Norfolk day book. [volume] (Norfolk and Portsmouth Va.) 1868-1880, 1869-07-26

that was impossible, for the
ties which had made it once so
dear, were all gone to rest, and
| alone was left to watch with
the stars over their graves. -
Although Willowvale was
henceforth to be my adopted
home, yet I could not feel, a.
mid all this gloom, | could
ever make it a permanent abode.
Every day I would go out to
walk through the orchard, and
gather the rich golden fruit
which hung among the green
leaves in such inviting beauty
or wander over to the old rock
spring, where the cooling wa
ter gurgled along, just as it
did years ago, when | was led
by the loving hands of father
and mother. Then when the
stars began to peep slowly out
of the windows of Heaven, 1
would join dear Elsie in an old
plaintive song until the wee
hours would throw a weight on
our eyelids too heavy for the
music 10 light them up-and
t.,sn when that holy day of rest
would come we would 60 to the
same old church, where | had
so often knelt by my fond moth
err in prayer to that Omnipo-
tent Deity whose judgment is
eternal, but 1 could not brush
back the tears from my eyes
they were the tell-tales of my
heart, dropping on the tomb
of Memory. All could I lay
down my lite-for
----.------'Tis best to die
Ere all of bloom from life is fled
Why liye,a when feelings, friends, and
faith ...
Have long been Numbered with the
dead 2
Many were the friends who
called on me, urging that I
come out from my seclusion,
and mingle in society SO rath-
er than appear obstinate, l
yielded to their wish, rather
than my own. The frequent
visits from the army gave me
an ample opportunity Of add
ing new links to my old chain
of acquaintance, and notwith-
withstanding our national
struggle was passing off time
rather cheerfully, until a
scouting party of Sheridan's
threw us all into a state Of wild
excitement although they did
no real damage, for they were
soon routed by a wing of the
Southern army, which was
partly composed of the
cavalry, Of which Arthur was
one. | never asked how he goi
out of the ranks, but somehow
he managed to call on me for a
few minutes, begging that l
would go to Maravatio, for the
sunlight had all gone out since
| left.
| still wore the ring on my
finger, and which he had placed
on in Richmond, as a friend
ship offering, making me prom
Use that I would never return
it, unless | really hated him;
and as my feelings had not
amounted to that height, /
| still wore it as a badge of the
by-gones.
Just before he left he bent
low and whispered, 'Ah, Del, l
know you do not live without
loving, and beng loved; but
you will never find a truer
heart than Arthur Dermont' S.
Then he extended to me the
hand | had rejected, with the
good-by trembling on his
tongue. My heart would will
lingly have called back every
cross word or look [ had ever
given him, but my tongue could
not Q less its wrongs; and so
we parted, he to hasten to his
command, and l to my room,
to think over the past, present,
and future. Sometime after
he left, l had a letter from Lu-
ia, telling me OF her expected
marriage, and begging | would
60 to 'Maravatio' as early as
practicable to assist in her
plans; but somehow she had
neglected to tell me who was
to be her Knight of Honor,
leaving me in dreamy wonder,
to find out the puzzle, without
a key to unlock the mystery.
Elsie would not hear to my
leaving her, without first
promising that |. would not