Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1870-03-31

There was it written in the sky
And in the stars above.
That but three moments should De gwen
To me for life and love.
One moment for us to meet,
And one to part, and then
One moment for rainbow dream
omelt in tears again.
Yes, thus twas written in the sky,
Twas thus the stars decreed,
And we, far parted, wander on
Whereer those stars may lead.
But there's happy, distant land
Where the bonds of fate are rlYeu,
And there we two shall meet again
Beyond the starry Heaven.
Translated FROM THE GERMAN.
Yes, it is very true, though life be long,
vet ms one looks back, a few days only
stand out from its own monotonous
level and give their color to ones ex-
istence. One such day-divided from
me by forty years-rises on my memory
now in undiminished brightness, and
neither time nor space, nor any other
thing, nor death itself, | sometimes think,
shall quite do away with its influences
upon my soul.
I lad risen early, and as I threw open
my bedroom window and breathed the
dewy freshness of the morning, turn
ed away in discomfort at its calm bright
ness, for to day he must 60 away!
This thought had repeated itself in
my uneasy dreams and troubled waking,
till 1 felt angry, but neither pride nor
reason can avail against the pain that
wearied my heart that morning. l
dressed myself and wandered out into
the garden. I stopped by little spark
ling fountain and gazed abstractedly at
its shining waters and the waving trees,
and the brilliant fowers-gazed and
thought. To-day be is going away. /
sat down by the fountains brink and
dreamed past scenes over again, mixed
with vague fancies of what the future
might have in store.
Suddenly l was aware of shadow
between me and the sun, l looked up,
Ralph Trafford stood before me. With
suppressed cry l started to nay feet, for
dream that changes to reality, thought
that becomes bodily presence, has
something awful in it; my face must
have expressed as much, for with an
amused smile he said, 90 l am sorry l
frightened you-but what makes you so
very alarmed this morning2" All my
hearts blood rose to my face--I tried to
speak and could not, but tears came in
stead, tears that washed away the last
slight defenses that kept our hearts
apart; and ali what echoes of heavenly
music did the voice l listened to awaken
in my heart, what strange glory passed
over the face of the earth! Then fell
the shadows, and the drop of gall from
which no earthly happiness is free, and
mingled itself in my cup of bliss. His
dark eyes were looking into mine with
tender pity, and the tone of his voice
was sad, almost remorsefal, as he said,
/" Forgive me, Alice, l did pot mean
this"
" How? do not understand you"
have been weak, base, selfish -
What right had to throw the smallest
shadow of my own trials on your bright
young life? A few hours more of silence
and forbearance, and /, with my wretch
ed fortune, would have been out of your
way forever. / should speedily have
been forgotten, and some one with a
home to offer"
"Ob, Ralphp
any poor love, do not look as if /
meant a reproach; but my prospects are
so little hopeful, God knows whether it
will ever be in my power to claim thee
as my wife. 1t would be the very height
of selfshness to sacrifice your future
70. a vision that possibly, nay probably,
would never be realized; better be moth
ing to you than vain regret"
's Stop, Ralph. 1t is you who do not
understand me now. Could it have been
better for me to believe that you had
made it days amusement to win my
heart and gone away to play the same
careless frolic perhaps with another? To
have both my selfrespect and trust in
others poisoned by the harrassing doubt
whether / had been misled by my own
silly vanity or your cruel deceit. No!
henceforth come what may, can bear
it. may never see you again, but [
have your love. You may forget me |;
may even transfer your love to another;
but l shall know / had it onco. You
cannot deprive me that comfort now"
His self blame was chased away, at
least for the moment, and we sat togeth.
er by the fountain, silent and happy
the past forgotten, the future unthought
of, the present all in all. We made no
vows, phghted no troth; but we loved
one another, and we knew it. A few
more hours, ana he was gone away into
the wide world, the deep sea between us,
and the barriers far more impossible dl
viding us from each other forever! /, too,
returned to my own home, and no trace
remained of the day that had so great an
influence on my life, save in the depths
of my own heart.
/ have never seen that garden again !;
but once since have been old dreamed
that l was there. Once more the foun-
tain sparkled in the sunshine, the trees
waved, the birds sang, the very scent of
the fowers-all, all as on that day so
long ago. For one moment was young
again. 1t was a strange sensation; the
next there was pang of something lost
or misled, doubt as Of my own identi-
ty, struggle to think and recollect; and
l awoke. 1t was only dream; nay,
o,.l., Al, IA aat:,,, of /. I.ao., H. aLoJ