New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-03-31
came suddenly-like thunder-clap, and

|
1t was in the midst of golden May twi-
light, Margaret was sitting by the window,
and there was a faint, slender horn OF
young moon in the sky. She remembers
| just how it looked, between the budding
woodbines. and to this day she does not
| enjoy the sight OF slender curve OF moon
| i'll a sunset sky.
Dick had not fulfilled his prophecy
she was thinking of that moment
| when somebody brought in the mails.
amongst them a letter with the California
| post-s:anp. She seized ii eagerly, not Ob-
| serving the handwriting OF the address, and
tore the thing open.
There we're only few lines. No need for
many. The writer was friend Of Dick
| Kennedv's, and announced the young man S
maria &c the day before, with lady WHO
| had been visiting her uncle. and whose
| beauty and accomplishments had made a
powerful sensation in the great Western
| city.
So the bolt fell: under II Margaret did not
shrek nor cry. She sat quite still and the
thin curve OF the young moon dropped and
was lost behind the distant hills, and the
| sky and the stars were alone.
| So was the woman sitting there so still
and pa!lid. Iou would have thought some
| fash had suite 4 her suddenly to death, but
the stiffness ans, dumbness were all on the
outside. But AL this while the awful con-
| sciousness of the truth was growing on
| heart and BRAIN breaking the one and Graz
| ing TIE Other. Several times her little
| Dephew and Liece. Tom and Gracie-the
| girl was named after her dead mother:
| there was only Two Years difference between
| them. and the boy, who was the elder. had
| Just scaled MS sixth birth,lav-came up and
| looked with peIpeXed, scared faces at their
aunt, who glared back with her stony
| eyes. which did not see them, and when
81 i 4,
| Her drawn mouth only twitched q little,
| and at last tie children went away. their
hands clasped il each others. and Il great
trouble III their small faces.
Oracle said Tom in an acrid tone. when
| they We're outside the door, ''somerling is
the matter wi;n Aunt Margaret. We won't
play any more
The scarlet blossom OF the little girls
Iuivered. She never looked Ike that be-
fore she sai;i.
They went and sat down together on a
great lounge in the wide old nall, and there
the night came slowly up and found them.
the boy with MS round, brown head, and
the girl with her pretty golden one, watch
inc the door Of their aunt's room, which
stood aiar. just as they had left it.
At last Margaret rose up. Her brain
Was on ire, and there was some strange,
horrible anguish at her heart. she
could not well remember that time. Long,
long atterwara. when she found courage to
to turn and lock back upon it. she knew
that she had a dark. confused sense that
God and man had forsaken her, that she
was all alone IL the world. with hateful
faces OF slectres grinning around her.
She had bind purpose 70 get away
rom all these-from tie fire that was con
suming heart and brain. and there came a
vision OF tie river halt mile away, cool
and dark and still. looking up at the stars
between its low, green banks.
That is the pace for me, said Margaret.
with a kind OF triumphant cry. Ike one
who, hunted by oioOdhounds, has distanced
her pursuers and reached the precilice.
They We're the first words she had spoken
since the letter came. and moment later,
the children in the hall saw her sweep uv
them with her White face and her fixed,
stony gaze.
A vague sense of trouble filled the ell
dren's souls Let lis 20 aud tiud her
said the boy 10 his sister.
And they started together and wen ont
into tie da!kening twilight. through which
the dews were falling.
Through the damp grass, across the
pasture and the low open meadows the pat
ter!ng teet followed the figure of tie wo-
man. They geined upon il. too, for it
stood still sometimes and stared in a wild.
vague way about II. ana then it kept on at
II IL,
on toward the river.
Margaret Duane had almost gained the
banks-oh. the fire that was going ont in
heart and brain when she leaped into the
dark, cool deuths OF the waves-she smiled
TO herself dreadful smile as she thought OF
that-wneil Suddenly little hands gripped
at her dress.
She turned aroUnl sharply. irving 70 dis
engage herself. What are YOU ," she cried
No.. ~,
upturned IL The starlight. Come home,
Aunt Margerv. cried the ciiildrens voices
Through tie woman's craztd brain.
through her tortured Heart. that cry made
Itself telr. She put her hand TO her lore
head 60 back, children" she said No
body vents me-rOhody III the world"-her |
voice mounting shrilly over the last clause. |
Yes sad Tom Sturdily, the tears stand |
ing Still Oh lis cheeks "Gracie and | want |
you-we want You more than any body. Do |
go home with Us. Aunt Margerv.'
Yes. do. Aunt Mar.ery." cried Oracle |
and again hey hands plucked at the ladys |
skirt.
And again that cry pierced through crazetl |
brain aud breaking heart.
There's nobody to hear us say our pray
ers. In the damp grass Margaret Duane |
sank down, ami they heard her cry ont:
Somebody wants me-somebody in thy
world. y Goa - ana then she burst into d
terrible weeping.
1t was long before they 20. home. Her
mind was halt di,traught yet. but she had
an instructive feeling that God had sent his
angels to her, anG she clung fast to the chill
drens hands. which gripped hers in a dead
l. fear that she would break suddenly away
and leave them. Indeed IL was doubtful
whether. without their guidance, she would
eyer have reached nome.
when they id. ii last -Lo found Gerald
there IL srn!c alarm over his absent house
hold. 81 whom ,he servants could give no
account.
He was dreadtally shocked at the appear
ince OF the d;sucEe!ed trio lat Margaret's
'Sre ciai!yj. VITO answered all his questions
y :. L,>lt-ae&d zone. I'm tired, Gerald
Lrt me 60 :" bed.
He carried her mere a. last. and for DAYS
he 0ld not leave It. L was a wonder they
rae not ali taken their death colds. The
All lay III a kind Of stHpor mach of the
lmt hardly speaking to anybody. and her
y bite still face having drea. .1ul! ! ratb,.,;c
COX
And outside the robins sang. and the trees
made read! with banners Of pink and white
or tie coming OF June. and all this time
lature was taking the girl into her tender
are, and Narnling the worn heart and brain
Jack to life and strength again.
OF course Gerald Duane questioned his
hlldren very closely about that nights
york. Whatever mixing of the facts their
eplie= may have given him, he never al
lded to the nlatttr. waiting for his sister TO
peak.
One day, going up 10 her room, he found
er sitting by the window tor the first time
The warm sunshine fell all about her, ard
brought cut IN very sharp lines the white
ice that this last week had 50 wasted. :
ooh Margaret said the man. standing I
~ rt,rb. tl.l al