The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1872-05-24
NUMBER 4S.

on my face, my brain seemed tc
grow cool, sober quiet. / knew the
man who entered, and understood
every thing that he said I was as
tOnished to see in him an old servant
of the Darley family, and more so tc
learn his errand.
The family were IN great trouble
he said. Mr. barley was dying, and
had sent for me in great haste.
1 realized all and nodded assent
from time to time, although I did
not speak. I was a little child, g
babe, who looks at the speaker with
round eyes. and mods its head me-
chanically.
Still, as I made ready to accompa-
ny him, my thoughts were perfectly
coherent and logical, with this ex-
ception: it was a peculiar and para
doxical combination Of the real and
the impossible.
My mind went back to Hatty Dar-
ley and my old relations with her.
It seemed that many years had pass
ed since I met her, SO completely had
she passed out of my life; for I swear
to you that I had never bestowed two
hours thought upon that girl since
my eyes last rested on her face.
Through all this, how time flew by
This was the only phase of my illu-
sion left. Ihad been a babe, and I
was growing up so fast. 1 entered
the carriage. I was seven years old
Il was fOu teen-I was twenty-One.
The distance to the barley man
sion was not more than two miles,
and the horses did not lag, but as we
drove under the iron arch that spans
the entrance to the grounds how
familiar it all was to mel had pass
ed seven times seven years.
The carriage stopped; another ser
want, who had evidently been await
ing its arrival, received me, and with
mysterious signs and whispers led
the way whittier l was TO follow. I
numbered ten times seven years,
mans allotted period here on earth,
as I slowly and with difficulty ascen-
ded the stairs after him. followed
him through Il long hall, and tottered
into a room In which dimmed lights
and hushed sounds well suited my
aged eyes and senses. In this Dom,
surrounded by his family, the physi~
clan, and a clergyman, lay a dying
man, Mr.. barley.
The slight disturbance caused by
my entrance seemed TO attract his
attention, for he asked IN a faint
voice: "Has he come? Bring him
quickly"
Wondering much why my pres
ence was desired in this solemn cham
Der, I advanced to the bedside as
well as my aged limbs would bear
me.
The dying man grasped my hand
in his, clammy with the sweat of
death, and beckoning me to bend my
head, he whispered 'Hatty, Hatty
loves you. She has loved you ali the
time. When you asked her to be-
come your wife, she was Iich: now,
she is poor; bus you-you are rich
you are honorable-you will not love
her the less for that 1 have lost
everything; 1 am poor I am dying.
I leave my child to you Take her
-happY-death-'
With labored breath these disjoint-
ed sentences were breathed IN my
ear.
How slowly he talked. How years
on years flew by before he had fin
ished.
Again, there was a movement of
some one entering the room;a white
robed figure advanced and stood at |
my side. Her face was pale, her
eyes swollen with weeping, but I re-
cognized Hatty Darley. She clung
to my arm, murmuring, "Phillip, |
dear Phillip, forgive me. 1 had no
idea that you would take my coquet-
tish refusal as final that night at the |
springs"
'I know to what she aIludes," I J
thought; that was ages ago." She |
proceeded:
When you left us all so suddenly, !
1 thought I had driven yeu to des-
pair. Can you forgive me?"
Her father beckoned to the clergy |
man. "Be in haste" he whispered,
"my strength falls He took the
hand of his daughter, placed it in
mine, and held them fast with his
fingers. 4
Tue man turned toward US and \
speaking. "Wilt thou
have this woman to be thy welded
" Se2" he said.
''This, then" thought, 'is the
purport of his singular scene" I
was ready to laugh at the inexplica-
ble caprices Of women. Here was a
woman, the loveliest that I ever saw,
save one-(Poor Francesca, I lost
her long ago that I cannot remem-
Der how or when she diedl) who /
refused my hand when I was young
and handsome, but who now sends i
for me in this strange manner and
time to claim the last rem nnamt of my
poor life. ''But," l said to myself,
i'since this is her caprice, why not
humor herr Why not hunor this
dying man, who has set his heart mp
On seeing as united I am an old, |
Did man; what matters it?" and l
answered to the formula, Il vii"
I heard, distinctly. the words: IL
pronounce you man and wifel"
Thank God, " the dying man ex-
claimed, and his fingers released
their hold of our hands.
Iheard fresh burst Of weeping,
md I knew that the soul of the hus-
1and and father had fed. While
Ebev bent Fover his SSlifeless body, 1 /
from the roOms and from
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