
/ to come hither. Then, too, we had a
a longing to behold the land which was
our mothers. When we had arranged
and closed up our affairs in Madeira
we sailed for France, where we spent
one winter only. thoUght-with a
tender glance at his sister-"t that a sea
voyage would do Edith good. 1 was
not satisfied about her health; so
drew her away from Paris, and, last
| spring, we fulfilled our promise to see
our mothers land, and came hither.
am afraid the climate here does not
agree with her Do you think she
/ looks we'll p
The girl moved uneasily, casting a
/ beseeehing look at the speaker
4 1T is not who am not strong" she
II