South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1870-09-23
May Kendall.
By MRS. C. W. DENSisoS.


dead in her soft, trans parent drapery,or the
pleasant moon lights up the messed graves,
making luminous the white sculptured MIR
BILE, it is sweet to wander up the shaded
asiles of the slumbrous city, and muse up-
on the holy memories of the departed.
The stars burned with a lustre peculiar
to summer skies. 4 clear, mild atmos-
pierre gave a refreshing elasticity to my
spirits. wandered along scarcely knew
where, and found myself, after a leisure
walk, near the old fashioned burial ground
at Dallstou Falls l was a happy man,
for having that day received diploma, |
was really and professionally All NJ. d.
What directed my steps to the rural bury
ing ground, l cannot tell; but believed,
at the time | was romantic and enthusias-
| tic then, that some mysterious agency
shaped my course. As drew near, the
rustic gate was open The walks glitter
ed in the strong yellow light; the shadows
leaned down from the trees, and frescoed
the smoth gravel with quaint tracery; the
buds and flowers, grouped in dark masses
upon the gently curved mounds Fl knew
they were buds and flowers, for their fra
GRANGE betrayed them, seemed whispering
in their silent language to their beautiful
dead below. In my youth, I was fond of
symboIzng. Every inanimate thing had
its type in some IDEAL or oriental fancy -
This evening, l felt particularly poetical
My Imagination was as fertile yes, / thought
as fertile as Millions, if my thoughts were
not as grand, or my images sublime.
| sluntercd careessly along the sido
where a hawthorn hedge twined It's firm
tcndrils together, dragging my cane after
me, and musing in careless reverie. Sud
denly,I paused Judge LIS beautiful lot
was directly before me, lis tiny silver f,un-
tain bubbIing up aud breaking Tito white
globules that glittered like boar FROST
Here leaned by a huge hoary elm and
closed my eyes as the magic breathing of a
flute, skiIlfully touched, foated through
my dreaming brain. As look back it
seems to me that was the most blessed
hour of my existence, for, miugling with
that plaiutive melody, came gentle face
with sparkling yes, serene brow, and cheeks
just crimson enough to resemble two pale
rose leaves flushing the pu,cst snow.
Oh, how | loved that sweet May Ken
dali d. Love Forgetting my God, idoIzcd
her, and, egotist that | was, fancicd that
my unspoken passion was returned. But
| will not linger la those few moments,
| was pouring my very SOULS depth and fer
vor into the heart that fondly imagined
, as youth will, someiimes-was, in sort Of
spiritual presence, ever beside me.
Ny reverie was broken by the approach
Of strange and light silVery laugh
shut out the music of the flute, for it was so
like my lov, May $50 ringing sojoyous
/ Presently, as fne, manly form drew
nearer, recognized the features Of one who
had been my college mate two years ago
! would have sprang forward to meet him.
Ills name was trembling on my lips, when
a sight arrested my attention that chilled
my blood, and made my teeth chartered
with sudden freezing fear. The two had
come almost beside me, and there stopped,
charmed with the sylvan spot. The lady
held her hat by the strings one arm was
passed con6Iingly through that Of her COM
pani9n aud when she turned her beamiog
face around towards me was concealed
by the shadow, recognized in the full flood
Of the moonlig ht-May Kendall
d. not like even at this la;g day, to
review the feelings that shook my frame
whom / heard them murmur such words Of
tenderness to each other 10 su5dued and
happy tones. A Iealhly flintness came o.
ser me as gathered from their own lips
'bo knowledge that they were bctro'hcd !;
and, when that passed away, fierce revenge
sent the blood boiling through my veins
] could have leapad upon him, aud demanI-
e3 my May, my love, without whom life
would seem curse and the world q dread,
dead blink But then by what right could
cal. bier mine? True, sho bad been most
Kind n me. hut never more lbou m1ilenIy
mHi.s'y migh, warrant toward 'ho most iu-
'Imato FREUD Now know God forgive
m0 ilr the rage that tuEral 90 my heart
'ringsa, thought of b.. why She bad
talked OF Frederick. Oh fool thlt was not
% comprehend before She bad smiled on
me because was his college mate, lecrusc
bad ever some sweet recollection to teI'. some
comedy virtue Of lis praise and, blinded ly
my own faudness, I fluci.t She loved mo.
How / stood there, weak, passionate,
and parting with the violence Of my emo-
toua even dl I learned The day when tLe
Wedding would take place, ! know NOT, for
e,.ry nerve iu my body seemed changed .0
l Instrument 0f keen torture. Fortunate
IS, they did not pass mc, butreuacsl tlcir
steps; and J. bending low with 900 almost
breaking heart, slowly left tbc pleasant
graveyard, u9w only valley of dry bones
'1 mr, and walked towards my boarding
house. Too wreichel o. ;hink deliberately. -
!s.I a'l tae crushing wcjg4t % my di-aP-
I..utm.ut
The next day, before sunrise, I was on
my way 70 a ueighboring city. was IN a