The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-12-07
"A. .
NUMBER %.

| III lhis respect nau not been modified
IN the. least, and yet | deliberately
CLOSE TO brave his deep and lasting
displeasurc. Even now, leaking calm
ay and dispassionately down the tide
of years, cannot say ansht IN extenn-
alton of my caaduct. It WIS simply
madness. l was conscious, all the
while, that / was inflicling the keeness
pang or heart that deeply, truly
loved me and yet-sueh con.rarities
there are in human, nature-I ex-
perienced sort of delicious joy, a
shameful triumph, in thus asserting my
own independence; I, who had hitherto
deferred TO him, the chosen 'sharer of
LIES joys and SORROWS, almost every
act of ms daily life. u .ias5ata
On, on, we. swept in the scircling
dance, until, eddy and exhausted, I
sank, almost i,,iiting Oh small couclr
at the further end of the apartment.
4 glass Of water and fresh air frqm AN
open window speedily revived me I
arons,d myself from state of semi
consciousness, aud, after answering
Colonel Ruthven's look of alarm by
quietly reassaring him that WAS fully
restored L hurriedly excns.d myself,
and treading my way through the
crowded apartments with a rapility
that deferred pursuit, went in search of
John. lie had left his station by tho
pillar, and was nowhere to be found.
aiterward learned that, on the plea
of a Slight indisposition, he had taken
leave ut an early hour. He had gone,
then, without one word of explanation
or forgiveness! sss
My short-lived pleasure was at an
end; l will not say happiness, for
when was happiness ever found in the
indulgence of known sin. Under
shelter of an intense headache which
was by no means fictitious, / left the
gay tIrong and retired to- my own
room to spend a sleepless night in
bitter Iseif-npbraidings- My father
followed me to claim the customary
good night kiss. He supposed the
heat and excitement had been too
much for me, and almost regretted
having submitted my delicate nerves
to much severe test. l could not
undeceiye him-I had not the heart to
tell him the trnth. . is3aj
The morning came at last, but it
brought no :eliefto my throbbing brain
and aching heart. / felt half inclined
not to leave my bed, when / was. star
lied by a lasty knock at the door, and
Lisette's well-kpown voice exclaimed
"a letter for Mademoiselle!n My heart
instantly OWNED the worst. I sprang
ont OF bed, seized the illomened mis-
siye locked the door, and in moment
devOured the contents. efl.ls.
"All is now over between MS, rs your
heart must have foretofd. .Henceforth,
our paths through life lie in different
Injections, will not blame yoh-you
are so Young aud inexperienced, and
| have seen so little of the world.
had no right to exact Il promise from
| you, but now, you are free. Forget
| that SO dark a shadow has ever crossed
your path. Farewell! The wide world
is now my home. JOHN"
Kind and forgiving to the last! o
vain and foolish heart! o wild and
reckless nature, than even for ono
thoushtlcss moment, could trife with
such trutl, and rare nobility of char
acter and manly tenderness.
Forthree long weeks lay tossing il,
the fever of dclirium. Now with pit
tifnl means l would call upon John,
imploring him to have compassion OIL
me, telling him in all the world low
ed but linn alone. Then would bit
terly upbraid myself for my folly, for
having wrought my own undoing, plan
ting sharpest thorns in his pillow for
whom would gladly die, could l bat
save him from one needless pang.
These frequent paroxysms left me so
exhausted that in my lucid intervals 1
lay almost without though. or percep-
ton, the taper oflife barely Pickering
or SO fccby burning that it seemed tho
very counterpart of death. The crisis
came at last. Thanks to the skill of
physicians, and the untiring devotion
oftrue and loving friends, the disease
was bafiied, the grim, enemy relaxed
his hold. was soon pronounced out
of danger. How shall i describe tho
7 long and weary days of convalcscence?
| needed not the soft and dreamy light
that came through the half closed cur
taiDs of my window, the rich hue Of
the luxnriant foliage, the sweet CAROL
ling of birds that filed with music the
, summer air. My heart was filed with
f one image, to the exclusion of all 9TH
ers. l had secret longing-a half
acknowledged hope that John would
come back, would retract the cruel
words os separation, forgive and fold
me to his heart once more. A yea,
a passed thus, in alternate hope and des-
r pair during which / had occasional