Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-03-01

haps contained some sad souvenir,
But dame curiosity cried more
loudly y still: "Whst harm, If he al.
lows it?"
They were admirable though
strange designs, which were but, 50
many interpretations Of the two
words Of tho title: "Too Latcf"
A fire engine dashes up at full
gallop, only to find the ruins smok.
ing. A doctor enters the sick cham.
Der and finds his patient DYING
Again, one sees in the midst Of a
public place, and surrounded by an
immense crowd, scaffold, and up.
OH it bloody body from which has
just rolled away the livid head. In
the distance : cavalier urges his
foaining horse through the crowds
Of people, waving above his head 4
paper on which we read the word:
"Pardon."
Every sketch partook Of this same
vein Of melancholy. The last in
the album represented q cemetery;
= man lay prostrste upon recent
grave. His features were not visi.
Bile, but his attitude expressed the
most irremediable despair.
every beautiful" said l to him,
shutting the album, "but not very
gay"
"Is life then so gay? God has
made it very beautiful, it is true.-
He has given to the external man
the heavens and earth with their
innumerable charms; to the inter.
nal, sweet affections. But how lit.
tie do We prize all this. What we
gain easily, pals quickly; even nec-
tar itself, by possession, is chang
ed to poison"
He applied himself to his easel,
and said no more.
! re-entcred my studio, but in.
stead of returning Immediately to
my easel, l took from the bottom
of portfolio, two sketches that I
had made from memory three years
before, and which Nery's album
had just called to mind.
They were remarkable, not for
their beauty, but for what thoy rep
resented.
In one you saw white house,
with woman leaning from an open
window, and calling in vain for that
Andrew to return who was rushing
away in the storm. In the other,
| had painted a procession defiling
between hedges, and had placed
by the side Of the road, q man in
the dust-stained garb Of q traveller
Fastening to reach the convoy
Under the first picture, 1 wrote:
"Andrew! Andrew! return, l be.
seech thee!" and under the second,
"Andrew has returned, but Too
Late"
While absorbed in re.touching
one Of the figures, l was startled by
= heavy hand upon my shoulder,
and turned quickly to find it WAS
Merry.
"Did I scare you, Charles? l did
not intend to take you by surprise,
but your manner was so abstracted
and-what have you hereI"
Before could close the portfolio,
he had seized my two sketches and
was examining them carefully. /
saw him knit his brows and grow
pale.
care these from nature or imagi-
nation?" he quietly asked, replacing
the designs.
"From memory" replied.
"What arc they intended to rep
reseut?"
1.-TWO scenes that I witnessed in
Normandy, four years since, while
returning from y"
"Why have you never shown
them to me, Why have you never
spoken about them?"
"Thess, my friend, are very di.
rect questions, and need as direct
answers. Because, after we became
intimate friends aud near neighbors,
l feared that psrhaps they related
to YOU"
"Who told you sof"
"Hold, now! Do you think have
been making inquiries about you!
But here is what / know"
And related to him exactly what
] had seen in Normandy. An ex'
preston of deep regret overspread
his face as repeated the words ot
the unknown woman in the white
| cottage. When'I had finished, he
sighed deeply, and sat for 3 momen,
| in silence with his eyes fixed and
his arms folded on his breast. He
! started ut length from his reverie.
"Tell me, Charles, what made
you think l was the hero Of those
scenes"
"You are from Normandy and
your name is Andrew, and it seems
to me that the Andrew Of the white
house and yourself are of the same
hight. insufficient grounds for my
conclusions, without doubt, but
enough to forbid my speaking to
you about it. At length the sight
Of your sketches, which were evi.
dently made under the inspiration
Of the ono thought, fortified my con.
lectures aud made me the more
fearful that the sight Of mine would
awaken unpleasant remembrance
in you" =,
"How could they ever sleep" said
Merry. "But tell all, say that not
withstanding all my efforts to hide
| it, you have discovered in my life,
IN all.absorbing rsmorse." "Wsll,
yes! you were not deceived; am
that Andrew who fed from that
white cottage and returned too late.
To repay your discretion, ! will re.
late all, out upon your balcony,
entire chiem ct !oup, Of this evening.
For tho present, could you lend me
. tube Of Indian Yellow? have
just used the last Of mine and came
to borrow"
Igave il to him, and he left me
with y friendly sac revoir."
Rrn,u INV hslcnnv cnul1 ho aoo,