Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-05-29
A Heart History.

"See, Alice, what L have reserved
for your inspection to-day" and Mrs.
Benton held up package OF letters
whose yellow, scared look told
plainly that, whatever their contents,
writer and recipient had long since
passed from the scenes of which they
spoke.
"What are they, Aunt Penelope?
You must have been searching those
mysterious old boxes, that, to me,
have always been a subject of wonder
and of awe, for l cannot divest myself
ofthe feeling that their ghostly own
sers hover around, keeping an eternal
watch lest sacrilegious hands should
defile them"
"Why, Alice, I believed you too
matter of fact for any such flights OF
fancy, which, when robbed of their
romance, mean, in plain English, that
you believe your ancestors to have
been so mercenary and of the earth,
earthly as to cling, even in the land
beyond to a few bundles of old
clothes!' and Mrs. Benton gave a
low, pleasant laugh, in which, al
though her aunt had thus demolished
her little romantic Gsspeech, Alice
Joined heartily. However, here are
more tangible grqRnds on which to
exercise your fancy, for in these old
letters you a trace the history Of
two hearts through all their vicissi-
tudes. The writer was a cousin OF
your grandmother, and her most de-
voted friend. l will read such pas
sages as l deem most entertaining,
and which form connecting links in
the rise and growth OF a love that
proved the passion ola lifetime. The
first of these is dated l
"NKw YORK, October IA, 1889.
81 write hastily, my dearest Eliza
beth, for my father has just bid me
hold myself in readiness to accom-
pany him, who, in his turn, is M of
those selected to wait upon President
Washington during his tour through
the States. A favored LIOrtal, say
YOU. Not so fast until you hear the
particulars. You know my fathers
aversion to being separated from me,
and the constant surveillance to
which l am subjected. 1t would al
most seem as if dear papa feared some
dreadful misdemeanOr on my part.
Well, let it pass. Yet, despite this,
he had consented to let me remain
here, when suddenly, to-day, he en-
tered my room arf bid me pack up
my things. [ am 70 go in our own
carriage, with Maum Judith and Mrs.
Marion, my companion, since gov
ernesses were discarded. Papa, of
course, goes with the President.
Should we go near cambridge, l shall
certainly coax papa to let me join
you, if only for an hour. Till then,
believe me your loving cousin.
"RACHEL JACKSON"
"The next" says Mrs. Benton, ''is
of little importance, and is only
worthy of perusal inasmuch as it
shows the tedium of travelling COM
pared with the present:
"October 22d.
'sHeighol / am weary of this in
cessant rumbling over dusty roads,
scarcely interchanging a word with
any one; for Maum Judith an do
nothing but bemoan her 'rheumatics''
and compare our present discomforts
to the glOries of the old plantation,
and my feelings, on that subject, ac-
cord too well with hers, to listen pa
tiently to her lamentations. As to
Mrs. Marion, she most woefully bellies
her name, for companion she cannot
be save to dumb animals, and almost
makes me wish for an overthrow or
any other terrible accident OK adven-
sure, so that, if only for a moment
her back might lose its mathematical
perpendicularity and her tongue its
set phrases. Therel / was about
weaving some romantic adventure,
when it came at the time it was least
expected. A cavalier, tall and state
ly, riding'a magnificent hOrse-I flat
ter myself l am a judge in such a
matter-had just passed. l, from very
WEAKNESS and lack of better food for
thought, was weaving some bold adj
venture, of which he vas the hero,
when 1 heard a voice at my side, and
looking up, saw the stranger. Iblushed
most guiltily, lest he should have read
my thoughts, and sadly fear my thanks
were poorly given, as l received the
kerchief the wind must have blown
into the road, and which he had rid
den back TO restore. A tame adYen-
ture, a gay gallant, say you, who was
well pleased of the chance to take a
second look at a pretty face! So said
Maam Judith, and l answer not nay
Tor a fair exchange is no robbery
anu his is the handsOmest face l have
yet seen. 'What2 lost your heart to
a stranger 1hear YOU cry. Not vet;
but see you, II / am not relieved of
the tedium Of this journey, know NOT
that / shall not consider mvsalf .
damsel in distress, and call upon some
Grant knight to come to the rescne
especially should he present himself
under such pleasant gHise as the stran-
ger wore. i repeat it, dear cousin, l
am weary, and would much that /
was enscOnced by your side in Balm
bridge library, for belt known to you
that though travelling the same route.
as the Presidential party, l in no way
make part of it, our carriage being
kept at a respectable distance, arriv-
ing aud departing two hours after the
Presidents; so do not wonder that /
should be tired Of this tedious travel
ing; and were itnOt for these letters /
scatter along the road, with the bare