Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-03-26

living ssntlent being, lhe being Of
beings and lhat humaaity is but an
oasho0t thereof We have thought
Sc sometimes and As We locked
forth over the broad face Of nature
i seemed clOuded with care and
wTinkled with sorrow or thought.
Again II would seem to be a bright
and sPiling face, with merry dim
pies.
And w have imagined we saw
similar indications elsewhere than
on natures face.
We have looked up from our
manuscript at evening, after q
steady day Ofpen work, and just as
came on that witching hour called
cleaning; we have looked up
YEARLY to see the shadows stalk
sOlemnly into the room and lean
against the wall, lie beneath the
the table, or sit in the farther corner
as If 1t were sOme CHASTITY human
skeleton that came in so mysteri-
ously. And instead Of the bright
and cheerful look Of few hours
before, we have felt the presence Of
something dismal and chilling
something that told US the face Of
the scene was wrinkled. traced. OBJ
Our Saturday Nights are often
desultory, for We intend them as
plain, homely talks, aud we have
taken this somewhat irrelevant de-
parture now, in consequence Of
what we saw on the street as we
walked home to-day.
y We were hurrying along avoid.
ing the crowd, and the merchan.
disc displayed npOn the sidewalk,
whsn an individual attracted our
attention. She was a lady whose
age was well over to the SHADY
side Of life. ID ,.r.
Her dress was remarkable for a
jauntiness Of air, being of rich ma.
terial and fashionable make, but
we thought it vastly more suitable
for a lady very much younger.
The bonnet or head dressing itself
was q Juvenile affair, while her
hair WIS arranged in au elaborate
couture about her head. But what
enchanted our notice more than all
else was the face. The lips were
thin and cOlOrless, the nose peaked,
the eyes sunken and wrinkles
deep, distinct, definite wrinkles,
marked Times e~fraccless inscrip-
lion.
Il Is not to be supposed that we
stopped to stare The lady In the face
and note these particulars. We
had but q passing glance, bnt we
carried the picture with rs ana
studied IL we'll as we walked along.
The restOfShe walk passed OFF az
il in adresm, for this facet followed
10 and haunted our mind for hours
allerWard. We had often seen
such faces and why should this one
affect Us thus ? We cannot say ; it
was one Of those mysteries Of
which our lives are full
But the stories VIC woye from the
warp and woofof our thoughts IN
connection with that face, we have
not space TO tell here. Years ago
she had been a bright, beautiful
maideH perhaps a belle. Many had
bowed at the shrine of her beauty
and grace, Possibly; many hearts
she had tTifed with, many scorned,
and-hOw many driven to ruin
She had reignel and ruled with a
despOtic sway, until perhaps, for a
new sensation, or to CRAFTY a de-
sire to triumph, or It may DO that
she loved-she married, and the
duties and novelties of her new ex.
~istence withdrew her for q time
from the gay circle of her former
life. f
Time sped away, aud she sighed
for her former imperial sway. She
scanned to forget the utter change
in her position, and to think her
beauty and grace and wit would
win back the admiration she craved.
Ali why should she crave It at
ell If she would be q true wife aud
a virtuOus woman2
She dresses extravagantly, and
adOrns herself with elaborate pains.
She, above all others, seems not 10
know that she is growing old. Even
her mirror, as blunt, candid and
faithful q monitor as 1t Is, tells not
her she Is fading, and turning from
the fresh bloom, into the "sere and
yellow Leaf Of life.
She sees no wrinkles on her face.
She notes not the colOrless lip or
dimmed and sunken eye, nor the
wasted cheek. If she does she
a - ~