Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-09-20

its mobility; my short nose was piquaut,
and lightened my otherwise mournful
cast of eouuteuance. Then, too, my
white forehead, with its straight, black
brows, suited me; my complexion,
which is neither fair nor darK, ous
Swallowed, 'waxen palor, reminded me
too strongly of Goethe's Mlgnon TO De
anything bat beautiful. Ii l had been
painter, Just such face would have been
my foundation for every picture Intended
for a displAy of the passions, and the
/ differences of expression would have
msGs the faces entirely unlike. Henry
/ Parkhill used to say my one set OF lea
lures held the whole range OF human
/ feeling, and-he, would end with laugh
could change sometimes even to
beauty.
FvsIeep's brightly tender look was
sometimes very sweet to me, purifying
and calming; and again it insensibly
irritated me, it was 30 shallow and
weak, and I would have changed II TO
anything else, even anger, II could
But when those soft, uplifted eyes looked
at Henry PlrkhnI, and I saw, as soon as
be did, the love that lighted them, then
I turned aWay-strong, res0lute to for
get, to harden myself, TO deceive myself
( into thinking that had never cared for
him. There seemed 10 be valve in my
heart that closed down and smothered
/ the love instantly. And l went on my
way, seeing, talking, smiling, just as
/ though the soul were not gone out OF
me, aud I was not an empty hull. was
/ then q devoted hospital visitor, and
many wondered that l could bear the
J constant rack on which my sympathy
vas stretched-how | could calmly /
/ watch the dying, and quietly hear the
/ last horrible cry for mercy when the tor I
I meuts OF the condemned had already 4
/ begun and the dead despair Of the last T,
( groan. TOO late too later All
blessed Is the hospital visitor without a
heart was gentle aud soothing in my .
manner-a habit contracted in the days
when a suffering worm was pain 70 .
me-but no sympathy, no blessed hu- !
man feeling, was in me.
In the meantime, Eveleen was to be (
married to Henry PGrkhill. The night /
of the wedding, just before the cerem0- /
ny, l was leaving EVeleen's room,
where [ had been quieting and calming .
her, when | met Henry PArkhill on the .
stairs. had nay most cordial smiles all /
ready for the occasion, and was passing
him with a merry word, when his visit
ful look stopped me.
"Annette,n he said, coming closs to
He, and laying his hand on nay head,
" God bless you and forgive me-
I looked up Ia his face, and my lips
" felt for 4 smile," but could not find it.
He looked at me with a wandering gszs,
aud turned away. I walked into the
dark room Just behind me, and closing
the door, sal down, with my head against
it, upon the floor. l sat in blind, dead,
vacant way, and then getting up, I crspt
down stairs, just IN time to take nay
place as bridesmaid.
The time passed heavily enough, but
still it passed. 1t was comfort to me,
aad the only one l had, to see that the
months were going, and thst horrible
appetite for Deaths" that inexpressed
and unezpressible longing FOR the grave
the grave, the quiet and the darkness
took firm bold upon me.
And yet who SO constantly cheerful as
/? Who so bright and sctive2 l think
I received more admiration than [ ever
remember to have had before. My face
lost its dark shadows, and became lighter
aud brighter-s surface expression
though the old eyes would look terrii
caiiy al me ct nights from the depths Of
the mirror. they had a famishsd look,
bat why wss iG? L felt nOthing-hoW
then could need anything?
Oae night we were sitting around the
fire IN this very room, about year after
EFelsen's marriage. She was sitting on
that ottoman, sewing, just before the fire,
which frightened the tint OF the blue
dress that, contrasting with the light
curls and peach blossom complexion,
made an effective picture. l was over
there in the shadow by the mantel, tell
ing them long story that [ was imprO-
YIsiGg. Il was q common habit for me
TO imprOvise in that way for their amuse-
ment. Henry wEs standing opposite,
leaning on the mantel, and looking down
at me. At ssme point in my narrative
he said
"Thars ike Southey's Thalaba."
have never read IT," | said.
Not anything in it ?i' be asked, In
strange, unnatural voice.
Nc. The clasp is little difficult to
uufssten, and [ have never opened it,
You remember that | said once that l
had, but it was a fib.h
just then he sat down slowly, and, as
the light fell on his face, l wandered
had not noticed before how old and worn
he looked. l continued my story, and ss
I fuished be raised his hesd, looked at
me heplessy, and gasped, "waterw
Egeleen rushed at him, but putting her
eff with one hand and taking the glass
Of water l held, he drank it and leaned
back in the chair. He did not seem
weak or falling, but his whole face looked
as though in a mortal convulsion. After
3 little he smiled family and resssured
Eveleen. at wss only spasm OF the
hesrt," he said.
The effect Of that never afterward
seemed to leave him, and sometimes,
when We we're alone together, he would
look Just as he did then. l thought he
was afraid OF terrifying Eveleen. We :
recon mended medical advice, but be :
steadily refused to see physician; and
when the war came be suddenly accepted ;
a com mission, and was ordered to the ]
front almost imn ediately.
The night he was to leave he knocked :
at my door and said: " Hurry-dress; / :
am going, and must see your I came
out in few moments. He was standing ,
writing on q slip 0f paper resting against )
the wall. he folded the slip OF paper and ,
put IL in his pocket-book ; then, turning ,
to me, held cut his arms. EveIeen was ,
waiting for him at the foot of the stairs.
did not move. He came to me, lifted
me 10 his arms and ran down the stairs J
with me. For one second his lips
mipei then he put me down on :
the lower step. Eveleen was waiting for !
him, and walked quietly up stairs, un-
dressed, went back to bed and slept :
The first news from him was the pub ;
.ished Bulletin telling of his mortal :
wound received in the first fight. "Brsve !
TO rsshness," was the comment. Hshsd
made 8 hopeless charge, and half his
men were killed or wounded. Next
came the body and the note. Did l ,
weep? Can the dead weep? am even !
as be. Thalabs Thslsba! I'll get it
iown and look at it. Strange that It :
should always have SO affected him I
Here is the book. II Is beautifully bound, ! .
= fancy Of bis. I'll stop writing and ;;
read.
U
have seen it. Let ne write it, that I
nay preserve my reason. After the clasp ;
was opened, there fell out this paper, !
bearing the date of the day he gave the !
book 10 me:
" Annette Wllder-I have always :
owed you'll have always loved. No one :
could ever love you half so WELL Will
you be everything to me ?-BiIl you be !
NY wife? My heart is so full that can
not write. Answer me II l may hope
I not, be silent. Yours always.
ENRY PARKHILL"
As L write thess words, the firsthunaan :
ceiling that have felt fer two long years :
;omes back to me. God grant that with \
he suffering may come some heavenly
lealing-that 1 may "knoW wherefore
He has sfii cted me.1- Eclectic. O