The New Orleans crescent., 1868-06-28
CHAPTER xx1x-coNoLusroN.

CHAPTER xxTx-coNoIUsIoN.
Though human thou didst not deceive me-
Though woman, thou didst not foTsake.
| byron.
The end of our narration now carries us
forward to period several years later than
the events last recorded. During the time
we pass over, the war assumed grander pro-
portions, and finally grew to such dimen-
sions that the area of nearly eleven States be-
came the theater of its actual extent. The
whole continent became the interested par
ticipants in a conflict which had exhibited
hostile armies and fleets and naYies, guided
and controlled by consummate strategy,
upon scale SO gigantic that the history of
the world cannot find its parallel.
But now this stupendous struggle was
drawing to a close-not in consequence of
diminished numbers of combattants-not be-
cause the theater of hostilities had become
more contracted, or the courage of the
| opposing sections less intense; but because
the exhausted land had lifted up its voice and
cried for peace.
Richmond had fallen! The stronghold of
the South had been captured. The armies of
Northern Virginia and the Mississippi had sur
rendered; the question of Southern inde-
pendence had been decided; and the decision
was irrevocable. The triumph of the North
was no longer questionable but a fact de-
termined. Henceforth the Union was in
separable.
And now those who had been so long sepa-
rated from their homes and families was being
| again reunited. One by one the volunteers re-
turned. Night after night some family circle
was made glad-the vacant chair was filed.
Around the family hearth, at our old friend
Col Taylors, the group was complete And
| old friends had gathered in to welcome the
| wanderer back-the fine old drawing room
was full of genial warm-hearted men and
women. Tney had come to hear the story of
his battles from his own lips, and express the
sympathy each one felt in the disappointment
which had made all his sufferings nought!
Here, too, was our old friend Major Hart
well, come to greet tie friends he had not
seen for years.
''Is it not time that Zera were here,
Richard? She said she would come, said
Laura Taylor to her cousin.
Yes, she ought to be here by this timel"
he replied.
sand who is this mythical person whom
| you call Zera, and about whom l have heard
Laura speak SO much during the last four
years ?" inquired old Major Hayes, who sat
close enough to Laura and Bartrelle to hear
the question and reply.
| nl,;s abrupf ;pc,r;ru oaptarad al 49,, ,,.o..
Laura, and, coloring with embarrassment, she
hardly knew what to say; but her father came
to her relief
al will answer that question, my child,
and"
"No, do not, 1 pray you, if,
as l suppose, you have some
reason for preferring to keep the matter to
yourselves" hastily rejoined the old gentle
man. "My question was certainly very i'm
pertinent. Pray, forgive me. And he
seemed greatly embarrassed that he should
have committed so great an impropriety.
"Not so, said Col Taylor; "the explana-
ton ought to be made, and to this group of
friends 1 would certainly prefer to make it.
Here are those who have known me for life
time, and others whom have known since
their infancy there are none here but
friends and no more fitting opportunity
could be had" As the old colonel made this
preface, surprise, astonishment and curiosity
were visible ON every face in the crowded
room; but the company were too polite to
make any observations. My friends" he
continued, "some of you will remember my
brother-in-law, Richards father. lie was a
/ ilan OF strange and wayward destiny, of bril-
liant intellect, but of tastes too indolent to
| direct his mind to the accomplishment of
any great purpose in life. He married nv
only sister but in less than two years after
ward she died. leaving an only child, Richard.
whom she intrusted to the care of my wife.
then living. After the death of bis wife Mr..
Bartrelle seemed utterly tired of life; he lost
interest in everything, and wandered about
from place to place in an aimless and dissat-
isfed way, which finally awakened the serious
apprehensions of his friends for the safety of
his reason. Physicians advised foreign
travel; and at last we persuaded him to visit
the Old World, and spend few years in
visiting the most remarkable points of
interest on the Continent. For the first two
years of his absence he kept us well advised
of his movements. At that time-the time
he wrote to us last-he was in Yezd, an
ancient city in the interior of Persia, and,
what was surprising to us, he had been there
for over year-neyer leaving it-never salts
flying our curiosity as to the cause of his
remaining in one place so long; and then,
suddenly, his correspondence ceased Alto
gether Conjecture, hope, finally died IN our
minds, and We gave him mp for dead. But
our most direful forebodings never pictured
to us destiny as horrible as that which he
really met. Seven years ago we ascertained