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

|
taste and feeling. My father was en-
gagged in an animated political ,discus-
sion with friend whose ideas were
the very antipodes of his own, and
from different parts, of the room, arose
the hum of earnest conversation
John and myself had sought the deep
eMbrasure OF bay-window, and were
looking out upon the niooniit sward,
drinking the loyeliness OF the scene
John raised the sash and, motioning me
to follow, we stole forth unperceiycd.
1t was Il night of marvellous beauty
The moon was at its full, and the lawn
was bathed in a flood Of silyery light.
The soft murmur of the wind among
the. leaves, and the musical plash of
the fountain, like fairy bells tinklins
out upon the night air, We're the only
sounds that broke the, stiffness. a fra
GRANGE born of Il june night alone filed
the atmosphere and stepped the senses
i'll delicious languor. We followed
winding path through the slrubbery,
to q spot where a marble statue of Pys-
che cleaned in its undrapea loyeliness
amid the surrounding foliage. John
was the first to break the spell.
How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon
/ q this bank! ''s -'T.H
Here will we sit and let he sounds of mnsic
| n 4
night
| Becomes the touches of sweet harmony
| Look low the floor of Heaven
Is thick inlaid with patiieS of bright gold;
There's rot the smallest orb which thou
-# behold'st .s ut7 -F5
But ID its motion like an angel sings,
| Still curing to the young-eyed cherubims:
| Such harmony is in immortal souls:
Bit whilst this muddy vesture Of decay
Doth grossly close it i'll, wecannot hearIt."
Those IMMORTAL lines, so familiar to
every lover of poetry and true senti-
ment, so oppositely quoted in that deep
and manly voice, whose lightest whis-
per was music to my carlow they
thrilled me, how their memory thrills
me still! Suddenly he started: 1"This
night air, darling-I was wrong to eN-
pose you to it, and you so lately an in
valid AS he spoke he drew my
shawl more closely round me.
San invalid no longer; John / am
perfectly well and strong, and feel as
though / could endure anything
With his strong arm to shield me, and
those loving eyes bent upon me, how
could,I think otherwise He, smiled a
peculiar and expressive smile, which
| lighted up his face with arare beauty,
and we turned and rettaced our steps.
l had never thought OF disputing
Johns WILL I bowed to it with I'M
questioning reverence, with that Sc
rene faith and perfect trust we always
attribute to our ideal of childhood
Alas, there was time coming, and
that speedily, when | would dare to
set his known wishes at open defiance.
am not a believer in the gift of pre-
science; and yet, now that | look back
upon that night, there was a shade of
sadness resting upon us, a melancholy
foreboling that seemed akin to pro
phecy. w. ss
Myusual gay and light hearted mood
deserted me, and throughout the rest
of the evening l noticed at intervals
Johns anxious gaze bent upon me,
with an. undesirable air of apprehen-
sion which could not account for.
We were drifting, though all uncon-
sciously, in the deep shadow of a COM
ing woe. - .;,f.,..... ..,...... .,...,
The pext day was the eighteenth an
niversary of my birthday, and my IA
ther had resolved to give a splendid
fete in honor of the occasion. was
! then to make my entree in the fashions
able world Tn vain I protested that
| was not in a mood to enjoy a festive
gathering; that had all the society l
wished for, and did not care to extend
the circle of my Acquaintance: My ia.
ther insisted. And when he drew me
tenderIy to his side and kissed me
fondly, calling me his youngest dar-
ling, was DO longer proof against his
| lavish carcsses, and determined to con-
test the matter no farther. Cards of
invitation We're, therefore, issued to
about twenty families in the neighbor-
hood, while number. of guests were
/ invited from towu- friends of my ia
Their, who had long held an honorable
position under government, and was
in daily habit of association with some
of the most prominent minds in the
country 81 r.r fbe..i. ..s
The fat having gene forth, / entered
heart and soul into all the minutta of
preparation, to the surprise of my
friends, who wondered greatly at the
contrast with my former apathy. vi
brated all day from parlor to kitchen,
from dining room to 6oud0ir; taking n
! thousand unnecessary steps, and hav-
! ing voice III every arrangement, how
ever trivial. 1t was late in the after
moon when, wearied and exhausted