Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-11-30
MISCELLANEOUS.
NO LETTER.
EY ZEPHYR.

DT ZEPHYR.
Is there in all the civilized world a heart
that has never been moved by this brief SEN
tenccY We will not be aware until the all
revealing day, what horror, what Marah- like
Pride prevents the soul looking through its
windows, the eyes, but it suffers all the more
from being denied sympathy.
Look into the ofIioo of your wealthy mer-
chant. The voice of luxury is heard all
around him; yet a restless, anxious look is
on his face, and you can see he is expecting
something a door opens and servant en-
ters, saying, mo letter to-day, sir" Watch
the gentleman as, with rapid, excited steps,
and clenched fist, he PAGES the apartment
lie wears look of intense disappointment,
and with eyes flashing, exclaims "Confound
the fellow What docs he mean? He knows
full well that unless 1 this day get the i'm
pottaut information he promised, my grand
scheme of speculation will be naught. Allis
lost Again, say, coufOund him y
Half running, half dancing, over the vel.
vet-like, aromatic meadows that intervene
between his home and the post Office, is
handsome boy of ten years. His cheek is
cent eyes sparkling with anticipated pleasure,
as he rushes along with madcap grace.
His sister is visiting the great metropolis,
and has promised him lengthy letter of de-
scription. See him few minutes later
The bright, joyous look has deserted his
beautiful eyes, and his check has lost its rich
colorihg. Slowly retracing his r:eps, he sad
ly murmurs
''No letter, no letter -
"No letter, darling wife; but hath lie not
said My grace shall be sufficient for you"
The voice and eyes of the speaker were
very tender as he addressed a sweet, white
browed, baby looking woman who advanced
to meet him, fast as declining years would
permit. A long, deep moan, as if coming
from a broken heart, and the noble husband
catches her ere she falls in a death-like swoon.
Their splendid, gifted boy, their only child,
having been prevented at his carly age from
entering the great battle of life, left one night
leaving no clue to his intentions. Fondly
had his parents hoped and believed he would
repent and write, but days and weeks passed,
and no tidings reached them. The constant
misery had been too much for the poor wo-
man, and nature had given way under the
shock God help you, aged mother !! for on
your heart, as With a burning iron, is writ
ten, "No letter.
Along the dazzlingly illuminated streets,
thtCnged by brilliantly dressed women and
elegantly attired men, fragile creature hur-
rics. drawing her veil closely about her beau
tiful features, upon which impertinent iders
are trying to gaze. She is very lovely, spite
of the inroads mental and physical suffering
haze made on her.
The dress is common and faded, yet in ex-
quisitc taste, and ':lady" is clearly stamped
upon her.
But little that is going on around her she
sees or hears, for a sounding in her ears like
the yell of demons, is mo letter ~
Once she was fortunes child-the petted
darling of society, in which she reigned a
queen. Many were the applicants for her
hand, but out of them she accepted one whose
only dover was nobility of soul and strength
of intellect. Because she welded not gold,
her callous-h hearted parents declared she had
disgraced herself, aud should be nothing more
to them.
Her life was passed in deep, pure JOY, until
The monster consumption seized her husband.
His health becoming too feeble to attend to
it himself, he placed his business in the hands
Of those he thought his friends, but by their
vile treachery all he owned was squantered.
hen came the ola story VI "1bt auu stI
Cling for daily bread.
The swift hands of the patient, loving wife
were never idle, but they could not keep
away starvation. As last resort the parents
were asked, in the name of humanity, to rem
der some assistance. Day after day, for a
month, has the girl wife gone TO the post,
wildly hoping to get an answer to her letter.
She has gone for the last time to-day, for she
knows she will never get a response.
With a silent prayer from the very depths
of her heart to tic Great Father, to make
her strong for the burden that has fallen upon
her, she hurries to her wretched tenement
and dying husband, with the dreadful NO
letterl''
s.Thc searching glanccs Of the stars, are
upon glorious creature standing beside an
open window. The mail had come. and she
had sent ont a messenger, bidding him speed
with all his might. 1t seems to her as Ii
Times chariot will crush her as it passes over
( her so torturingly slow. "Will the boy never
come ?" she muses..
She strains her purpleblack eyes to get q
/ glimpse of him.
Hush-a step-'tis he Her heart nearly
ceases its pulsatiors, and her face is ''ivorJ