The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1872-01-10

DtIlcu w ii lie ia">y : ~ Hb"hA
to stealing. The family were very much
distressed at his singular conduct, and, |
think. were happier when he died. He was
a nan of remarkable ability, and bad more
mind than ali of them put together. He wa
the father of Miss Wythe, whom you met
to-day. Such, in brief, is the history of the
Wythe family"
The day following my visit to Coulter, l
called to see the Wythes, and found them at
home. If I was pleased with the appearance
of Miss Wythe at the Pantheon, l was
doubly so when | saw her in a plain white
Swiss muslin dress. without any adOrnment.
| thought | never before bad seen so lovely
n woman. Day after day | met some of the
Wvthc family, until | might have fairly been
oo.nted among their intimate visitors.
At length the season of their departure
drew nigh. and | counted the days as a male
factor might be supposed to reckon the Pc
Rod that would sever his connection with
material things.
l was sitting by Miss Virginia one day
when she mentioned the fact of their leaving
Rome.
"But why go?" asked.
She looked at me curiously as she return
ed But why stay? ~
held down my head for my heart was
palpitating, and knew my face was GRIM
son.
but why stay 2" she repeated.
"Iudeed 1 can not tell" | replied, tex
cepting it be to give pleasure to those who
behold you"
1t was now her turn to be confused.
Her face flushed and she gave a careless
laugh.
siOh, you'll find Others that will interest
YOU more thar | do" she answered.
"Nrr.' | replied with emphasis so deep
that it startled myself. 1 knew then that my
secret was exposed, and she knew it, too;
but she was an honest. frank girl, and came
to nv rescue and helped me out of the mis-
cry that was swallowing me up. Gazing
straight into my eyes she said:
81 think l understand you at least | will
not feign Ignorance, You would be near
me: perhaps | interest yCu. and you are
learning 10 think more OF me than is good
for YOU. Ii am correct l am sorry for
you"
A deep drawn sigh, that l could no. have
restrained if my life had depended on it, es-
hYouhave guessed truly, "Ireplied. can
swer me one question: and took her hand
as | spoke. Has another q better claim
! than myself
"No, no." she replied it is not that. /
never listened to q tale OF love. Why should
|? have seen SO much sorrow that it Is
only lately that | have begun to think there
might be a silver lining behind my black
Cloud
You have seen Sorrow | calculated.
as it possible? What has sorrow to do
with a creature as fair as yourselt?'
She waved her hand.
"Let US talk of other Matters she said.
"Where do you go when You leave Romt:"
ITO perdition, perhaps" | responded, "if
l can't follow you," and | ground my heel
desperately on the floor.
She started and became pale.
Don't speak in that manner" she said.
IShook my head ~mouFnfully.
I'VE go direct to Naples" she remarked;
perhaps we NAV meet again"
II shall soon follow you," Ireplicd. II
have no particular business here, and Rome
will hold nothing dear to me when you are
gone"
"Let us be serious,'' she said. don't
mention any of this talk to my grandmoth-
er. Between ourselves 1t may do no harm,
but my grandmother would die if she
thought | would marry. | have always
lived with her, and she clings 10 me as the
only thing on earth left her to love. l would
not leave her for the world
'Nor shall you, | replied, as | bent over
her and kissed her forehead.
A few days more and the Wythes lett
Rome with the understanding that | would
see them again in Naples.
How impatiently l stamped my feet as
paced the deck of the steamer a week later
at Civita Vecchia, looking over the blue
Med { ,Iranean in the direction of the Neapol.
itan kingdom.
How reioiced l felt when the blue outline
of Capri met my eyes. Huge volumes of
black smoke rolled from our steamer as W.
ploughed our way towards the bay. By
and-bv the two castles came In sight, then |
could distinguish far over the churches and
housetops, the Terra di LavorO. No old
Roman ever sailing into these waters ever
gazed with the same delight OF his Campo
mia Feli= than | did. At least ! thought So.
found the Wythes well, and though Vir-
ginia said she did not expect me by the
steamer. her look and smile cOntradiCted
her words.
Only two weeks from the day of my arri-
val and the Whythes were te start for home
ria Liverpool. | determined to make the
most of the time. We visited IOmpeii and
Herculaneum. We went to Capri to see the
famous grotto. We journeyed to Sorrento,
tie birthplace of Tasso; alas! there were
no longer any Tassos there. We went to
Castel-a-mare, and watched the blue waters
break on the yellow beach, all the while
thinking of the commander of the Roman
fleet at Miscuum whose curiosity cost him
his life. We toiled up Vesuvius at night to
see the sun rise in the morning. Every
thing worth seeing we went to see.
During all these ramtles | was the COM
panion of Virginia Wythe. But the end
came and / bid her a sorrowful goOd-by.
She made me promise never to seek her
or correspond with her while her grand
mother lived. Twelve months afterwards
there came to me a newspaper addressed in
a hand that ada my heart leap as in old
days. Where the lines had been traced, /
read the obituary of Esther Wythe. Ii may
be heartless TO say that it gave NE no sOr-
row, but L felt nothing but joy. y \ K
l married:Virginia Wbythe and have new
er regretted it.
On the second anniversary of our marri-
age she made me a funny present. She
was examining a box containing old letters,
pieces of ribbon and various odds and ends
that women stow away, they know not
why, when she opened a small morocco
case containing some finger rings and cam
eos.
"Paul," she said, Il am going to make
you a present. My father left some trink-
cts which passed to me, one of them | think
will suit you. Now shut your eyes while
l give it to you"
Iclosed my eyes tightly as felt her work
ing at my shirt front.
"Now open them" she exclaimed.
| did so, and there, tehOld in my shirt