The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-02-23

sion of her admiration Never before had she
seen a being SO faultIessly beautiful Bot
even this did not prepare her for the thrilling
charm which the sweet flexible voice, with its
quaint foreign accent, exercised upon her.
1t won her respect and confidence at once.
"Be not surprised, lady, at my presence
Ny right and duty torTatch your cousin in his
extremity, even you viii not question when
I tell you that am" 8. 80 l..ts
She approached and breathed single word
into Lauras ear. Its effectwas electrical. 1t
caused Laura to recoil in intense amazement
"Merciful heayensl Is it you indeed" she
exclaimed, with dilating eye and quivering
Lip. els it you indeed2 OH how came you
here~ and the words came out with low,
sorrowful wall, SO intense and pitiful that it
sounded in that silent chamber like the cry of
the heart as it breaks over the bier of the
dying. ~ -
Eyes, lady, am zera," said the beautiful
Persian, and bound by the solemn covenant
made between the living and the dead. am
come to fulfill my part.
"God bless you, my dear Zeral Pardon
my first expressions-they were wrung from
me in my great surprise, and she took her in
her arms and kissed her repeatedly, while
over each face a joyful light was shining.
:" Yes, your right to watch beside him none
may question. We have never met before,
but we are sisters now. Oh! how have
longed to see you; and it is You in very
truth ?" and smile of such infinite sweetness
fitted across the face of the stately lady, that
Zela involuntarily knelt at her feet to invoke
a blessing.
"Bless you Zera-a thousand blessings on
your head, my dear, darling, beautiful Zera-
They did not exaggerate when they told how
beautiful you were. But shall find time to
admire you as much as / please, for you will
not leave me. We win watch Richard together,
He is my betrothed-will be myhusband-
is your ~
"Nay, lady, speak it not-let the tie that
binds us be secret at present, and the small
white hand was raised with deprecating ges-
ture, while the deep, intense black eyes we're
raised with a look of passionate entreaty.
1t is sufficient, lady, that you recognize the
tie, and have welcomed me so kindly. Go,
you, and snatch a few hours of needed repose.
/ win watch beside your lover as a mother
guards her first-born; go, lady, CO." But
Laura resisted her kindly meant entreaties
and begged to be permitted to stay with her.
eve have never met before, and beg you
VII let me stay. / am not tired with my
watch. Indeed, believe I have slept, and
now feel no need of additional rest, and SO
much desire to talk with you and know you
better We two, of all others, ought to be
&C luainted; let us, therefore, improve this
opportunity"
And Laura seated herself by the young
stranger, and took the soft white hand in her
own. pressing and caressing it with gentle
grace that charmed her visitor. The great
black eyes were looking at the stately girl
with inexpressible tenderness. To nature so
impossible as Zera's this act of simple cour-
tesy was in itself an assurance of coniding
love, and she repaid it with the tenderest
gratitude Beautiful and good, she could not
help loving her. And besides her welcome
had been so free, the restraint stranger feels
had been removed so kindly, her claims SO
cordially recognized, that she felt that she
could never do enough to testify how much
she felt it ALL and how grateful she was. +.
"You are very kind to me, lady; more
Kind than / could have expected you to be-"
Zera replied. looming into your presence
so suddenly, and without the advantage of
Richards protection, could not have antici-
pated SO much kindness. But indeed I am
very grateful to you. 1t is not often, I ina
CINE, that q stranger, foreigner, all but
friendless, meets with SO generous recep-
ton"
"The more reason, dear Zera, why should
be more than kind to you, if that were pos u
BILE. But you forget; I have simply welcomed
you as a dear, trusted friend, and have not
offered that acknowledgement of your high
rank, which the proudest of Europe's nobility
would feel honored in offering to-"
"Zera, lady; am simply Zera, as you
have called me, " interrupted the young stran-
ger; and with such pointed emphasis that
Laura well understood, that whatever the
reason she had for the incognito she assumed,
she intended it to be rigidly preserved.
There was firmness mingled with infinite
tenderness in the tone of her voice, and
the shadows of the cloud that a moment before
rested on her brow was far more sad than
sern. 1t was the lingering touches of sor-
row whose poignant intensity had long ago
made her young heart culver, but which had
spent its fury, while it had saddened her
life.
sLet me call you Laura, and 1 to you am
simply Zera, and this will not prevent our
loving each other very dearly" she said, and
smiled, while Laura could detect in the tone
of her voice an evident struggle to conceal
the intense desire she had that the request
should be complied with.
al could wish nought else, my dear, and
feel that you are doing me an honor in MAX
ing the request"
sOh, mol you must feel nothing of the
sort. We are two girls, you know, nearly of
the same age-perhaps / am a few years the
youngest-and it will be so much pleasanter
for us to be on this footing with each other"
sfTt shall he nc Won CIV INV daor Would