New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-12-25

Ernest, then at Virginia, who hung with /
flashing eyes and burning cheeks breathless
upon their words, and said:
"Veronica-Douglas ~ AL q go
His listeners shuddered and paled, and
turned icy cold at the prophecy Of wee his
tones implied.
A short season of doubt aud uncertainty
ensued, in which they attempted to arrange
for the contingencies of a troubled future
by writing to the Vasson family, but already
mail communication was much Interrupted
and II blank silence lay between those who
recently had been in the enjoyment OF sweet
and frequent intercourse
Ernest, with his light, hopeful nature,
rallied first and cemfdrted himself with the
belief that it was for brief space only that
he was thus separated from his love, and
full of young soldiers fancies and aspira.
fions, and with mothers sacred tears aud
holy blessings on lis youthful head, he
sought his native State, there to do his
devoir according to the dictates of his
chivalric nature.
A little later his elder brother journeyed
in the same direction In command of a tine
body of men who hadTallied to his call aud
whom he lad armed and equipped from his
own resources.
Their father remained behind watching
the troubled horizon bf his country with u
heavy heart, and visbly dropped and faded
III hSuliu D6lOIb lb5 l6HElul aopGib. anu GIG
the contest was well begun lay dead, with
only his wife and two daughters to shed
their tears upon his loved corpse, as much
q victim to the disruption of the Union as if
he h I'd persisted on the battlefield.
The great house of Ashbridge IL Sons,
with none to represent its interests, was
closed without the possibility of any settle
ment of its affairs.
Before the shriveling breath of war for
tunes seem to vanish away and as this one
drew to a close, one resource after another
having been withdrawn from her, Mrs. Ash
bridge found that she must perforce seek
she ter in an humble home, and that for
livelihood for themselves and Addie she
and her eldest daughter must learn to de-
pend upon their own exertions.
The spirit of desolation neither had yet
finished emptying its vial on their devoted
heads, for at the very last, after having
braved the perils of successive pitched bat
ties, when the great white banner of peace
was slowly approaching to supplant the
bloody flags which had so long huttered
to the winds, some blurred aud blotted lines
which John found means to send told how
Earnest-the gay, the impetuous, the
brave-had been borne by the stout arms of
surviving comrades in from Il scout, stiff
and stark and cold, his soft locks all clothed
and bemired, and the light quite, quite
gone out from his sunny eyes forever.
''My boy my boy!
My lifes sweet toy,
My hearts dear JOY:
Oh! woe is me.
Was the sleepless, the uneeasing cry of
the stricken mothers heart.
To the fierce anguish of maternal grief,
Virginia felt that her own keen sorrow fox
her brothers loss was as naught; SO she
hushed its sobs and means to soothe and
apaak the GoD1 fOrt ohlp words which Christ
has left for those who travail and are heavy
laden, but only to find that stream of gall
like bitterness had flooded the lofty char
and genial faith which were the foundation
stones of her mothers noble disposition.
Then the little crumbs of comfort with
which the young girl from time to time had
fed her hungry heart-the occasional meu-
tion of her lovers name-the sweet comics
sion of her undated tenderness, by which
she seemed to pledge herself to him anew
the earnest aspiration for the day when they
might meet again-Were all snatched away
from her, made impossible By the chang e i'll
Mrs. Ashbridge's nature, which brooked no
kindly mention of any one, who, however re
motely was Identified with the foe before
whom Ernest had fallen. Then Virginia
trembled anew for her future happin ss,
but she still stroye to be brave and true,
and strong for her mother to lean upon in
the time OF her fiery trial.
Close upon this keen stroke of fate came
the news of final surrender, aud then
after few weeks of despairing apathy, John
returned to them trough and worn with ex-
posture and scant fare.
Addle, who fervently sighed after the
''lesh, pots of Egypt had visions of re-
newed prosperity engendered by her
brothers presence, and with the happy
privilege of youth boomed rosy with de-
light, amid an atmosphere dank with tears,
while Virginia rested IN his strong arms
with seuse of protection and security
which she had not known for many months.
Mrs. Ashbridge alone rendered uniust-un
natural by the wild impiety OF rebellious
grief refused to fad cause for satisfaction in
the presence even of her eldest born, when
the Absolam of her heart had passed away
from her sight in the glory OF his manhood,
never more to return. The little house
hold were sadly bowed by their weight of
woe and the sunshine OF happiness seemed
to have darkly set upon their lives.
Virginia's thoughts turned ever secretly
toward their magnet, Douglas Vasson-
where was he-had he taken part in the re
cent mighty struggle; if alive, did he still
love her, aud If So might not her changed
condition rise up between them as an I'M
possible barrier?
After few weeks of necessary rest
John quietly set himself to work to hunt
up the scattered fragment of their for.
tunes. Collecting such OF the books aud
papers of the old firm as were to be found
he gave large portion of each day to their
investigation, but CLEANED therefrom small
material to cheer him in the vague hope
which he had entertained of being able to
open again, even if it were upon a limited
scale, the once notable house of ''Ashbridge
& Sons,' SO completely were its assets which
could still be produced, covered by iiabiii-
ties to Northern firms
While busted in this anxious task, which
was conducted at home, Johns attention
was often fixed upon his sister Virginia, and
something hid deep within his own heart
enabled him skillfully to interpret the de-
,jected languor to which she yielded in her
times of leisure, and the yearning search her
eyes made into vacancy in her moments of
reverie.
He cast around him, in the tenderness of
his love for her, to see if he could In any
way come to her rescue, but with due pride
both for herself and him, he could not en-
terrain the thought of making overtures to
those who, in the great changes which the
war had brought. might possibly reject
them with scorD---if positions had been re.
versed now, be knew how quickly he would
have flown to-to-and as the wings of his
fancy would droop he would conclude with
great severity to himself to comfort the
golden haired darling OF his dead brothers
heart.
In this unsatisfactory way time passed
slowly on until the anniversary of the dear
Christmas WAS again at hand.
The morning of the day which ushers in
its "even john had passed out as usual to be
absent until their dinner hour but soon I'M
expeetedly returned with quick, elastic step,
and face lit up with glow of satisfaction,
the cause of which was found in curt bu-