New Orleans Republican., 1873-08-24

her; All ofmy brave yhaye ~ fair girls:
am e;ghty-two years old, and he 10 not thir
ty; 90 I hope God will epare hin to clos<
my sld syss. He il good boy, Meta, 4
god boy."i st.st o Eiufss.Isa y,.ciisye-
The, girl would assent, for she never had
| q saucy word for the old man, however she
| might torment the son. = So -aa
| II can not say exactly when it was that We
began to suspect that Meta and Herman had
| agreed to become betrothed, but the fact
| gradually dawned upon us sll A blushing
| Consciousness upon Meta's face when the
tall figure appeared at thsngate, may have
given US the frst hint; or it might have been
| the apparitiOn of Herman in q new suit,
| with spotlsss linen and shining boots, look.
| ing % entirely lost in wonder at his own
| garb, that Bertha said audibly she hoped he
| fore he came again; or it might have been
when he suddenly. uninvitsd, walked over
| to tho piano and electrified US BY play ing,
with mastery skill, several difficult pieces.
| singing two German songs in rich baritone
| voice, and then rushing abruptly from the
house, as if he had been caught stealing the
Spoons; or perhaps it was when we found
he had tongue, and could converse freely
when the spirit moved him. The flashing
OF superb diamond ring upon Metas
| finger may have sharPened our wits lit
| tie. .-.. Ira -fs..- %
Bstrothed they were, and we soon found
our bright, pretty cousin had given her
heart into the keeping of her awkward
lover, and gradually but certainly was rub
bing<d down some Of the sharper corners Of
his manners into courtesy and ease.
There could be no doubt, it was love
match, in the fullest sense Of tho word, and
the wedding was only postponed by the
necessity of Hermau's return to Prussia for
q short -isit, to dispose Of some family
property before settling for life among US.
When he had departed Meta became
more devoted than ever in her attentions to
tho old dsctOr She spent whole mornings
with him apparently perfectly happy in his
society, and whenever she was missing at
home wewere sure to find her on the hill
1t wssa lovely June morning. when we
were looIlng for Herman's return by every
steamer, that Meta put her pretty face in at
dector's md would stay to luncheon.
Il will take some OF my sewing she
said, 'am work as much ae can"
/ put bwn my own work, some wedding
garment, for moment, to draw the young
girl into my arms and kiss her sweet face
She looked SO very, very pretty in her deli
cate chntz dress, with blue ribbons in her
bright hair, flush on her fair cheek, and
her yioet eyes full OF life, that J said
0AVuOs
II wish Herman could see you to-day"
Gam very pretty to-day?" she asked,
not aaucly, but With an earnest simplicity.
YES, ( said heartily.
u an 80 glad; not for myself but for
Herman He has . love for all beautiful
things, md am proud Of nv face because
he l0vesit. hope, for his sake, that I shall
always Se pretty and she bIushed . little
as she chsed the door upon the lovely face
7 fort thn los
was never TO see again.
1t wa nearly noon when Dr.. Wander
coort's by came running over for some of
us, telling with white face OF an Aeci. |
dent IN the laboratory.
"Dr. 7andecoort is hurt some, but Miss |
Meta is almost killed." was his report.
MothG and ! we're the only ones at home, |
and we hurried over at once.
Prett, Meta was to be name OF the |
past We fOnad thepOor child lying upon |
the sofa her face buried in bandsges, while |
the decor was applying cooling beverages |
and sOtDin9 over her like child.
"Oh, my child" he said, Wailihg the |
words, why did you give up your fairy |
beauty: % save my old. battered face! You
see," u said to us az we entered the room,
''she sas STOPPING over the erueible, and
saw tn seething that warns US of AZ ex.
plosion was nearest the fire. There was
AU LlAke " SDodh, duu AS sue A00ucu over 10 /
push M back, the whole contents of the
crucibb hared in her face. AL fos me -
all for ne.'
"Buidid you not see." cried mother.
II vas watching another vessel. She
was qite a chemist, this Meta of ours.
What will my boy say when he sees how
his faher's carelessness has cost his wife
80 mud!'
Evil she live - whispered, 20: Meta
lag so notionless it terrified me.
''Liv. Yes. yes. ! have stupifed her
now tcdeaden the pain in her face. She 10
sleepiR. She will live, but the pretty face
10 goni It will be hdeous mask OF burns
and sams--one eye drawn down on the
cheek. Our beauty will be no longer. And
all to ave me. She might have passed me
and escaped; but she staid to push me aside
and seutfers for me now.
Wess rolled away before We really saw
Meta,face. She was brought home, bu.
DR.. AndercoOrt kept her covered with
bandaes. Faithfully he tried to restore
her, aifar as possible 70 the beauty that
was g0e forever. AL that tender love and
skill Ould do was done, and never were
more evoted nurses than waited upon our
cousin We all loved the bright little beauty.
and I hink any Of Us would gladly have
reeignd whatever looks we possessed 60
see tht face we all loved restored TO its
forme lovliness.
Butit was not 60 be. Herman came
homeand Meta begged he nigh, not come
TO seder. She was still very weak, for
she hd been i'll from the shock of the ex- ,
plosiO, and eha begged me- t. keep her |
IOverIway for little while.
Neer shall ! forget the day when for
The fist time, she was dressed and SAT up [
BY tn window. We we're alone together:
the sft July air came in upon U.s. as set {
.led te big arm chair, and tenderly helped {
nv ltle cousin across the room. She had {
grow very thin, and her dress hung loose
y sOut her. Over her face were still 1
)oun The cool linen bsndages, her one {
iounteye being che only feature visible &
FO some time after she was seated Meta I
Vas dent, her head bowed upon her hand, 1
md er attitude convincing mo the poor i
'tflced one was seeking higher comfort +
hanlny we could otter. I moved softly g
lb0u the room. airing the bed, laying out q
,leaniaen, and performing the duties that Z
nurse find 80 necessary when their patient =
irstits up. e
Wen l looked again at Meta she was re- '
nov,g her bandages with a steady hand :
Ah, le II was ptiful to see the face un- t
ier hem! It was all healed now, but u
iraN to one side. one eye terribly distg- f
,refhnd sightless, with a stare in its dead a
The lovely complexion r
yaslow nearly blood red all over; the Ii
wee mouth alone was unharmed, quiver- t
ng 5ith the pain Meta vainiy strove to e
Iide All the upper part of her face was a
lte,d beyond recognition, but the mouth Il
nd aintily rounded chia were unharmed v
Is Sc laid the last bandage upon her lap, t
let asked for mirror. Y
''ot to-day. my darling" said, kissing b
er ,ndly. b
IN l SO very ilidecus.' ii
"5u are altered: but We love you, not 81
OUTAGE" said. f,
"bor Meta - e
''lwill be hard to give him upr' a
''ou do not think would hold him 20
is ,gagement .now9 He may be honora- a
L, anunh marrv hut Loz.z aa..I.i I | O.