The Weekly Washington telegraph., 1871-07-19
a BACHELORS ROMANCE.

ored ribbon which was once q bright
blue.
There arc Others here also, written
on fresh French paper, porfumed and
monogrammed, and traced in delicate
Feminine characters; dainty fingers
penned them, and fair faces bent over
them; yet sean them indiherently and
lly them aside. But these old letters,
lying SO long overlooked and fcrgotten,
awaken emotions in my heart which |
thought was too well schooled by the
world ever to feel again. They are
! simply worded letters, written with the
candor and simplicity Of fresh, pure
nature, yet bearing the impress Of 4
thoughtful, intelligent mind. | read
them with n new, strange interest
They lead me back into the past, and
revive the memories and hopes Of my
lost youth; and there arises in my
heart the rcgrctful tenderness and
longing that we feel for bygone years,
when we think upon "what might
have been"
And this ribbon that binds them
pass it lingeringly through my fingers.
1t bound the sunny hair that waved
around her shapely head. Well | re
member the evening she gave it to me.
We sat beneath the huge old walnut
tree that stood in her fathers garden,
and the moonlight drifted through The
leafy branches, just as they do through
yonder maple tonight, and lighted ur
her gold brown hair, and shore upon
her pure rose tinted face, so radiant
with youth and lovelincss.
"Give this to me-" said, unbinding
the ribbon, without waiting her reply.
"it is the color Of your eyes, and shal
be the pledge of love, for blue is truth
you know"
She smiled softly, as she raised he
eyes to mine, and from their azur
depths the loving, trusting soul locke,
out. Why do thinko this tonight
| have done with romance long ago
contact with the world is destructive t,
sentiment, and am no idle dreame
to indulge in it.
How little do we know ourselves
We 90 into the world, and are molde,
into its ways; we ignore emotions an,
impulses, and grow practical an,
worldly wise; and it'surprises us wfel
beneath our worldliness and cynicism
we discover that an undercurrent 0
feeling yet survives. 1t gives me
painful pleasure to linger over thos
days. They were my best and happiest
| had been hand student at college
and afterward applying myself closel
in studying for my profession, m,
health became impaired, and | wen
to Royley TO regain it / see plainl
now the pleasant, old fashioned farr
house standing on a hill, and the large
gently sloping yard, There was farme
Dee, whole souled and genial, an
kind, motherly Mrs. Zee, and Nellie
Nellie Dec; how familiar the nam
sounds even now! She was their onl
child, their pride and darling an
well she might be. | bave seen man
beautiful women, but none that to m
mind could equal her. 1t may be tha
| idealized, but | think not; | am No
apt to idealize now. She had I'll
grace OF form and manner which III
ture gives, enhanced by the inuat
refinement and dignity Of her natur,
Slender, rounded, and graceful in iorr
her broad white forehead, clear, decl
blue eyes, and red, curved, mobile lips
were expressive of the pure soul within
She was buta happy, artless girl then
and gave promise Of a glorious wo
manhood.
What a happy summer that was
We noated together on the calm, blu
waters of the lake, drilted among tn
fragrant water lilies, wandered throusI
the shady roads and lance, or sat be
meath our favoritc walnut tree, chat
teriug pleasantly or repeating poetry
whose soft, smooth rhyme charmed Us