Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-01-20
1 WHITE cAMELIA's STORY.

Translated from the Rleheh VI h ho WAN
mel de Grandiortl
1t feebly raised its dropping petals
and thus began its story:
"The first sensation,experienced when
my life began was that of mild and
gentle warmth which pervaded the at
mosphere | breathed. Tremblingly did
| open my virginia. calgx, as fair and as
pearly white as maiden shoulder,
tremblingly did | open it that | might
gladly inhale this vivifying atmosphere,
that its fecundifying warmth might
spread in strong ana impetus streams
through all my 6bres; this first feeling
of life brought on multitude OF sensa-
tions which made my satin-like leaves
expand, still whiter and more coQuet-
tish, whilst Venetian mirror reflected
back my image aud showed me al my
splendid beauty, my velvet freshness,
and my virginia. lnster. i,
Proud and naughty, Least q hurried
look around the temple in which | had
received life. 1t was one of those
splendid palaces, bedsoked with white
and gold, wherein human mortals show
themselves only at evening IN the glare
Of lusters and waxilghts; wherein the
sun penetrates only for an instant in the
morning, and soon driven away as an
unwelcome guest, disappears before ele-
CANT tapestry and richly embroidered
curtains. On table a few PAGES from
me stood a magnificent, but curiously-
wrought vase, filed with an enormous
bononet of flowers Though totally un-
like me. recognized them as nly sis
ters. They were conversing languidiy,
like neglected and forsaken odalisqnes,
zone especially, young rose OF fair
est hues voluptous aud tender bearing
was regretting, in sweet and harmo-
Mons voice, the periumed breezes, the
blue aud limpid sky, the kiss Of night,
and the trembling insect which she shell.
tered at nightiall
20. who will give me back the suu-
beam which slowly descends upon me
and filed my breast with Intoxicating
WARMTH Who will give me back the
gentle zephyrs which glided Ger ny
leaves and stole away their perfume
Who will give me back the sweet and
graceful creature that came each eve TO
murmer close to me those songs so de-
iehtfnl and so pure2 Simple howeri
keautiful in my own beauty, | lived thus
happy and beloved until pitiless hand
came to snatch me frem my sisters, my
sun and my breezes, and exile me, rob
me of strength and life, to saloon with
out light, without luster ] Yesterday !
was born, tomorrow shall die.
e'Daughter, grayely spoke pale
anemone, know how to sulfer aud yon
shall have lived; employ the strength
and exuberance OF your life in uproot'
ing from your little heart those thoughts
Of regret and love which make me shud-
der on my stem. Like you, was beau.
tifnI; like you | was loved like you /
felt pass my delicate petals those me.
briating breezes which gave life and
death. like yours, my head bent down to
the sunbeam; and /, too. was so fair and
attractive, that young and blne-eyedi
girl, timid child all Innocence ana
purity, fastened me to heT giFaieiis i''5;s-
ing at me again. she found me so bean
.ilal that moment after she placed me
in the midst of you, pale aud broken,
NV flexible stalk stepped in the pure
and crystal fluid from which we derive a
Fictitious lie. Ali sisters, sisters, happy
are they Who live unknewn in the depths
of the woods, er lost in the creyices ol
the r0cksl
"Tor me- thus spoke a sparkling,
black and yellow tulip, with empurpled
calyx, happiness lasted only moment
-hGt it was immense and divine, and ats
memory still lives in my heartl kn.
dowed with an ardent and sympathetic
nature, was seized with maddenlng
love for one Of those dark brown aud
dreamy women who would come each
eve with stately step, to while away their
hours IN amor0us melancholy near me.
You know how happy and proud wasi
Indifferent to your conversations insen-
sible 10 the caresses of the gorgeous
eatteraies that we're fitting around usi
! thought your life joyless aud charm
less, and / would have given all the
flowers III the world to shine a mDment
on her bosom OF sparkle in her beautiful
hair.
"'Butwoman 0, my sister, how crnel
are they; how pitilessly do they destroy
usi Yet, tbs said that they resemble
US; that they are, like US, feeble and
tender-like us, beautiful and fragile.
No. they are as cold and pitiless as the
rliiering steel with Which they sever US
from the parent stem. But l loved
madlv: and when this woman passed BY
me. / bent gently aud gracefully down
with thoughts of love, I softly called her
by a sweet and harmonious name, which
a stranger breeze had borne me- but,
say what you viii, women understand
neither our sighs nor our songs. one
day the sky vas gloriously radiant, the
butterflies were toying -tih the hoEerssi
We were all on our stalks, as majestic
and beautiful IS youthful queens on