The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-02-04

irrevocably entangled in her wiles.''
"Thats fine speech," answered Cor
nelia: ''but it lacks some important
requisites to eloquence."
"And what may those be?"
"Truth and feeling" she said, signifi-
csntly. cit displays
Devotion's every grace. except the heart"
"Dear mel" said Karl; "what does all
this mean? What more would you have?
Am I not your obedient slave, Cornelia?"
''Nop she cried, passiopately. "No!
If you were, You could not speak to me
in that cold, mocking way. Yoe are
heartless--you are unfeeling-or you
could not return all my love with 80
small recompense of affection. Oh,
Karl, tell me, or my heart will burst
tell me that you love meW and to Karl's
unutterable astonishment and ineffable
disgust, to Judge from the expression of
his countenance, Cornelia threw herself
into his arms.
''Do not be unreasonable, Cornelia,'
he said, scarcely able to restrain the
hasty imprecation which rose to his lips,
as he saw all the beautiful flowers he had
gathered for Julie lying scattered and
mangled on the floor.
II declare you will choke me-" he
continued, catching her hands and extri-
eating himself from their locked en-
brace. "Come here and sit beside me,
on this tete-d-tete, and we will have long
talk. 1t is just as we'll should make
confessions at once, for it is very desira
BILE we should come to mutual under
standing.
They took their seats on the sofa-Cor-
nelia's face flushed and expectant, and
Karl's burning with mixed feeling of
resentment and embarrassment. He
wanted to fght-he wanted to kill some
body or something-to have q st. Bar
tholomew's massacre. It would have
done him infinite good, he thought, to
open sweeping broadside from French
man-of-war on the inmates of Mrs. Thur
lows parlor, first taking care to exclude
himself. His face became redder every
passing moment, and his tongue clave to
the roof Of his mouth. Corn ella thought
this the natural embarrassment of BASH
ful lover OH the eve of 80 important and
difficult matter rs popping the Ques-
tion. Karl took her hand, became very
serious and grave, looked at her earnest
ly, and-jumped up from the sofa, for
he heard Mrs. Thurlow at the door. She
entered Immediately, and requested Cor
nelia to go up stairs and remain with
Juliet, as she had some business on the
square which would take her from home
for IN hour or 80. Karl began industri-
ously to pick up the unfortunate flowers,
selecting those whose beauty was unim-
paired. AS the ladies left the room, he
muttered to himself:
''It's coufounded hard to tell woman
you love her, but I'll swear it is devilish
harder to tell one you don't. It would
be a glorious privilege to tell that one
how / hate her."
A comment on the value of unsolicited
blessings and the high estimation in
specimens of humanity.
The nosegay, in its renovated form,
was consigned to the care of Mrs
Richard, whom Karl met in the upper
passage. That lady had not forgotten
the words of her husband the memora-
BILE New Years night, and as she felt an
instructive sympathy for all people in
love, she took tho flowers readily from
Karls hand, with such glance of COM
passionate feeling and kind interest,
Karps heart leaped into his throat
Would Julie mind if he told her,
she was such dear, good creature?
But wouldn't the dear, good creature tell
Richard? And if Richard knew, then
everybody else would be enlightened
Karl groaned in spirit; it was evident he
must suffer in silence-the acme of suffer
ing, to person of quick sensibilities
and strong impulsiveness of character.
In the sick room, the patient sufferer
carried the lovely blossoms to her lips
and drank love-Aavor from their perfum-
ed cups; she felt they must be heart
messengers from him, whose hand alone
could tune the melody of her heart
strings. That little vase of flowers, on
the low table beside the bed, with magic
art, changed even the atmosphere of the
room-thrilled the air with prodigal
sweets. There was golden mist of
odor-scented breath floating around.
The sick girl opened her eyes and talked
with those love-messengers in the mystic
love of the far-off orient land; she closed
her eyes and dreamed of their celestial
fragrance. She blushed at the greeting
of the fringed-lipped gladiolus. for it
reminded her of her lovers tender
mouth; the sweet-smelling hyacinths
were crystal fountains of jealons affec.
k;0, Ii, fonI Joo~