The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1868-08-15
AT LAST.

-"
- - e:a Lang 1t must have been, as powerful
q e''ner hend or saint. do: mot usual
y ssle for these popular concerts-th
nEEe no tone in them that reaches my i
~ s.sae sell, no chord that stirs an emotit
! = {ondth most superficial.
- ! came home to dinner earlier th;
= ssaai that day. My wife's t-1l, elegar
n7ere was beneath the gasE<ht in IL
= p-nor, and she had an evening paper
} h{ hand. A friend had walked hon
? , nshl sl me, and left me on the steps. Clan,
ii5 IN at the parlor window, aud seeip
; ss.s lady there, he said, as he shook N
nfpd, By Jupiter, Molyneux, 20
= nFast be the happiest man in thesxorlc
fer your wife is the most beautiful VIC
n.sn''
, And, in truth, she looked so-imper
! teet. | only .lls llsughed slg in reply
Rsught Of his words, ~ ssnass nrSson minute
later, | entered the room where sh
awaited me.
1 went up.to her, and took the whit
hand she extended to me, and raissI it t,
my lips had falleninto the habit o.
greeting her, and receiving careless bur
beautiful smile in return. Her touch did
not thrill me, her eyes did not come to
my soul. Did she love me? Do queens
love And are they women?
" And how has the dayabeen. Mrs.
Molyneaux ?'' I gaily asked, u we pass
ed to the dining-room.
MonotOnous enough" she replied :.
bur, if you please, we will flush it
pleasantly Miss Florian is to sing to-
night at the NARROW Rooms. The world
says no more exquisite singer ever sang
in town.
/" Your suggestions are law" [ re-
Piled, bowing gaily to her.
when We entered the Rooms I was.
Conscious that, as usual, all eyes were
tuned upon my wife; and a flush of
pride, with no particle Of softer feeling.
roe to my face.
We sat toward the front, in full view
ofthe platform. | had time only to Get
seaed-to take my glass from its case /
wRn the side door swung open, and the
plnist entered, leading the chief singer
ofthe evening.
All the blood in me throbbed toward /
m! heart, with such furious, impetuous
flor, that l knew my face was pallid as
thl collar below it. Ny eyes felt a fire
kllliance, an intense dilation, that was
thsindex TO feeling the profoundest Of
allmy life. And in all that sudden rusb |,
ofieeling was tremor Of delight
wlfungoyernable thrill-that.I I thought
M heart had long ago forgotten.
In the woman before ne. standing
cae!essly unconscious of my presence.
1 Peognised the only woman [ had ever !
lopd-the woman l had not seen for t
NV years-whom Lhad never expected J
tomeet again. The applause was shak- a
iHg the house. ~ :
py wife turned to me, saying. {" That $
Us be. W hat do you think Of her ?" }
- the words died upon her GDs. and =
td e1ftser On surprise anu sa4.i s..ss 4.
Asfor me, [ felt reckless with the IN I
teiation and suddenness Of that meet L
il. Ny thirsty soul drank in, with un
cotrollable eagerness, the sight of her a
ore temore-dearer, sweeter, oh, ineom- [
pfatly more attractive, than anything
iIhaven or earth she seemed to me t
TIM, as she had always been.
and, I fool, thoughtless, had done as a
almen do, l believe-had rushed into I
a1ther marriage, because expediency ]
aH wealth called for it. But l could
nc have done that had [ not believed l /
Id lost her forever.
forgot every other person in the
pie, seeing no other singer, not hear
in her even in the first piece, save that
tn mere sound of her voice penetrated
tony soul-to that innermost, where no
oter could ever 90. She looked older
tim in those days of which L was
thking.
She is twenty-six now, I said to
mself
Ter figure had become moro full she {
wa taller than medium, and there was
swet and gracious demeanour that was
lis the carriage of no one. That pas
siaate, dark face before me again And
yehow we'll was the fire of her nature
co,cealed in the countenance and man
na She had come out for the second
song before I noticed the details Of her
personal appearance, SO absorbed was
byher presence, and all it gave me.
Now, with the old tenderness, l saw
her face, as she stood, with long lashes
dropped over the brown eyes, with the
brunette face, slightly hushedfpon the
cheeks, and the delicate lipsEnot full,
only crimson as the center of red rose,
and soft and sweet with that wine-like
power no other lips could have for me.
It was q face like her voice-the richest
and rarest contralto-leaving her lips in
pure music; voice instinct with rich
est Iife-a tone that was for musio>shats !
perfumed air, the opulence of. flowers,
the deepest blue of skies, and the most |
beautiful of sunsets, are for this world |
Tsat motionless beside my wife, hav-
ing forgotten her as completely as tho |
she had never existed. She had never |
loved me; but, from that moment rwas
sure she felt dislike, an anger, jealous
and enduring. And could l blame her?
But that evening | cared not what she
or the world thought. / would have |
given all for one smile from that mouth,
one warm touch of those fingers.
Finally the thought came toNSe, would |
Miss Florian-I remembered mw that
that was her fathers first name-would
she see me, in all that sea of faces up
turned toward her? At last, my gaze,
fxed and penetrating, drew her to the
knowledge Of some presence more earn
est than that of the common crowd,
however enthusiastic they were.
Raising her eyes to begin a song, they
met mine in the first full glance, before
she had time to avert her gaze or con-
ceal it. A wave of red deepened the
color in her cheeks fash of soft fire
glowed in her eyes then her glance had
left me, and she had begun her music,
going through it in that way which call
ed forth the rapturous applause of the
audience; but [ heard not the music,
save in a dreamy way that gave me her
tones in conversation instead.
Mrs. Molyncux's bright, dark eyes had
seen that glance, and an ashy paleness
had overspread her face, leaving it colder
than before. I had no mercy, no pity
to expect from her. And it was natural.
The concert was done, and as the crowd
Laoan tn disDcrSs 4 oentlculan and lady